Handmade Sherpa-lined Corduroy Hooded Jacket

 

About couple of months ago I set myself a sewing challenge to make a jacket using only leftover fabrics. I wanted to see if I could use up those pieces of fabric that seem to be too small to make anything out of, while making something really nice to wear. I've already written about the step-by-step process of making this jacket, where you can see how I went about piecing tiny fabric scraps and the way in which it came together. Because I love it so much (and because it took so long to make!) I wanted to share some more photos and details of the finished jacket.

The main fabrics I used for this project was a corduroy leftover form my Dawn Jeans with sherpa that I used for my Sherpa Jacket for the lining. I love how the two fabrics go together and the sherpa also adds a cosy feel. I like the idea of having a lining fabric which is secretly the main feature, just like with my Kelly Anorak which had a contrast lining the sherpa here is visible in the hood.

I've made quite a few jackets before and they often turn out to be some of my favourite projects. My Kelly Anorak was a real turning point in my sewing skills, it was a really complex make that took a long time and I'm really proud of it. I then made a fluffy pink jacket which I love, it was so fun to make and to sew with a slightly different fabric. Most recently I made my sherpa jacket which has been one of my most worn garments ever.

I wasn't planning on making another jacket (I probably have more than I need) but as soon as I had the idea of making a corduroy jacket lined with sherpa I couldn't let it go. By challenging myself to only use fabrics that I had in my stash it didn't feel frivolous to make another jacket and also meant that I had a good sewing challenge. This jacket is a copy of a RTW one, but I drafted the lining, facing, denim panels etc myself.

If you've read the blog post about the jacket construction you'll know that the denim panels weren't intentional but rather were added when I realised that I didn't have enough corduroy fabric. In keeping with only using fabrics from my stash I found an old pair of jeans which I cut up to create a panel in the back. Denim is always a great fabric to up-cycle as the seams can be used to add design interest, which is what I did when I made this top from old pairs of jeans. For my corduroy jacket I kept the two side seams and then added a third seam down the middle to create a piece that was wide enough to span the back bodice.

When it became apparent that I'd need another fabric I was slightly concerned that it would be too busy having three fabrics with very different textures - corduroy, sherpa and denim. But I love the addition of the denim and can't imagine the jacket without it. Limited corduroy fabric meant that I had to add a denim panel to the sleeves too, in order to make it look purposeful I added a rectangle that only covered half the width of the sleeve and left the elastic channel in corduroy. You can read more about the process of doing that in the construction post.

For most of the project I was working with really tiny scraps of corduroy. Half of the hood is made from pieced-together scraps, and when I decided to add a facing I had to sew together whatever was left of the fabric. It was exactly the kind of challenge that I'd set out for, I wanted a project that would make me think when trying to find solutions rather than one that was broken into simple steps. I often vary between more complex makes like this one and simple tops that can be sewn up in an afternoon, both are projects that I enjoy depending on what else I'm doing. When it came to this jacket I had a lot of time in lockdown to sew so it was the perfect opportunity to try something a bit different, but simple t-shirts are ideal makes when sewing time is limited.

It was definitely worth adding a facing, I think it's the kind of detail that really elevates a homemade garment. I regretted not adding a facing to my pink fluffy jacket, the lining is visible when I wear it undone which bothers me a bit and doesn't happen with my sherpa jacket thanks to the facing. It probably wasn't as necessary with this jacket because the lining is one of the main features so I don't mind it being seen, but it's still a nice detail to have.

Much like the other jackets I've made, the hem on this one is finished with an elastic channel. I really like having elastic to draw the jacket in at the bottom and it also means that everything is finished off neatly inside with no raw edges showing. Finding that Prym make a circle zip pull has been one of my best discoveries in terms of finishing makes off, it's a detail that I didn't realise could be added to a handmade jacket but that I always like having on RTW ones.

Despite being unsure about adding the denim the three fabrics go so well together. Sherpa is a fabric that I've seen a lot of recently and it's so perfect for jackets. This is the sherpa that I used, I've now made two different jackets with it but it gives a very different feel when used as the lining rather than the main fabric.

I didn't want to line the sleeves in the sherpa (it would have made the jacket annoying to take on and off) but I was also keen to stick to only using fabrics from my stash. I first used this grey lining fabric on the sleeves of my Kelly Anorak and then again to line my pink fluffy jacket, so I was very pleased to find that there was enough leftover. In order to make the sleeves the same thickness as the rest of the jacket I also added a layer of quilt wadding between the corduroy and lining fabric which I explained here.

This is definitely one of my proudest makes, I created my own pattern to make it and spent a long time piecing together scraps and overcoming fabric shortages. I'm also so proud of how it looks, the denim panels might have been accidental but I love the detail they add. Considering how much I wear my sherpa jacket I'm certain this one will get a lot of wear too, and it's different to the other jackets I own. If you'd like to read more about the process of making this jacket, you can do so here. I'd like to try a similar project again in the future to use up more fabric leftovers, but in the mean time I think some simple sewing sounds like a good idea!