Oh Sew Cultured: Kaisla Toil

How do you pronounce Kaisla?
Did you spot the Nikola Tesla pun?

Anyway today I have a guts post for you. This might be the best thing I've EVER made and I really want to tell you all about it about it. Anyone who's come across this blazer in recent ~~weeks~~ months will have seen me model it like a peacock and fluff my stitchy tailfeathers.

My first blazer was a bit dodgy, the second was a proper blowout, the third was a big step in the right direction, this one's actually petty damn good!

It's possibly my magnum opus of sewing. I literally don't think I can get any better than this blazer. It's just perfect. Brilliant. Excellence in wool. I was so astonished by how this blazer turned out that I should basically quit now. Everything else will pale in comparison to this blazer.

Sorry T.Rex, I made your baby shower gifts immediately after this. Please do let them get covered in muck and baby spew because there's much better stuff I can do for the kiddos.

This is the Kaisla Blazer from Named Patterns, from the Finn's trendy first collection. This was back when apparently they had weird bugs and sizing issues. Don't ask why I haven't looked at anything in the newer collections - this one stuck and I've been eyeballing it for a long time.

The main attractive point on the Kaisla was that there was a lapel, but no massive collar. I'm a bit wary of big collars at the moment - I can't handly the fitting challenge, and they just seem to be too stuffy and bulky. You see, I just needed something LIGHTER. I'm a skinny, bony, blithering little weed and this is one of the jacket styles that looked like it might work.

Anything you might want to read on the pattern is over on Pattern Review

Fit adjustments were made around the shoulder and across the back. B helped come up with a genius alteration, which will probably merit its own post over the summer. I scrapped the lining from the pattern and redrew it. I also added a lining to the pockets and split the sleeve lining so there's a contrast if I roll up the sleeves.

Fabric? Oh, it's high society baby
Outer - Liberty Wool Twill (from Mandors in Edinburgh)
Contrast Lining - Liberty Tana Lawn (from Mandors in Edinburgh?)
Sleeve Lining - Bemberg (Macculloch & Wallis)

This was my first time using shoulder pads and I am a complete convert. These doodads totally change how the jacket hangs and how it stands up to wear. Never again will they be forsaken in a jacket. This was also my first time fusing in all the sensible places. Don't ask me why I didn't before, let's chalk it up to experimentation and experience. You guys - this following instructions lark has its advantages. This thing actually has structure!

I spent a lot of time not rushing it, which is hard. This was a real exercise in patience. No matter how simple a blazer is - it will always take ages. It's got over 40 pieces once you've got the lining included. It just takes ages to sew. You dither between excitement to wear it, and abject despair because you want it finished.

B's started telling me off for doing a slack job. Sometimes you need someone telling you off - you know...someone who will notice if you've done a bad job. On the flip side, they will also you shower you with praise and treat you like a monarch if you do a good job. Perhaps they will buy you an ice cream at the weekend too (does B read this?)...

Anyway, I love this jacket. I'm so proud of doing a good job. The print doesn't respond well to photos, and I'm still too lazy to organise an actual shoot so the next best idea was to take a series of bathroom selfies and steal other people's photos of it in the wild. It really is great.