Hello everyone! I’m very excited to be a part of the Fall Style Tour this year! There were so many beautiful fabrics to choose from, but these two caught my eye right away—the Autumn Paid Wool Flannel Shirting and the Designer Tencel Twill. I knew I wanted to make a shirt/jacket combo and went to work looking for just the right patterns to complement the fabrics. I decided to make the Pona Jacket by Helens Closet and the Anthea Blouse by Anna Allen. They were both patterns I had not sewn before, and I was looking forward to trying out something new.
Fabrics: Designer Tencel Twill and Plaid Wool Flannel Shirting
Patterns: Pona Jacket by Helens Closet and the Anthea Blouse by Anna Allen
The plaid wool flannel shirting was made to be paired with the Pona Jacket—the two are a perfect match. Before starting, I pre-washed the wool on a gentle cycle and air-dried it. Sometimes wools can get weird textures after washing, and this one held up beautifully. I didn’t notice any color loss, excessive fuzz, shrinkage, or really any changes. It might have softened up slightly and the wool looked just as nice as it did before it was washed—always an important quality for me.
I’m not a master at matching plaids, so I added a few anchor marks along the edges of the pattern pieces that corresponded with the plaid sections to make lining things up for pattern matching easier and made cutting go quickly and smoothly. I would use that method again in the future.
The Pona is an unlined jacket and made up in this shirting, and it is a great weight for an extra layer for fall. Not too warm or so heavy that it feels like you’re wearing a coat, but light enough that it can be worn comfortably both outside and in. It is a wonderful “shacket” as they’ve been called lately! I can see this paired with band tees and jeans for a more casual look, or worn over some overalls too. It is a really versatile layering piece that will pair nicely with a lot of garments.
The Pona also sews up very quickly; it is a nice, straightforward pattern I enjoyed sewing. I’m a big fan of simple jackets and have a rather large collection that I wear often. But I have already planned for a few more Pona’s, as it has its own unique shape different from what I already have.
Next, I made the Anthea Blouse, sewn in Tencel twill in the charcoal color. This was my first time sewing with any patterns made by Anna Allen, and it was an enjoyable sew. I liked both the drafting and the instructions and will have to try some of her other patterns in the future. I fell instantly in love with my Anthea and have already worn it many times since completing it, just a short time ago. Easily dressed up or down, it is an everyday kind of shirt. This pattern would look equally stunning in many of the plaids and linen options in the newly released fall fabrics.
The charcoal color is so so pretty. It’s rich and deep without being too matte or flat as some dark fabrics can be. The light moves across it nicely and gives it lots of depth. I’m kinda crushing hard on this fabric and love wearing it. I did find there is a slight difference in shade from the right and wrong sides (you can use either), so one tip is to mark your pieces with the side you intend to use so they don’t get swapped during construction.
The Tencel twill is smooth worn against my skin, making it very comfortable and easy to wear. It does straddle the edge of appropriate weight fabric for this pattern, but it’s not too heavy. The sleeves are not quite as flowy as they could be with a lighter-weight fabric, but I really enjoy how they hold their shape in this twill. My only complaint, and it’s of my own doing, is the sleeves are a little big when wearing them inside the jacket. I hadn’t thought about that detail until after the pieces were made. The sleeves do fit comfortably, but you have to play with them for a minute to get them to lay flat inside and not add a puffier sleeve cap look to the jacket.
Let’s talk about those sleeves—so fun! I’m all in on the big sleeves trends that have been happening, and these ones might be my favorite yet. The gathering and shape they are drafted for gives really wonderful, full range of motion with your arms, and that is something I am always looking for. I chose the longer sleeve, and find the length and opening at the wrist just the right size so they don’t catch on door knobs or things in daily life. (Please tell me I’m not the only one forever getting my clothes caught on things? Ha!) The pattern can also be sewn as a dress and I think this fabric would work really well for the dress length too. It has enough body to the fabric that it wouldn’t cling, but hang nicely in the intended shape.
Two great, new additions to my Autumn wardrobe!
-Jessica
A big thank you to Jessica for joining us for this fall’s Style Tour! Be sure to check out her other amazing makes over on Instagram, @jessicawaldegar.
Want to catch up on the other stops on the fall tour? Find links to each post and all the new fabrics featured on our tour landing page HERE, and Sylvia of The Ravel Out will be joining us tomorrow with another cozy autumn look!
Both of your makes are lovely!
Thanks for the inspiration!