Olive-ia Newton-Frond

 I sewed the jacket from Simplicity 2373.  I used a misses' 12 at the shoulders and 14 elsewhere.  

The pattern pieces that I used are (pieces #9-14) the front, back, front facing, loophole for the buttons, back facing, and sleeve.

The directions and illustrations were easy to comprehend and follow.  If you are familiar with sewing button-down shirts and blazers/jackets, then you would be able to sew this jacket with very little or no problems at all. It seems that the instructions for the dress and pants are also more than satisfactory.


Likes/Dislikes
*Ideal spring/summer jacket with cap sleeves, slightly cropped length and loophole closures

*The jacket is not meant to be fully closed (two button-loopholes) and adds another dimension to an outfit when worn over a sleeveless dress, a tank or camisole top.

*I liked the overall ease of construction, and not having fit issues due to its "quasi-swing" style. My only concern are the bust darts being a tad higher than what I prefer.

Fabric Used:
A stretch cotton woven from GF.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
*Cut the front pieces separately for more symmetry.

* Added 3/8" to the length of the sleeve pattern piece. I still thought it was a tad short.

* Instead of cutting a pair of sleeves, I cut two pairs so that each sleeve would be lined in the same fabric. I sewed the self-lining or facing to the edge of a sleeve using a 3/8" seam, right sides together, turned the sleeve inside out and pressed the lower edge before attaching to the armscye.

*Omitted the bias trim at the lower edge of the sleeves. I turned in a 3/8" hem and topstitched, making sure that the ends of the sleeve cap are not visible.

*Made my usual petite adjustments at the upper back and waist (which is probably not necessary) due to the somewhat cropped style of the jacket.

*Added 1 1/2" to the length of the front and back. If you have a long torso, you might need to adjust accordingly.

*Attached one instead of two buttons.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, I plan to sew the jacket in a baby wale corduroy. I definitely recommend this jacket, especially as a first-time jacket or a quick gratification project (one full evening worth of sewing). The dress and pants seem easy to construct, if no alterations were necessary. From previous experiences with "sun dress" styles, I have had to make several adjustments for a satisfactory fit. For the dress, I recommend reading the two previous reviews for more insight.

Conclusion:
After my experience from making the jacket, this pattern lives up to its "Easy chic" moniker.