Helicopter Parent Jacket

January 18, 2015 by steelyseamstress 20 Comments

You may have noticed the hiatus in my sewing posts. I was convinced just before Christmas that I only needed a couple more evenings on my jacket and it would be finished. Then, disaster struck! All right, that was a bit over-dramatic, but I found that neither of my two regular sewing shops had any more stock of black top-stitching thread. So there I was stuck with a thread-enforced break in my sewing. I couldn’t believe that there had been a rush on top-stitch thread for Christmas; could it be a highly desirable last minute Christmas gift? (Thank you. Guttermans top-stitch thread! Just what I always wanted, you really shouldn’t have, darling!)

Anyway, searching further afield, I managed to mop up all stocks of the coveted black top-stitch within a twenty mile radius and I finally managed to finish the jacket.

I’m very pleased with it. I’m particularly happy that I stuck with all that helicopter matching. Although, I did think that perhaps I should even have matched the two sides at the front. But it’s not a shirt and therefore won’t be worn buttoned up much. And seriously, there is only so much of the matchy-madness that I can take!

Helicopter Jacket

I’m glad I took my time with this project as well. I think, in terms of construction, it is one of my best executed projects. It shows how just thinking and slowing down can make a big quality difference. I’m also pleased with the fit. I’m very adverse to making toiles. I don’t want to waste fabric and I thoroughly believe that a healthy application of maths will fix most problems. I made my usual adjustments – extra room across the back and a little more “belly” space.

It’s a shame it’s still January and I’d die of hypothermia if I wore this outside. But, what better jacket for waiting around in, in the playground at pick-up time?