Wool Pona Jacket with Measure fabric
I’ve made several coats and jackets the last few years, but this one might just be my all-time favorite, and I’m really excited to share it with you today!
This post is my honest opinion using fabric I received free of charge from Measure Fabric.
for my ultimate “me” coat, I started with this really pretty wool coating from Measure Fabric. Its a black and white wool blend coating with a minimal windowpane plaid design and a slightly brushed surface. It’s gorgeous, folks! Here’s why I love it:
The windowpane plaid is understated yet striking. I like that its a very simple design so it doesn’t feel too busy and though its a print, it goes with pretty much everything in my closet. A simpler plaid also means easier cutting and pattern matching, as far as plaids go. This fabric feels so sophisticated!
Its buttery soft, not only on the right side but on the wrong side as well. Sometimes this is hard to come by! I’ve handled a few coatings that feel lovely on the right side, but the wrong side is a scratchy mess and absolutely needs a lining. Not this one! This wool was perfect for an unlined pattern like the Pona Jacket. It feels very soft against the skin, and I had no problem putting it on over a long sleeve sweater.
The weave is very tight, which means the pattern pieces virtually don’t fray while you’re working with them. This is great news, because sewing a heavy coating requires a degree of man handling as you manipulate the fabric at the machine, so its nice to not have your pieces falling apart as you work (also less mess!).
I combined this rich wool coating with the Pona Jacket pattern by Helen’s Closet. Though not necessarily designed for true coatings, I think it actually worked out really well, again thanks to the exceptional qualities of the fabric.
The Pona Jacket is an unlined, drop shoulder jacket with a bold blazer lapel and a closure free front. It also has big patch pockets and a beautiful wide facing. I made the longer length jacket, and the only adjustment I made was to shorten the sleeves 1.5”. That’s it! I really like drop shoulder garments these days because the fit is more forgiving than a traditional set in sleeve, which means I don’t have to worry much about adjusting for a narrow shoulder or short bust-to-shoulder measurement.
Perhaps an unlined wool coat seems strange, but I actually really like it! My beef with winter is that stores always crank up the heat as if they weren’t climate controlled already, so I come in from the cold and by the time I reach the produce aisle I’m super toasty and sweating all over my mask (hashtag, never said that before a pandemic). This unlined coat has been the perfect solution! Its warm enough for running the average errand, but not so warm that its uncomfortable to wear once I get inside. And the soft hand of the plaid wool makes my perfect coat possible.
And to top it off, I finished my raw edges with hong kong seams. Its laborious, but always so satisfying when they’re finished.
I’m almost disappointed that winter is on its way out in our area because I’m so thrilled with this coat and want to keep wearing it! But I suppose that means it’ll be like a little present when I unpack it for the next cold season. Either way, if you’re planning a handmade coat I absolutely recommend snagging some of this beautiful coating before its gone!
