Pattern: Tamarack Jacket by Grainline Studio
Sewing time taken (excluding cutting out): 4 hours
Fabric: Faux fur from Samuel Taylors / Sew Up North 2018
This faux fur Grainline Studio Tamarack Jacket was a long time coming. I first decided to make a Tamarack in faux fur in November 2015, after seeing a RTW faux fur jacket in a similar shape. It then took me until 2018 to spot a faux fur fabric I liked enough to buy it – in Samuel Taylors, Leeds during the 2018 Sew Up North meet-up.
I cut out all of the pattern pieces for this jacket (including interfacing and lining) last winter but didn’t find the time to sew it. A few weeks ago I plucked the pattern pieces out of my unfinished objects basket and after around four hours sewing time I finally had a finished jacket. Further evidence that sewing only makes up a small part of many sewing projects!
Despite having planned this jacket since 2015, the high street is full of faux fur jackets in similar styles this winter, so it feels very on-trend. I had fabric left over after finishing the jacket (I still do, but I’m not sure I need any more matching accessories) so I decided to make matching earmuffs, by covering a pair I already owned. I cut two circles of fabric to cover each ear, sewed them right-sides together and pulled them over each side of the ear muffs, finally I hand-sewed the top of each side closed around the headband.
For the jacket, I didn’t want to finish the edges with bias binding – as per the pattern instructions – as I thought it would flatten the faux fur. Instead I cut a lining (using the standard pattern pieces with a slightly trimmed seam allowance to prevent the lining peeking out) and sewed the main and lining jackets together at all seams except the centre front. The lining fabric is a Liberty cotton lawn bought from Birmingham Rag Market (specifically The Little World of Fabric, also known as ‘The Liberty Man’).
I fancied a zip closure (see also: Meg and Katie’s versions with zips) but was a bit worried about the faux fur getting caught in the zipper teeth. In the end I decided to go for it, and fitted a 22″ zip (a 21″ zip would have been preferable but they didn’t have that in the shop). I attached the zip with a generous seam allowance to give it a little distance from the faux fur and I haven’t had any issues with the fabric getting caught.
The Tamarack pattern is a great simple shape for hacking and I’ve been wearing this version loads since finishing it so I’m glad I finally brought it to fruition!
