Great Easy Jacket! Why do I Overlook New Look?

I have never had anything but success with New Look patterns. So you would think that I would sew more of them, and yet I often overlook New Look.

So I decided on a whim to sew the jacket from New Look 6013 with a remnant of fabric left after sewing a yet-to-be-blogged dress. The shawl collar jacket has princess seams, a "puffed" (pleated) shoulder and single button closure. Plus it is unlined. I was not particularly sold on the shoulder, but  I was open to giving it a try since the pattern and fabric was on hand and with it's princess seams and no lining seemed easy enough to fit and sew.

I cut a size 12 with very few changes; I added 2" of length to the hem and sleeve and was just able to eeek all the pieces out of my fabric. As I sewed I made a few more, albeit minor, changes. I took in the back at the princess seams and let the front out a bit at the bust. Honestly. I should have probably cut a smaller size for the back, done an FBA on the front, moving the apex down just a little (3/8" maybe), and lengthening above the waist in addition to at the hem.

What I didn't change at all was the sleeve/shoulder/armscye! It fit perfectly right out of the envelope. I'm not sure that's ever happened before. So, YAY for New Look.

Lightened so you can see detail

Since the jacket is unlined, I finishing the seams by serging the seam allowances and topstitching them down, a simple and neat finish. I finished the hem by using grosgrain ribbon from my stash as a binding and then hand stitching the hems invisibly.

The fabric is a brushed cotton suiting from Fabric Mart. It has a sueded sort of look and feel.

Since I finished sewing this jacket, I've worn it with it's matching dress as a suit, with trousers as an ensemble for work and, surprisingly often with jeans and a cami to go to the park, run errands or pick up Taco at school. Really, I'm finding it incredibly versatile. And - surprising to me - I really like the shoulders. I think it creates a lovely feminine silhouette.

I feel like I might need another one or two in my wardrobe once I refine the fit just a bit. Wouldn't it be great in a colored denim as a casual lightweight jacket? And, if you lined it, it would be perfect in a suiting. Or unlined in a cotton sateen. Really, this pattern is a hidden gem.

My school pick up uniform

Next up: the matching dress to this jacket and some new trousers and waistcoats  for work.