Let's Talk About.....The Making of Astrid

Astrid is a jacket just ready for summer, giving the floral vibe. She is a pre-owned jacket of soft marshmallow pink, perfect for some adornment with soft coloured roses.

And here is how I did it…

1. After choosing the jacket, I turn to my fabric piles and find suitable fabric, to either compliment or contrast the jacket colour, and a suitable weight. The fabric doesn’t want to be too heavy for the jacket, but something similar or a bit lighter is ideal. I also decide if I want bold shapes or a more subtle design. These two smaller roses fabrics go well together, blending the different pinks with the orange contrast.

 

2. Having chosen my fabric I then iron on bondaweb to the reverse, and cut out the flower shapes, discarding some of the background colour, which then alters the colour combination.

3. Then for the fun part. Out comes Esther, my dressmakers dummy, and I place and pin on the cut out shapes on to the jacket, looking for balance of shape and colour. It can take time to get it as I like it. Quite often I will stop work on it, leave it overnight, and so the next day I look at it with fresh eyes, just to be sure I like it.

4. Having decided I’m happy with the design, the shapes then get ironed on to the jacket. At this point there is no going back. The bondaweb is then fused between the jacket and the cut out fabric.

5. Next, to choose which thread to use. Do I want a contrast or a blended look? With Astrid I used a variegated colour of soft pink, yellow and blue, just to add a small subtle extra.

6. The next stage is to sew it all down. I use a zigzag stitch to keep it all firmly in place, and then a good iron to keep it looking crisp.

7. Last of all I sew a Hazy Made label somewhere discreet on the inside of the jacket, giving it the finishing touch.

Astrid really is one of a kind! You can make Astrid yours today, find her here.