My Flashy Pendleton 49er Style Jacket

It has been an extremely busy year so far. Some things were rather unpleasant and demoralizing, I feel a bit worn down (and think I also look like it), but at least I tried to find enough time to make lots of things to wear. Sewing mends the soul they say. A denim skirt, trousers, breezy feedsack blouses for the hot summer and stuff for the kids, and a dress for my daughter for her First Communion... I'm quite pleased with what I achieved. (I will try to catch up with some posts!) And I deeply hope our family life will slow down in autumn and winter, and of course there are many more sewing projects.

Only a few remaing scraps...

Talking of autumn, in late August the unusual hot weather ended suddenly and I became well aware (read: I was panicking) that I have too little casual stuff to wear for the cold season.

I love boxy plaid jackets. I know, many people don't like paids, as they're bold, eye-catching, often a bit too colorful, but I have a soft spot for them. Nothing for the faint-hearted. Some of you may remember the winter plaid jacket I made 3 years ago. Now I needed something less heavy for the transitional season.

Ever since I have been drooling over vintage pictures of ladies in Pendelton style plaid jackets. Paired with wide-legged trousers they are the epitome of vintage casual style for me. Not very flattering, but so comfortable! So I looked for a pattern, and found the McCall's pattern 3242 that seems to be pretty much like the Pendleton 49er jacket. The 49er was, as its name suggests, launched in 1949, and it was - and still is - a huge success. They still produce a modernised version, and vintage ones are quite sought after.
Women surely had worn they're husbands' or brothers' jackets and shirts before, especially for work during WW2, but it was after the war that women's leisure wear included more and more sporty garments like trousers and comfortable jackets. The pattern is from 1955, and it has it all - shoulder pleat, cuffed sleeves, back yoke with gathers, notched collar and - big patch pockets!

 I admit, I couldn't keep my resolution and got weak during our summer holidays, when I found several wool fabrics in a fabulously crammed fabric shop in Northern Italy. The plaid fabric I bought was lightweight and seemed to be perfect, and I fell in love with the green and teal the moment I saw it. The weave was not very dense, and I had to be careful not to stretch the material too much. I was glad for decades of experience with plaid matching. The pattern placement was challenging, as I had a bit too little material. But I was able to cut all the pieces and the pockets even on the bias (which requires more fabric).

The remaining scraps...

My pattern is a vintage size M (14-16), and as usual I didn't bother to make a muslin. The finished jacket is a tad lose because I added some width to be on the safe side (which was not necessary), but I like it that way. I had a bigger scrap of chartreuse green silk I used for the yoke lining and for the shoulder pads I made. I have very square shoulders and ready-made pads often are too massive and stiff. The shoulder pleats caused some trouble and I didn't like the first "true to the pattern" version. That's why it took several weeks to finish the jacket, I got a but frustrated before I decided to change the darts slightly.
I will definitely make another one. As I said, I bought more fabric down in Italy, and there's even more in my stash, but maybe I will add half an inch to the sleeve length and the cuff width. Otherwise I will skip the additional width.

Choosing buttons is always part of the fun when sewing. The original 49er jacket had mother-of-pearl buttons, but I wanted something less striking. These Spanish vintage buttons were sold as bakelite, but they're galalith (a similar material based on milk, mainly produced in France and other European countries). They're not exactly the same chartreuse color, but they blend in well, and they're big and heavy, just as I like them.
The best feature are the pockets. They' re essential for me, they carry my phone, keys, bus tickets, my son's cars and stones, and other stuff.

I can wear all kind of stuff underneath it. Like blouses, thin sweaters or cool, funny t-shirts. The one pictured was created by the lovely Susi of "The Pink Bungaloo" –  this one it "Willy the Weener" quoting one of Hank Willaims' songs! She has an Etsy shop, so if you want this special t-shirt too, please buy from her and support an independent small business. (But hurry, some designs are available for a limited time only.) And no, I don't receive a commission nor do I get paid to mention her – I just love her creations.

This jacket is really a useful and fun garment, perfect for the cold season, great to combine with various colours from the plaid. Hello autumn!


Fabric: pure lightweight wool plaid fabric from Italy
Pattern: McCall's 3242, size M
Buttons: vintage galalith buttons bought in France
Trousers: self-made after a heavily modified Eva Dress Pattern (1940 Wide Leg/Simplicity 3322), I added the front pockets, because I need pockets
T-Shirt: "Willy the Weener" by The Pink Bungaloo
Glasses: no idea...
Poppy Felt Brooch: self-made
Earrings: vintage bakelite hoops

1940s Plaid Jacket

I only seldom drink Chardonnay, but this one was lovely!

Last autumn I was in desperate need for an autumnal everyday jacket. My mom had given me a wonderful double faced woolen material that had been in her stash since I can remember, and she told me it was probably from the early 70s. Perfect for my project! So I was looking for a pattern, not sure if I should try another one of my Lutterloh designs, or buy another vintage pattern. But then a very kind lady sent me a copy of a simple, yet absolutely gorgeous jacket that was exactly what I was looking for. I was eager to start immediately. Autumn in full swing, and me in need for a jacket. However, as usual, life came in between, and I got very sick, then the kids, and winter came, and the cut jacket pieces vanished in a bag and then in a pile of UFOs (unfinished objects).

Recently I decided that before starting anything new, I would first finish an UFO. So this time it was the jacket's turn.

Letzten Herbst hätte ich dringend eine herbstliche Jacke für den Alltag gebraucht. Meine Mutter hatte mir einen tollen Stoff geschenkt den sie schon ewig hatte, seit ich denken kann. Perfekt für mein Projekt! Ich brauchte nur noch einen Schnitt, unsicher, ob ich mich an einem Lutterloh-Design versuchen sollte oder etwas Passendes kaufen. Eine gute Fee hat mir dann in liebevoller Arbeit (danke liebe Susanne) einen originalen Schnitt kopiert, schlicht und doch fabelhaft und genau was ich wollte. Ich legte auch gleich los, denn es war Herbst und ich fror. Jedoch wie so oft kam das richtige Leben meinen Nähplänen in die Quere. Ich wurde ziemlich krank, dann die Kinder, und dann war Winter und die zugeschnittenen Teile wanderten in meinen UFO-Stapel. (UFOs sind unfertige Objekte.)

Kürzlich beschloss ich, bevor etwas Neues angefangen würde, sollte ein UFO fertig werden. Und so kam die Jacke endlich an die Reihe.

Unfortunately, the material was not that easy to sew as I had imagined. The double-layered material was too thick for certain parts, and even though double faced fabrics are intended to make garments without a lining, it would have been too complicated to work them in the proper way (so that the seams are hidden between the two layers). Therefore I still had to cut a front facing, and the seams are visible, but I don't mind, as they're well done and tidy. In the end, I had to fiddle around cut very carefully to have all the pieces needed for the jacket I wanted to sew, which meant: including a belt and - yes! - pockets!

Somehow I managed - but it really was a fight. For some parts I had to take the two fabric layers apart, which was very time-consuming, as they are connected with threads that had to be undone. Such a fiddly work. And I had tiny scraps of thread everywhere! But it was totally worth it.

Leider war das Material nicht so leicht zu verarbeiten wie ich gedacht hatte. Das "Double-Face"-Material war für gewisse Teile einfach zu dick (zB den Kragen mit Belag), und obwohl bei einem Stoff dieser Art die eine Seite als Futter dienen sollte, wäre es für gewisse Nähe zu umständlich gewesen, diese fachgerecht zu verarbeiten (nämlich so, dass die Säume zwischen die zwei an den Kanten geöffneten Stofflagen liegen). So musste ich dennoch einen Belag für die Vorderseite schneiden, und die Nähte innen sind sichtbar, aber da sie sauber verarbeitet sind stört es mich nicht. Zuletzt musste ich jedoch ziemlich wursteln sparsam zuschneiden, damit der Stoff für alles reicht, sprich: auch für einen Gurt und - jaaa! - Taschen!

Irgendwie hat es geklappt - aber es war ein Kampf. Für gewisse Teile musste die die beiden Stoffschichten trennen, was mühsam war, da sie mit vielen eingezogenen Fäden miteinander verbunden waren und dann in frimeliger Arbeit wieder von mir getrennt werden mussten. Ich hatte überall unzählige Fadenschnipselchen. Aber es hat sich gelohnt.

Bound pockets with flaps

Cuff details

For the first time I tried bound button-holes. Yes, after more than 20 years of serious sewing I finally found the courage to try them, and I don't regret it. I made some test samples to play around with two techniques and with colour options, in the end I went for the buttonholes bound with fabric strips I made in the green fabric of the inside. I think the solid colour "calms down" the business of the plaid. As do the collar and the pocket flaps.
And yes, there are shoulder pads. Not as big as the pattern requires, but they are definitely necessary on this design.

Zum ersten Mal habe ich mich an verstärkten Knopflöchern versucht. Genau, nach über 20 Jahren seriösen Nähens habe ich den Mut dazu aufgebracht (abgesehen von einem nicht erwähnenswerten missratenen Versuch an einem Rock), und ich bereue es nicht. Ich hatte dazu einige Tests genäht, um mit Techniken und Farben zu spielen, und zuletzt gab es dann die Version mit zwei Paspelstreifen im Grün der Innenseite. Die uni Farbe beruhigt ein wenig das Karomuster, ebenso wie beim Kragen und den Taschenpatten.
Und ja, es hat auch Schulterpolster. drin Nicht so grosse wie im Muster vorgesehen, aber sie sind definitiv notwendig bei diesem Schnitt.

For once I had absolutely no matching buttons at home. Would you believe? I have two huge boxes stuffed with buttons, new and vintage ones, but none would match. So on one of our very rare trips to the city I bought some (my husband help me choosing them, and I'm very happy with our choice). I also cut a belt from the remaining scraps, and I had a matching green vintage buckle, but the belt has to be sewn yet.

Für einmal hatte ich keinen passenden Knopf in meinem Vorrat. Ist das zu glauben? Zwei riesige Kisten voller Knöpfe, alte und neue, und keiner passt. Bei einem unserer sehr spärlichen Ausflüge in die Stadt habe ich welche gekauft (mein Mann hat bei der Wahl geholfen, und ich bin sehr zufrieden damit). Ich habe aus einem Rest noch einen Gurt ausgeschnitten, der dann eine grüne Vintage-Schnalle bekommt, aber er ist noch nicht fertig.

Me and my kids on the top, enjoying the sun!

This brooch from "The Pink Bungaloo" is the perfect match!

The first time I wore the jacket was when we went to see my parents-in-law. A young lady stopped me on the street and wanted to know where I had the jacket from, because she thought it was gorgeous. She couldn't believe it when I told her I had made it - and she obviously was disappointed. I felt quite chuffed, as usually people stare at me, or grin, or laugh at me, as I look and dress different from from the crowd. So for once it was different.

Als ich die Jacke vor ein paar Tagen zum ersten Mal trug, bei einem Ausflug zu meinen Schwiegereltern, sprach mich eine jüngere Frau auf der Strasse an und wollte wissen, woher ich diese tolle Jacke hätte. Sie konnte kaum glauben, dass ich sie selbst gemacht habe, und war etwas enttäuscht. Mir hat das geschmeichelt, denn sonst gaffen die Leute ja meist oder grinsen doof, weil ich mich anders als die Masse kleide. Für einmal war es anders, das hat mich gefreut.

Feeling very British and tourist-y...

I also wore the jacket on a trip to the mountains yesterday. It was the last holiday weekend of our kids, and the weather forecast promised a sunny day in the Alps. We drove to the Lauterbrunnental in  Canton Berne, where I come from from my mother's side. This place with its many waterfalls once was a favorite destination for British tourist, and it's said to have been the inspiration for J. R. R. Tolkien's Rivendell. We hiked along the entire valley and then we took several cableways to the very top, the Schilthorn. (We had coupons for a super-special offer that cost us a ridiculous fraction of the normal fee, which is, in my humble opinion, exorbitant.) This place once was a filming location for one of the Bond movies (the one with the infamous George Lazenby). Sorry, honestly, I don't give a damn for James Bond movies, so I could have renounced to the movie stuff that was on exposition up there, but - the view, the weather, the mountains, all was simply breathtakingly beautiful. We had the most splendid sunshine, it was freezing cold (it was below zero), but my double-layered wool jacket kept me cozy and warm. I couldn't be happier with it, it's certainly more than an autumn garment, even though the colours matched the autumn trees so perfectly.

Ich trug das gute Stück auch auf unserem Ausflug in die Berge gestern. Es war das letzte Ferienwochenende unserer Kinder, und das Wetter versprach, in den Alpen ganz fantastisch zu sein. Wir fuhren ins Lauterbrunnental im Kanton Bern, wo ich mütterlicherseits herkomme. Dieser Platz mit den zahlreichen Wasserfällen war einst bei britischen Touristen sehr beliebt und soll auch die Inspiration für J. R. R. Tolkien gewesen sein, als er Rivendell (Bruchsal) in seiner Ring-Trilogie beschrieb. Wir wanderten durch das ganze Tal und fuhren dann mit etlichen Bergbahnen ganz hinauf zum Schilthorn. (Wir hatten Ermässignungsgutscheine und fuhren für einen lächerlichen Bruchteil des sonst üblichen Preises, der meines Erachtens masslos überteuert ist.) Dieser Ort war einst Filmlocation für einen James-Bond-Film (jener mit dem berüchtigten George Lazenby). Eigentlich habe ich mit Bond-Filmen nicht so viel am Hut, weshalb mir der ganze Bond-Kram der ausgestellt war ebensogut hätte gestohlen bleiben können, doch - die Aussicht, das Wetter, die Berge, das alles war atemberaubend schön und einfach nur herrlich. Wir hatten den wunderbarsten Sonnenschein, es war saukalt (im Minusbereich), aber meine doppelschichtige Wolljacke hielt mich warm und behaglich. Ich könnte nicht glücklicher sein, und es ist deshalb sicher mehr als nur eine herbstliche Übergangsjacke, die ist auch wintertauglich. Doch farblich hat sie zu den Bäumen ganz prima gepasst.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

The "Eiger" from Mürren

It's a bit unusual to see people wearing plaid jackets or even coats nowadays, especially in my country, but I imagine it was common in earlier decades. (My stress comment: "Oh, you made a lumberjack jacket.") Plaid is regarded as something rustic, and I all too often realise people don't see the beauty of such fabrics (I'm an avid tartan lover). I had to overcome a certain inhibition for the first outing, as I knew I was going to stand out of the crowd. As I'm planning to make another plaid garment very soon, I was trying to find some fellow plaid wearers from earlier times - look at all the beauties!

Heute ist es ja ein bisschen ungewohnt, karierte Jacken oder gar Mäntel zu sehen, besonders in meiner Gegend. (Kommentar meiner Schwester: "Oh, eine Holzfällerjacke.) Früher war das anders, heute gilt Karo eher rustikal, und immer wieder stelle ich fest, dass die Leute beispielsweise  mit der Schönheit schottischer Tartans, die ich innig liebe, nichts anfangen können. Ich musste dann auch etwas Mut aufbringen, weil man damit ja wirklich aus der Masse heraussticht. Weil ich noch etliche karierte Stoffe zu verarbeiten habe, wollte ich dann auch gerne schauen, ob es alte Fotos mit Karokleidung gibt - und schaut mal die tollen Sachen!

The last picture is very special. It's from a fellow FB member, I guess it's the lady's mother-in-law, and look at the fabulous coat she's wearing! So elegant - it makes me want to sit down and sew a plaid coat with a fur collar. I have to drool over this picture again and again. It's the epitome of a cozy, unique and sporty, yet elegant coat.

Das letzte Bild ist etwas ganz Besonderes. Es ist die Schwiegermutter einer Bekannten, die ich auf FB kennengelernt habe, und schaut mal den tollen Mantel den sie trägt. Der ist so schön, auch der Pelzkragen dazu, und ich werde nicht müde, das Bild zu bewundern. Für mich der Inbegriff eines kuscheligen, einmaligen und sportlichen, aber zugleich eleganten Mantels.

Pattern: McCall 6374 (1940s)

Fabric: Vintage woolen double-faced fabric from my mother's stash

Brooch: Mid-century reproduction by "The Pink Bungaloo", also on Etsy

Earrings: Vintage bakelite, bought on Ebay

Denims: Freddies of Pinewood

Photographs: my husband (thank you!) and me