In March this year I started working on a early Victorian jacket with the 1848's jacket aka
kacabajka pattern from Marmota's Dress Diaries but I didn't get it to work. I enlarged the pattern but the fit was really off for my body type/size. That could be due to the alterations I had made to the pattern because I wanted a round neckline and the jacket to close in front. Whatever the reasons were I didn't get it to work, got discoraged and put the project away waiting for new insights and inspiration.
We all havebeen here, more than once, right?!
I bought the Simplicity 4900 pattern. Hoping for a quick and easy fix but when it finally came in I saw that the skirt of the dress was cut in a different way, half a circle sewn to the bodice instead of princess seams. Than I was used to for this type of jacket so I still wasn't content.
Simplicity 4900 Civil War Dress and Riding jacket
I ended up blending together four different patterns to make my version of the jacket. The pattern of the original 1848's was the base and I then I used the bodice pattern of Simplicity 4900 to get the right fit on my upper body, the Period Impressions paletot pattern for the skirt and the pattern of the bell sleeves from TrulyVictorian #560, Late Bustle Coat.
Truly Victorian pattern #560
I still very much a work in progress. There are some issues with attaching the faux fur in the middle of the back because that pattern pieces has a very round hemline.
The other problem that I am facing is setting the sleeves in the right way. As the bodice and the sleeves are not from the same pattern and I always struggle with setting in sleeves.
My husband and son have nicknamed this jacket the Mrs. Santa Claus jacket. My only defense is; but that's how it looks in the picture!
And this is the image (right) that I am referring to:
Although the green coat on the left is longer than my jacket the fabric in the back does drape the same way and it has the same slight bell sleeves that I am looking for.
The red coat also has the right style of sleeves and the front looks like the pointed front of my jacket. Which is easier to see when the jacket is worn.