Spring Fling (Swing) Jacket!

Spring fever has officially set in this week, now that the enormous snow bank outside our front walkway has melted. On a recent spring break trip to Tecumseh, NE to visit college friends, I found a stylish trenchcoat that I would be fun to make. Now, it's not quite quilting, but it involves most of the basic tools. So, under the guidance of Master Seamstress Linda Louder, we whipped up this jacket in two days.

The pattern is called "The Sophia Trenchcoat" SDG-99 from Serendipity Studio (available to make at fingertip lengh, or knee-length). I found it at a quilt shop called "Common Threads" in Syracuse, NE. The lady at the quilt store was nice enough to let me try on the in-store sample, and Eric and I both agreed - it was cute. So I bought the pattern on a whim (being a very NOVICE seamstress) and began the hunt for fabric.

We used interior decorator fabric for the outside of the coat, and found it at a steal (like $6.99/yd!). The contrast fabric is a batik that looks like it was made to compliment this coat.

There are big, fun cuffs in contrasting fabric that I can shape if I want to "pop" my collar, or just lay low.

And we opted for contrasting cuffs - it just looks classy and fun at the same time, don't you think?

Yours truly, modeling. I'm smiling at my hubby - who REALLY likes the coat (and says I'm a "cutie bear"). The best part of making a garment like this is it is custom made for your body. One of a kind!

Even how the back gathers is cute! What's best, I feel like a million darn dollars in this garment - and you can't put a dollar figure on that. Happy spring!