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First summer outfit: a leather jacket and a playsuit

by Ladulsatina
10 comments
First summer outfit: a leather jacket and a playsuit

This is the last outfit I designed and sewed, my first summer outfit of the year. It’s made up of a cognac brown leather jacket and an army green playsuit. I drafted and sewed this outfit as a year-end project at school, over the professional Pattern Making classes I’ve been attending at Afol Moda in Milan. And I have to admit that I adore it… I think it’s my best memade outfit experiment so far!

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit

I was inspired by different leather jackets with a collar, I came across online or while I was reading magazines over the last months (among these there were a Valentino, a Salvatore Ferragamo and a Hermès jacket). I chose to make a short jacket, some centimetres below the waistline only, because I needed a short jacket to match with a lot of summer dresses I already had in my wardrobe. Moreover it perfectly matches with this summer playsuit.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - collar detail

Given that the jacket I wanted to design had a very simple line, I played with the pockets/darts position, designing them asymmetrically. I added a zip placket on the sleeves. The back is very simple, with a yoke and a back central seam.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - jacket detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - back

I chose a beautiful, soft ,thin Nappa leather and a retro pattern lining (I bought it as a viscose fabric at the shop, but I found out it was polyester when I burnt it…it hate when these things happen! Anyway I liked the pattern very much, it matched with everything, both the leather and the playsuit, and I had no time to change it, so I kept it in the end).

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - lining

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - lining detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - lining detail

I made a toile to test the fit and then I sewed the jacket at school, using an industrial linear sewing machine. I have to say that sewing this jacket took me a long time because I had to be very precise, but it wasn’t as difficult as I imagined (thanks also to my teacher’s super-precious suggestions).

Sewing leather has to be a “one shot deal”, so I was extra-careful in sewing it in a perfect way. And obviously I can’t use pins because they leave holes in the leather (you can use them only inside the seam allowance if your jacket is lined, so you can’t see the holes outside and inside).

I used paper tape instead of pins both when I cut and sewed it (I tested the paper tape on a scrap of leather before using it on my jacket to see if it would have damaged the leather I had bought) and I used it only inside the seam allowance to be sure. I used the Gutermann textile glue too, especially for the sleeve placket and the pockets. Be careful because both the paper tape and the glue can dirty the needle, so don’t stitch over them.

I used a thick thread (such as thread for jeans) and a Teflon presser foot. I used a top stitch foot to topstitch (for pockets and zippers I used the Teflon foot instead and I tried to make the seam as straight as I can). I made samples with some leather scraps to understand how to sew pockets and zippers in the right way before sewing them on my jacket.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - pocket one detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - pocket one detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - zip placket detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - pocket two detailladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - pocket two detail

Hemwise, I managed to press it slightly to keep it in shape (be careful because you can both burn and stain leather).

I have to say that every time I had to stitch a seam on my jacket I had a cold sweat. Anyway, I managed to get my jacket done without too much noticeable damage. Using an industrial sewing machine has helped me to sew it well for sure. I’d like to try to sew something similar with my domestic machine. I still have two pieces of this leather…let’s see what I come up with!

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping

The dress is in a beautiful army green viscose fabric that I bought second hand from Giulia (she used this fabric a while back for one of her collections at MOKU Lab in Milan). It’s perfect for summer because it’s very cool and light.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping

I designed the central draping on the waistline using a draping scheme I found in Pattern Magic Vol. I by Tomoko Nakamichi (pg. 62-67), mixing it with short culottes.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping - detail

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping - detail

I wanted to try a low neckline on the back, so I designed a drop opening.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping - back

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping - back detail

I lined the bodice (the most complex step was to understand how to line the bodice, seen that it has a central draping). The culottes have a facing sewed with the bodice lining on the waistline instead.

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping - neckline detail

Sewing this playsuit has been much more fun and faster than sewing the leather jacket. I still have about 2 mt of this viscose fabric and I’m gonna sew another version of this garment, a maxidress for a wedding in June. To match with my brand new leather jacket obviously!

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping

Behind the scene: me fighting moschitos 🙂

ladulsatina Sewing and DIY fashion blog: leather jacket and playsuit - army green playsuit with central draping

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10 comments

Katy 31 Maggio 2017 - 4:00

So awesome! I loved reading all about the process and they both look great!

Reply
LaDulsaTina 12 Luglio 2017 - 12:19

Thank you so much! 🙂

Reply
Beth (SunnyGal Studio) 31 Maggio 2017 - 17:59

wow they both look great, that jacket is fantastic and the playsuit is adorable. and great fit too.

Reply
LaDulsaTina 12 Luglio 2017 - 12:20

Thank you so much Beth! 🙂

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Juls 17 Giugno 2017 - 10:03

Outstanding! I love both of these , you look gorgeous in them! 🙂
Your projects just keep getting better and better…

Reply
LaDulsaTina 12 Luglio 2017 - 12:21

Thank you so much Juls!! 🙂

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sarah woosley 20 Giugno 2017 - 13:15

Hey! You always look gorgeous and hot Stylo girl !

Reply
LaDulsaTina 12 Luglio 2017 - 12:21

Thanks! 🙂

Reply
Nimah 6 Maggio 2021 - 13:33

Great article. Thanks for sharing.
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michal 16 Novembre 2021 - 1:01

Beautiful styling, wonderful leather jacket, you look incredibly elegant.

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