Coco's Loft: November 2014

Friday, November 28, 2014

Here comes the Bride!

Ashley and Darrin are engaged!

I should have posted this sooner (like 2 or 3 weeks ago) but there's been a flurry of visiting, looking at dresses, then at patterns and fabric, and calling back and forth. A few tears. Lots of thanks for many blessings.

My heart is full. I am so very happy for these two wonderful people who enhance my life and love one another so well.

Ashley and Darrin met 3 1/2 years ago, and the sun seemed to shine on them from the beginning...

First Date

Believe me, I was thrilled. Ashley is such a warm and outgoing person, friends everywhere, but that special one seemed just over the horizon...

Darrin is special. Fun, serious, loving, quiet, responsible, dependable, loyal, and very caring.

He puts a smile on my girl's face every day. And she puts one on his as well.

Wedding day is January 31, and yes, Ashley and I are making her dress together! More on that later...

Bye for now, Coco

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Burda Style Athletic/Bomber Jacket!

Gosh, it seems like forever since I posted. I just haven't been well. Short hospital stay the first week of October, and it has taken a while to get back on my feet. Aargh.

When I came home, Ashley and D. 'moved' the loft downstairs into the dining area, and I've actually enjoyed a little sewing. And today Emile took on some modeling for me.

This bomber jacket is so cute - Burda Style calls it an athletic jacket, maybe because the sleeve is not set-in. I've been wanting to sew one for months, but just couldn't settle on a pattern.

Burda Style 05/2014 #110

I finally chose this pattern, out of the many out there, for a couple reasons: it's unlined, and it has a round neck with no ribbing. I think the ribbing on my neck would make me crazy :-)

I also thought I might be able to adapt the band on this pattern for a button band, since I don't use zippers. In the end, I just redrafted the front edge:

I extended the front and front self-facing by 1.5" to form the button band area.
And added the 'classic' button square at the ends of the waistband ribbing.

Another change I made...I ended up using faux welt pockets. I originally sewed in the pocket bags, but didn't like them. So chop chop!

Inside views..

I used a corded denim, which is a little stiff at this point after only one washing. It's a little ravelly, so all the seams are serged or bound.

Loving these button snaps...

Behind every good button snap there's a good tool, and believe me, this one is worth every nickel it cost me. It does all the work - I'm so excited to have this hunk of metal! Many many thanks to Anne, at Clothing Engineer, who has a wonderful review and tutorial on the use of this fantastic tool.