here comes the second week of vintage may posts; we hope you’ve been enjoying all the wonderful vintage-y inspiration so far! today, Jess and I both have projects for you, and the rest of this week we’ll have guests. keep adding photos to the flickr group, your projects are really wonderful and we’ll do a round up at the end!
i decided my second item for vintage may would be a little swing jacket for Em. i really love making her outerwear, and she was due for a new springy jacket to wear over her school uniform anyway. and hey, who doesn’t love a little gingham for spring(ham)?
i’ve also had this idea stuck in my head to make a swingy little coat with a pleated back panel for a loooong time. so here was my chance.
it was one of those projects that was pretty nerve-wracking as i made it, since it felt pretty off-the-cuff, but luckily turned out pretty well. there are a couple issues (collar overlaps a bit, lining was too narrow so it swings free rather than being attached) but all in all, i like it as a first draft and it’s totally functional for her.
well, not totally functional, i guess. the pockets are just flaps because i couldn’t remember the last time Em really cared about having front pockets in a jacket, but of course the first thing she did when she put it on was lift up the flap to find the non-existent pocket. of course. soooooo i promised her i’d add a pocket underneath (someday).
the pattern…well…it started as a size 4 oliver + s sunday brunch jacket, a long time ago. first i modified it into red riding hood, then into her suzy coat, and now into this little gingham coat, so it’s to the point where only the armhole curves are left from the original. that’s the beauty of a good basic pattern though, it’s so easily adaptable!
the purple gingham is laminated cotton (i think), sent to me by the very generous Tatia. i figure it’s probably water resistant? i put the more “waterproof” seeming side face in, and the more cottony side face out. i thought about adding a hood but drafted a peter pan collar instead, since this thrifted 1967 McCall’s pattern was my original inspiration.
(at the bottom it says “not suitable for chubby girls”!!!!!)
lining the jacket is a floral vintage sheet, sent to me by Lindsay for helping be another set of eyes during Project Run & Play – super sweet of her. she sent me a big box of fun thrifted goodies actually, and this was a fun one to cut into…so soft! i pulled from some blue in the lining to add the blue buttons (with yellow thread for fun).
Em’s dress underneath is a Roller Skate Dress, blogged here, also made from a vintage sheet. she wears it a lot!
Em was feeling a bit under the weather but still pulled off some pretty good poses, eh? It was another of those quickie photoshoots you’ve just gotta do sometimes.
OKAY! now head on over to CINO to see the capital A-DORable dress Jess made for her little gal Charlotte. the floral! the pigtails! the cheeks! the collar! it’s all just too much to handle!
skirt as top 
I think I have that same vintage sheet in my stash! But on to that coat!!!!! I love the purple gingham with those blue buttons, and so glad it all worked out with the gathers in the back, because that is what makes it!! I also like how the pockets look with the contrasting angle of the gingham. It’s like double gingham…ha. So, so cute!
Beautiful jacket. Purple and yellow always feel like Spring to me. Good move on the back pleats. They really add to the whole shape of it.
Love the jacket. I would love a pattern for it, as I have 2 little girls who would love one.
ah thank you, good to know! that’s the eventual goal. 🙂
Ooooooh, super cute! I love the back, and the collar!
that is really super adorable! i love the purple gingham, it’s so sweet on her!
What a sweet little spring coat! And I sure do love gingham!
very cute & well done !
hoping i can finish up my daughter’s vintage inspired floral dress this week 🙂
Nice coat and dress But Em is darling she looks like she really enjoys modeling the clothes you make. Love your passion for vintage – it really is the best line of creation
Love the jacket. The pleats and the pockets are my favorite features. Great job!
that’s so pretty!!! the purple gingham, you just can’t go wrong. an oh my, not so politically correct back in the day, yikes! hahaha
I LOVE this coat! I’m a real sucker for gingham – so fresh looking! Great job in drafting your own pattern:)
thanks so much!!
I love this Kristin! So much. The gingham…perfect. The shape of the jacket…absolutely spot on. Great job!
Beautiful jacket! 🙂
Nice work there! You are definitely onto something there- keep at it and we will be here for you when you are ready to put it into print! ps- can I have Em’s hair? Caroline
I LOVE it. And Sadie is now in love with purple. lol! I love the little details-the pleats and fun lining and buttons-I just love it all!
i wish i had enough gingham to make her a matching one!!! wouldn’t that be cute? oh man.
Love the shape of the jacket and want to make one!! I also love the vintage sheet lining…perfect!!
Cute!!! That jacket is absolutely adorable, the collar, the back panel, the pockets, ahhh I’m in love.
I’m also cracking up about that “chubby girls” comment. It’s so funny/crazy how much more blunt people used to be compared to now.
Very cute outfits! I also wanted to let you know, I’ve won a Pattern Pyramid recently and have just posted it on my blog if you were interested, you can take a look and enter it!
Super darling! Love all the details that you created, and it fits Em to a tee!
cute cute cute! I literally giggled out loud in a quiet room when I read that the pattern isn’t for “chubby girls” hahaha. Something you would never find on a pattern today
Very cute jacket!! I had to zoom in on the pattern to verify your statement! Hahaha its funny because 1967 would be taken back by some of the things we say now but that just really made me say “oh my” haha
That is a really, really nice jacket. I’m amazed that you invented it without a pattern (although I shouldn’t be surprised I guess). Superb!
Love those fabrics!
Well, you made me love something purple, so I guess that says it all.
best compliment ever!
Super cute Kristin! Sorry I haven’t left a comment in a bajilion years! I haven’t checked blogs in a long time! Exclamation mark!
Seriously though, cute swing jacket! I love Em’s skin tone too! I know that is weird of me to say but we all are glow in the dark white here, and her skin looks so beautiful!
OH! I’ve never looked at this post yet, what a loser. Em just works the crap out of everything, sick or not. Love the way this jacket looks in the back.
Had to follow up on the outstanding cuteness of this jacket, and how fun that a little piece of NJ thrift is sewn into it 🙂 You have such an eye for design and this little number is just perfect.