Like our other featured pattern this month, the 242 Rodeo Cowgirl Jacket, has lots of options for making this pattern uniquely yours.  There are three options for the jacket - with different yokes, fringe, pockets, and option for waist ties.  It is a perfect canvas for embroidery as well.  Add a fun western-themed embroidery design, or studs, to the front and back yokes and/or pockets.

I decided to make two samples of this jacket this month.  First, I wanted a western-styled jacket that was a little more subdued and would be part of our permanent collection.  I chose a needlecord corduroy for the main fabric, and the apricot brandy organic linen, which complimented well, for the yoke facings, undercollar, and cuff facings (both fabrics are from our shop).  I used buttons made of hemlock from Favour Valley Woodworking.  I made Version B (without fringe).  This version has western-style shaped front yoke and sleeve cuff facings.  I decided to sew the yoke and cuff facings on without turning under the seam allowance (and use no backings).  This would allow the linen to fray and give a "rustic" look to the jacket.  The only modification I made to the pattern was to sew the cuff facings on before sewing the sleeve completely together.  This is because the design of the cuffs makes it difficult to sew/topstitch onto the sleeve after the sleeve is sewn together.

I really like how this jacket came out - subtle, rustic, and definitely western/cowgirl.

I also think this jacket pattern is perfect for making a simple, unlined jacket that can be worn everyday.  It doesn't need a theme (i.e. western theme), but is actually just a great pattern for an everyday jacket.

So, I looked in my stash of fabric and decided to try to make the jacket from some backstock heavy/sweater knit fabric I have.  I love this fabric and have a bunch of it (I bought the bolt when I found it).  I think it is a designer fabric, but can't remember who (Dolce & Gabbana??).  

I decided to take our some of the seams because the print on my fabric is large and I didn't want to break it up with the front and back princess seams.  So, I took out the princess seams of the front and back.  Now, typically this would alter the fit of the jacket, but since my fabric is a knit, there is a little stretch and I knew it would not make a huge difference.  I put the pieces together, taking in the seam allowances as best I could, and I added a few darts in my pattern when cutting the fabric to accommodate the shape of the jacket.  

Pattern taped together and laid out of the fabric to be cut.

I made a few other slight modifications to the pattern.  First, I cut the collar facings on the wrong side of the fabric so there would be a contrast at the collar.  And, I took in fabric at both the top of the armscye and sleeve shoulder a bit.  The pattern is designed for using shoulder pads (or large shoulders) and has a lot of ease in the sleeve shoulder, but I did not want to use shoulder pads for this jacket, so I just took out a bit of the extra fabric that would have been there.  

Since I was serging the jacket together, and I had fewer pieces, and was not using any yoke or cuff facings, this jacket came together very quickly, even with hand-sewing (whipstitching) the front/collar facings and hem. It is a jacket I could wear everyday!  Especially since I added pockets too (from the pattern).  This jacket is basically View A with some simple moderations (no yoke/cuff facings, no front/back seams).