Sew and Tell with the Reversible Girl's Jacket

We had my son's first soccer game this weekend, and I almost needed a jacket!  I'm pretty sure fall is officially on the horizon, and I'm ashamed to say I've only sewn one fall pattern so far.  Time to get cracking on some warm wears for my princess.  Jackets are staples in every fall wardrobe, so that should probably be first on my list, right?  We have a precious one up for review today, and it's on sale, too!  Hurray!

The Reversible Girl's Jacket from Bettsy Kingston is a great option for those wanting to sew up some great-looking outwear.  It can be made in sizes newborn- 3 years or 3- 9 years.  They're sold as 2 separate patterns (but both are on sale right now!)  The Peter Pan collar adds the sweetest touch to the this fully reversible jacket that can be made from nearly any non-stretch light-medium weight cottons.  I know I've probably said it countless times, but I love garments for children that are reversible!  My daughter's name is Anessa Lu, and we lovingly call her Messy Nessie or A"mess"a Lu.  About 10 minutes after she gets dressed, there's a stain soon to follow.  She's two, so it's expected, right?  If we're out and about, and she's wearing something reversible, we can flip it around, and "Viola!" we've got a new outfit to work with :)  Makes this mommy's life a little easier.  

If you take a look at the actual pattern, the pieces look great, and the directions are really detailed.  You shouldn't have any problems with this one!  We had a glowing recommendation sent in to us from Jennifer.  I'll let her tell you all about it ;) 

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Hi everybody!  I am a stay-at-home mother to five beautiful children, ages 8, 3, 2, 2, and 9 months.  Needless to say, my house is a busy, hectic place to be!  I’ve been sewing for several years, and I consider myself to have an intermediate level of skill.  I try to sew a season in advance, so I’ve started making clothes for the fall and winter even though it’s still super-hot where I live.
 

I’m reviewing the Bettsy Kingston pattern for a reversible jacket.  It includes sizes 3-9, so I’ll be able to use it for two of my girls this year.  I love patterns with a large size range!  I measured my 3 year old, because she is tall for her age, and found her measurements fell right between a size four and a size five.  I sewed the jacket in a size five, but it seems a little big.  If I make another one for her, I’ll probably make a size four.

 
I chose a light weight bright pink denim and a cotton print fabric, and I set aside a morning to work on the jacket.  I sent the pattern to the printer, and went to the kitchen to get a drink.  When I came back, I found that my cat had knocked the pages on the ground, and they were all mixed up.  It was easy to put things back in the right order, though.  The instruction pages are numbered, and there is a very clear diagram showing how the pattern pieces fit together.

 

I was really excited to see that the pattern pieces print out on a grid.  This made it really easy to get the pieces lined up correctly.  There are four pattern pieces:  front, back, collar, and sleeves. 
 
Sewing the jacket together was easy and straightforward.  The directions are very clear, and there are lots of pictures included in case you need some extra help.  The pattern pieces fit together very well.  I didn’t have to use an ease stitch to get the sleeves in.  The instructions say to leave a 2 inch gap to turn the jacket right side out.  I found that I needed at least a four inch gap, but that may be due to my fabric choices.
 

I chose to close the jacket with snaps.  I covered big buttons with leftover fabric, and sewed them on top of the snaps.  I decided to add a few inches to the bottom of the sleeves so I could roll them up with the contrasting fabric showing.  I also added a chunky piping to the collar. 

It took only a couple of hours to put the jacket together.  I might have been able to do it faster if I had been able to work uninterrupted, but in a house with five kids that’s not going to happen!

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and my daughter loves it too!  I’m looking forward to making a jacket for my oldest daughter.  I think a lightweight corduroy would work well.  This pattern is very versatile, and I can think of many different ways to customize it.  You could easily add pockets, appliqués, or embroidery.  I think a ruffle at the bottom would be cute, too! 

 

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Doesn't that collar just make the jacket?  I really think the piping on the collar and the big buttons are the perfect touch!  This a great jacket to keep your babies warm this winter.  Make sure you take advantage of the 25% off discount that we are offering on it for the next few days so your kiddos can look this cute, too :)  And remember that the sizes NB- 3T and 3T- 9 years are sold separately, so pay attention to that before you check out!

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Pair it Up!

 Since I've shared with you all my deep love of reversible clothing, I thought I'd also share some of those patterns.  If we're kindred souls, and you share that passion with me, just type "reversible" into the search bar at the top right of our homepage, and we've got quite a large list that will pop up.  But for now, here are two great options!
 

 

 

The Harper Reversible Dress from Sew Sweet Patterns is an adorable A-line dress that can be made in sizes 6m- 3T.  It's a quick and easy sew that yields beautiful results!  Works great as a sundress, but can also be worn with some leggings and a warm shirt underneath for the cooler months.  This would be a great dress to use as the fall holidays approach.  Do one side Halloween themed and the other side Thanksgiving themed so that you aren't making 2 separate dresses that will only get worn once or twice.

 

 

This is the Reversible Skirt from Kikoi Patterns.  It's a full skirt that begs to be twirled in!  This would look so pretty in some festive Christmas prints with a cute little appliqued top.  You can make this skirt in sizes 6m- 9 years. 

 

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Don't forget to head to the website so you can get your sweet deal on the Girl's Reversible Jacket!  And while you're there, browse around and get inspired!  We're hosting a Handmade Halloween Costume Contest, and we'd love for you to be a part of it!  Simply design a Halloween costume around one or more of the patterns we carry on our website.  We're giving away over $300 in prizes!  Find the details by clicking on the banner below :)

 

 

 Go sew something magical!

 



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