Dear Falda,

You’ve been part of my life for several months now, but I’ve been keeping you a secret.  Thankfully, you are a secret no more! Pattern Fantastique’s Falda Jacket has just been released and I can now sing your praises to anyone who will listen.

In fact, if you promise not to tell your fellow hand-made friends in my wardrobe, I’ll let you in on a little secret… you are the garment that I am most proud of sewing.

Your pattern pieces don’t look like anything standard, but I just followed the well written instructions with accompanying diagrams and everything fell into place.  You weren’t a super fast sew, like many of my makes, but I paced myself and the end result was a fashion forward jacket with sleeves to rival no other.

Depending on your fabric choice, you can be sewn in two different ways:

• View A – Jacket weight cotton (no lining) with patch pockets (think denim!).  It’s the perfect jacket for transitional weather
• View B – Blanket weight wool with welt pockets and full lining for deep winter warmth

As we were just getting to know each other, I sewed View A, and to further reduce my stress levels (I’m easily daunted by a slightly more complicated projects), I opted to top-stitch you in matching all purpose Gutermann sewing thread.

Can I tell you a little bit about my fabric choices?  Your main fabric is a cotton/linen blend from The Cloth Shop.  When I brought the fabric it was crisp and could hold it’s own weight (see photo below).  At the time I suspected there was a coating/dressing on  the fabric and it would be easier to sew without pre-washing.  So I cut, sewed and then washed.  It worked a treat.  The fabric has softened significantly and now you are a perfect lightweight layer.

And because you are so special Falda, your facings are in Liberty.  Who’s a lucky jacket?

I hope you don’t mind, but I expect by the end of the year you’ll have two siblings – an unlined version in some rust coloured denim from House of Cloth in Bendigo (a big shout out to my fabric finder Sarah and her Mum for acting as the courier!) and I’m currently auditioning wool in my stash for the lined version with welt pockets.  And while we’re talking next time, I don’t want you to think that you aren’t perfect, but I’m going to add an inch to the length to accommodate my longish body and to keep my kidneys a little warmer in the cooler months.

Before I sign off, I just wanted you to know that I think you are a drafting masterpiece, with bold lines and a distinct stamp of individuality.  You look great thrown over a summer dress on a cool morning, paired with a colourful top and my black jeans and gosh, when I’m feeling brave, I’ve even been known to dabble in double denim.  With you in my life Falda, anything is possible!

Lots of Love
Anna

Pattern:  Pattern Fantastique’s Falda Jacket (View A)
Size:  8
Fabric:  Main fabric – Cotton/linen blend from The Cloth Shop.  Facings – Liberty tana lawn from leftover from this project
Alterations:  None!
Accessories:  Liberty Scarf and and as-new second-hand Funkis shoes
Photo Location:  Children’s Garden at the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens