Super Jacket!

It’s Beautiful

It’s Super Fast and Easy to Make

IF You Have These Additional Instructions!

As soon as I saw the pattern, McCalls 8029 I wanted to try it.  It has great features from easy-to-embellish large empty areas to a beautiful lapel (also perfect for embellishment.  It is an upgraded ruanna so it should be quick and easy to make.  The jacket doesn’t require fitting, which makes it an extremely attractive project.

This pattern is sold under two different pattern numbers.  I found it on the McCall’s website as M8029.   I also found it at Joann’s. On the Joann’s website the number as M8029 but in my store, had a different number, R10415. The pattern was not in the pattern drawer but on top of the pattern cabinet.  There, the number was R10415

This top should be very easy to make and would be if the instructions in the pattern were decent. However, I found these instructions almost indecipherable.  To figure out the steps I created a small version of the pattern and made up a mini  jacket. It took a couple of tries but I finally figured it all out.

These are the pattern pieces. The first issue was that the pattern referred to the shoulder on the front but it wasn’t marked. I also had trouble distinguishing which is the top from the bottom on the front facing. I’ve marked both for you. The arrows point to the bottom of the front (#1) and the bottom of the front facing (#6).

I cut the pattern from fabric. The print is the main body, the dark gray pieces are facings. I interfaced the facings and the two collar pieces.

Step 1:  Sew the back seam

Step 2:  Sew one of the collars to the back neck edge, stitching on the curved edge and stopping 5/8” from the end (shown with black circles.)

Step 3:  Place the front above the back as shown, right side down. Align the end of the front right above the edge of the collar.

Slide the front towards the back until you can grab the top edge of the collar and the shoulder edge of the front. Squeeze the two together, right sides together.  Sew along the edge of the collar, stopping 5/8” from the curved edge.

Step 4: Swivel the front pieces around so that the top edge of the front lines up with top edge of the back.  In this illustration, the red lines are over the seams you just sewed joining the front to the collar.  Align the blue edge (the top of the back) with the top edge of the front (the green edge). Right sides will be together. Sew the seams where the green and blue lines are.

Once assembled the piece will look like this.

Step 5:  Sew the facings to the other collar piece.

Sew the neck facing to the collar at the curved edge. End the stitching 5/8” from the shoulder edges.

Place the top of the front facing next to the straight edge of the collar. Sew together. Sew the remainder of the front facing to the straight edge of the back facing. Repeat on the other side of the collar with the other front facing.  

Step 6:  Place the assembled facing piece on top of the assembled body, right sides together. Match the collar edges and the front straight edges.   Sew up the front straight edge, around the collar, and down the other straight edge.

Step 7:  Cut slits for the belt, using the markings on the pattern. The pattern instructions say to stitch around the cutting line to keep the fabric from fraying. I plan to add a little facing.

Step 8:  Make the belt

You can change the look of the jacket by choosing how far you fold back the facing.

All in all I really like the pattern. So fast to make (once you have amended instructions.) It would look good on everyone. I love how there are multiple opportunities for embellishment. This time I embellished the lapels, (facings). Next time it will be the body.

These instructions were featured on one of the 4 projects I included in a webinar.  You can watch the video by clicking here: