McCall's 5859: Flamingo Power

I've been hinting at this project for a few weeks now.  I actually finished it up about a week ago and I'm just getting around to taking some photos.  This is McCall's 5859- the Flamingo Jacket.

From the pattern envelope:  Close fitting jacket with peplum, lapel and collar, pockets, gathered sleeve variations and front button closing... jacket A has piping trim.

Yep, I made view A just like the one in the envelope photo.  I've actually been wanting to make this for a while- ever since 2009 when the pattern was released.  I waited so long that sadly, it's OOP now.

I guess I was just waiting around for the right fabric.  And oddly enough, this fabric has been waiting around my stash since long before 2009, for just the right pattern.  I'm not sure that this pattern was meant for this fabric, but one afternoon, I was playing around in my sewing room and I saw the two together.  There was just enough of this bold, flamingo print quilting cotton to make this jacket, so I just started cutting.

And there you go.  It's a bright, happy, attention grabbing jacket that brings to mind the 80's, summertime, and fun.

So, on to the details.  I cut my standard size- 14 through the shoulders, 16 at the bust and waist, and I eased out to an 18 at the bottom of the peplum.  I did not make a petite adjustment above the bust.  I think I was afraid to adjust the collar pieces, but it was okay- I didn't need the adjustment.  I added 1" of length at the waist.  The muslin seemed fine, but once I tried on the finished jacket, I wished I had added 1.25 or maybe even 1.5."  It just feels short on me.  It looks okay, though, so I'll deal with it.

The jacket looks pretty much exactly like the envelope photo.   The model in the photo appears to be wearing her jacket as a top with nothing under it.  I found the neckline to be much to wide and low to wear without something under it.

And even though the jacket is described as having a peplum, it's a very tame peplum.  After all, this pattern came out before the current peplum trend hit.

The pattern description doesn't mention that this little jacket is fully lined.  The peplum and the center front pieces are faced with self fabric, while the sides, back and sleeves are fully lined.  I used a black "lining" fabric from my stash- probably poly something or other.  It's very nice inside and slides easily over my tank top underneath.

I piped the whole thing exactly according to the instructions which were kind of awkward.  McCall's has you pipe the jacket fronts, tapering to nothing at the side seam, and then pipe the back peplum hem, tapering to nothing at the side seam.  Then you sew the sides, turn the already lined jacket right side out and hand sew the lining side seams.  It works, but it's awkward and there isn't a smooth line of piping across the hem at the sides.  I could not for the life of me figure out how to change the order of construction to have one continuous line of piping.  Believe me, I would have done it differently if I had figured it out.  But in the end, it's okay.  No one but me will ever know- or care- that the piping isn't continuous.

I love this pattern.  It makes an adorable jacket.  And even though it's lined, it's quite comfortable in the heat- the neckline is open and the cap sleeves are loose and allow air to circulate.

I don't have any plans to make this again at the moment.  Although, the version with sleeves looks nice and would make a cute piece to wear to work in the fall.  Maybe even now- the AC in my office is quite powerful.  If I do make this again, the only change I will make is a smidge more length at the waist.

And here's my parting shot.  All these great photos, are courtesy of my first string photographer, Brendan, who is home on leave from the Air Force.  When I put on the jacket to take the photos, he asked, "Is this the muslin?"