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Permalink Reply by Laurie C. Fowler on January 23, 2010 at 5:31pm

I just did that very same thing with a blouse pattern. I used a regular button down shirt pattern and used a fairly heavy cordouroy (with stitched embroidery on it). I bought the fabric from Joann's. It gave me blisters to cut it out, but turned out nice. It still looks more like a blouse, but with the heavy fabric it kind of looks like a jacket as well. To make it truly a jacket, I would have needed to NOT use the cuffs, and lenghten the sleeve and do a reg hem. Also I would have needed to add facings to the front where the buttons go. Just trace the pattern piece for the front and make it smaller across. Not an expert - just my thoughts. PS Mine was unlined obviously.

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on May 15, 2010 at 7:18pm

Hello, DW

Blouses are designed with less wearing "ease" (the extra width above the strict body measurements that is needed to provide comfort when you move while wearing the garment) than jackets. There is a good reason for jackets having more ease --- they are worn OVER blouses/dresses/vests. As a result they need to "clear" the under garments to be comfortable to the wearer. To convert your blouse to a jacket, you'll need to build additional "ease" into it.

You can determine how much "ease" you need and where you need it if you take measurements of the pattern (in your particular size) you want to convert AND of a jacket pattern you've used before and decided has a comfy "fit" in the bust, waist, sleeves, and hip area (again, in your particular size). Use patterns from the SAME manufacturer if you possibly can because that company will be conforming to its own notions of design ease in the underlying master template it used to develop its commercial patterns and that will make your job easier. The difference in the two sets of measurement will tell you how much ADDITIONAL ease that pattern company builds into a jacket to make it comfortable for you in the various areas. Use those increase amounts to draft a new pattern from your existing blouse pattern.

Remember to treat the center front MARKING on your blouse pattern as your seam line IF you don't intend to have the jacket close (overlap like the blouse did for buttons and button holes) or as a place for another adjustment if you'll be having the jacket close using buttons and button holes BUT will be using larger diameter buttons. If you increase the button size, you need to increase the width of the area between the center front marking and the true seam allowance (for the needed facing). Otherwise, the button will stick out over the finished edge instead of ending just shy of that edge. It's a little detail but makes the difference between a look that is professional and one that is amateur.

Finally, decide if you want the jacket longer or shorter, the sleeves straight or cuffed (roll-up or sewn-on), etc. and create the look you want! Best of luck with your project.