closing in on the finish...

Are you tired of seeing these jacket makeover details?  No worries, my next post will be the finished jacket!
I have been re-fashioning for quite awhile. In fact, I talk about that quite a bit in a chat with Lori in the Sew Forth Now Podcast  that you can listen to here:
 Return to Sewing 

I guess I like to share this whole process because so many people are intimidated by doing a re-fashion of an existing garment, when really, with sewing experience, you can do so much with the knowledge you have. It doesn't matter if you are a novice ( shorten or take in a thrift skirt, shirt or dress and add trims, change buttons)

(buttons changed, sides taken in)

(seams taken in, a complimentary store bought pin added to neckline)

 an intermediate seamstress (add sleeves to a sleeveless dress,  remove sleeves from a jacket to make a vest,  attach a skirt of your own fabric to an existing shirt)

 (elastic rows inserted in waist)

(thrifted blouse fused with seersucker fabric from stash)

(Sleeves removed from coat)

 or  more advanced ( remaking an entire jacket into a new design)....like I'm doing now!
With most of us being budget conscious, it's such a cool way to fashion a new garment for very little expense. Or to hone your tailoring skills, or to just let your imagination run wild. Add a zipper, change a seam, put in a pocket...you can do it!

In this edition of my Jacket Re-Fashion for the Pattern Review Contest,  I am doing some joushing details to complete my design. 

                 I have added faux leather binding to the front opening of the jacket...next I will add a zipper.

And at the last minute, I decided to insert some zippered pockets:

I marked the placement:

made the pocket zipper opening:

 attached a pocket bag and inserted the pockets into the jacket, welt style. Sort of. I really did wing it with this technique. I broke some of the welt-pocket rules in order to get them in, but hey, I get to put the pocket in any way that I want to, right?

When all of this was done, I hand stitched my lining back in place where it was needed. My fingers hurt...I forgot to wear a thimble and good grief, all that faux leather....

So, the last step is to finish that zipper front and add my removable fur collar...and show you the finished jacket tomorrow!

Have you ever tried your hand at re-design/re-fashion?