Dress Project: Amanda Jacket

5 hrs 9 mins

Welcome to the Amanda Jacket Project!

This is a stylish jacket that is cozy, easy to wear, and looks great over a dress or with jeans and a tee.

Amanda Jacket Description:

Red Boucle shawl draped neckline jacket
Loose fit front, semi-fitted back, shoulder and sleeves
Open front
Long sleeve,
Jacket is finished with Hong Kong, and Bias bound seams
Different decorative finishings are discussed and shown in the project

Project Steps:

Draping with muslin over dress form, unique size 14 (not Standard US Sizing)
Turning into sewing pattern
Fabric properties discussed and shown
Cutting fabric
Finishing options for this type of fabric shown with samples and sewing instructions
Silk bias strips cut
Bias binding edges and seams,
Jacket sewn and finished with Hong Kong seams and bias binding
In the end, the Amanda Dress was styled with the jacket

Fabric amount:

Approximately you need 2 to 2 ½” yards of fabric for this project, depending on the length of your choosing and the width of your fabric.

2 and 2 ½” of muslin for draping

My fabric: Viscose and wool blend woven Bouclé, (no stretch) , with lightweight Silk Habotai bias bindings

Fabrics that can be used:

Any fabric that has a good drape, meaning it is flowy, hangs and moves in a fluid, body-skimming manner.

Mid-weight or heavyweight wool Crepe, mid-weight or heavyweight Interlock knit or woven, mid-weight viscose or Rayon Jersey, Stretchy wool, cashmere Gabardine (check for the drape), Wool, viscose knit or Jersey, lightweight leather body, knit sleeves (or leather sleeves), lightweight sued

LESSONS

PDF Documents

Lesson 1

PDF: Muslin Preparation & Measurements

Print this PDF for future reference!

Lesson 2

PDF: Fabric Information

Print this PDF for future reference!

Draping

Lesson 3

Introduction & Taping Style Lines

In this session, I teach how to tape the design lines for the Amanda draped jacket on a dress form. I start by adding reference lines like center front, waistline, and bust points which will help transfer the draped pieces to the pattern later.

32 mins

Lesson 4

Draping the Jacket - Front

This session covers how to prepare the muslin fabric and drape the front piece of the Amanda Jacket. I demonstrate two different styles - a more draped, relaxed front and a slimmer, fitted front.

32 mins

Lesson 5

Draping the Jacket - Back

How to drape the back piece of the Amanda Jacket. I demonstrate pinning the muslin at the center back, allowing enough height for it to roll over the shoulder. I explain different techniques to achieve a fitted or relaxed back look by manipulating the straight grain line.

15 mins

Lesson 6

Cleanup and Test Fitting

In this session, I laid out the muslin pieces and went over the lines, clarifying the different options for a more fitted or drapey look. I then assembled the front, side panels, and back pieces to test the fit on a dress form.

34 mins

Patternmaking

Lesson 7

Amanda Jacket Patternmaking

How to draft the set-in sleeve pattern for the jacket and make adjustments to the jacket pattern pieces for the desired fit and style. I demonstrate transferring the draped jacket pieces onto paper, truing the pattern pieces, and adding seam allowances.

57 mins

Sewing & Finishing - Part 1

Lesson 8

Jacket Sewing Overview

In this session, I introduced the fabric I chose for the drape jacket project - a boucle fabric from Mood with a beautiful drape and cozy texture. I acknowledged the challenges of working with this open-weave, fuzzy fabric but expressed my intention to use the raw edges as a decorative finish.

4 mins

Lesson 9

Cutting the Fabric

How to carefully cut the fuzzy fabric for the Amanda Jacket, ensuring enough seam allowance to prevent the threads from coming loose. I emphasize folding the cut pieces immediately to minimize fabric disturbance.

6 mins

Lesson 10

Finishing Samples 1

In this lesson, I teach different techniques for finishing the seams of the boucle fabric jacket, as the fabric is prone to shedding threads. I demonstrate three methods to securely enclose the raw edges.

15 mins

Lesson 11

Cutting Bias Strips on Silk Habotai

I demonstrate how to cut bias strips from silk habotai fabric for the Amanda Jacket project. Cutting bias strips, especially on delicate fabrics like silk, can be challenging but requires a steady hand and the right tools.

4 mins

Lesson 12

Finishing Samples 2

In this session, I teach how to sew pieces together and cover raw seams with bias binding. I demonstrate using a thin black fabric as the base and a red bias tape on top.

12 mins

Lesson 13

Finishing Samples 3

In this session, I demonstrate another example of creating a Hong Kong seam finish by bias binding each pattern piece along the seam edges before stitching them together. I also show how to cleanly finish the hem of the jacket using bias binding and hand stitching for a chic, professional look.

10 mins

Sewing & Finishing - Part 2

Lesson 14

Finishing Overview

I talk about different finishing techniques for the Amanda jacket project. I demonstrate three sample finishes - Hong Kong seam, bias binding, and a raw edge finish - and evaluate their suitability for the boucle fabric and design.

7 mins

Lesson 15

Sewing Overview

In this session, I provide an overview of the steps involved in sewing the Amanda Jacket. I explain the different components of the jacket and the order in which I planned to assemble them.

5 mins

Lesson 16

Sewing - Part 1

How to finish the darts, attach the side panels, and bias bind the neckline and armholes of the Amanda Jacket. I work carefully with the delicate silk habotai fabric to avoid fraying.

35 mins

Lesson 17

Sewing - Part 2

In this session, I cover finishing the armholes, neckline, and attaching the sleeves to the jacket. I stretch the bias binding slightly while sewing around the armholes to help it turn smoothly. After securing the armhole seams, I trim away loose threads and frayed edges.

40 mins

Lesson 18

Project Final Overview

In this final overview session, I showcased the completed Amanda jacket draped over the Amanda dress. I attached everything together, cleaned the hem, and finished the collar with a bias strip. This jacket features a relaxed, cozy shawl-like draped collar, and I added a black velvet belt to the dress to complete the modern, less formal look.

2 mins