Butterick 5533 Knit Jacket

In the spirit of my epic run of posts this holiday - the Butterick 5533 jacket. Another of my favorite patterns.






I haven't see this sewn a lot, but I jumped on it a couple years ago because I just love the back detail. I'm a sucker for swing cuts and details coming and going...


I used the front of View A, and the pockets and back of View B. And so far, I haven't put on any buttons - that decision is still up in the air.

I thought the front was a bit plain, so I drafted it in two pieces, split across the upper bodice, and topstitched the seam to accent it a bit. If you squint, you'll see it...

On the pic below you can also see the two-part sleeve. Such a nice design detail. I didn't do the curved/faced hem on this sleeve, mostly because I think it would weigh down the fabric and not sit well.

This fabric is 12 oz. stretch denim from Girl Charlee - 63% cotton, 33% poly, and 4% spandex. It has 4-way stretch and curled like crazy on the edges when I was sewing it! I expected it to be more denim-like than it is. It's definitely woven, but it feels and sews like a knit.

And here's a version of the jacket that I made in 2013! It was gifted and never blogged. It's done in poly fleece (JoAnns), with cotton trims and facings (Kaffe Fassett Roman Glass from Westminster Fabrics). It has the same gathered back, but I added the hood from Burda See & Sew 5807, a hooded cape pattern. So cozy. And the hood fit without any alterations to the neckline! I'm sure I'll do another one with this variation.

 

This is the vented and faced sleeve from the pattern. Beautiful.

Sewing Notes:

• All the suggested fabrics are wovens, like corduroy, tweed, lightweight denim, etc. But both my versions are knits - I just went down one size to a 12, and the fit is great.

• Those back gathers. There's just way too much fabric in them as drafted, knit or woven. On the denim knit, I removed 2" from the center back, and on the fleece, which is much thicker, I removed 4".

• A caution: the sleeves are narrow and, if you're tall, they might be short. 

The jacket is unlined, which I like for Florida, but that presents a couple finishing 'opportunities'.

•  I drafted a back neck facing for the grey knit - I cannot stand to turn under the upper collar edge on un-banded collars. The faced hood on the fleece version served to finish the neckline, no facing needed.

•  And I faced the back yoke on both versions. It was kind of like sewing a squid...

Buttons? No buttons? I pinned some on this afternoon, and I think I'll add them.

I've thought a lot about this pattern and how it might be used. Maybe as a cropped swing jacket in french terry, with some gathers under the front yokes, a hood, a separating zipper - it has so many possibilities.

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This is my last post of 2015! Thank you for spending so much time with me this year, for sharing your life, and for enriching mine. I hope you and all your loved ones enjoy a happy, healthy, safe, and fulfilling new year.

Bye for now - Coco