Pattern Review: Butterick 6390

Hello, readers!

I’ve been working on sewing outerwear pieces lately and a denim jacket was a much needed item on my list.  This cropped jacket is the perfect topper for my retro dresses and is a casual piece that I’ll be wearing often for years to come.

Pattern Name:  Butterick 6390 

Size Range: 6-22

What size did you make? Re-sized to about a size 26.

What are your…..

Measurements: 48-41-52
Body Shape: Pear-ish/Spoon
Height: 5’8
Bra size: 44D

What adjustments did you make and how long did they take?

Aside from grading this pattern up, I enlarged the sleeves as they are quite fitted.  Neither of these adjustments took me long, but these are also common alterations for me.

What was the construction process like? Did the instructions make sense to you?

This jacket goes together very nicely and the instructions are comprehensive and easy to follow.  This jacket is lined, which seems a little unusual for a casual denim jacket, but it really makes it look polished.  I didn’t have any problems sewing this, which was basically like sewing a long-sleeved shirt.  I loved sewing all of the top-stitching and felt quite pleased with this when I finished.

How did you like the pattern’s fit? Do you think that the design works well for your body shape?

This jacket is very fitted, which works well with my full skirts.  It’s a bit loose in the back, which probably could have been fixed with a swayback alteration.  That fit issue doesn’t bother me.  Although I added width to the sleeves, they could probably use a little more room.  They’re fine for how I intend to wear this jacket, which is paired with sleeveless dresses.  The dress I’m wearing this jacket with (Vogue 9000) has short sleeves with wide sleeve cuffs, which is a little bulky under this jacket.  I think the design fits my aesthetic as well as my body shape.

Will you make this pattern again? If so, what fit or design changes will you make?

No, I’m not planning on making this jacket again as I only need one “jean” jacket in my closet.  If I did choose to sew it a second time, I would enlarge the sleeves about 1″ more and take a small wedge out of the back.

Do you have any advice on this pattern for other curvy sewers? Are there any resources or materials that helped you sew this piece up?

Although I have quite a few Butterick patterns designed by Gertie (along with her books), this is the first one that I’ve sewn.  I’ve heard that there are some fit issues for those with large busts and that her block is different than Butterick’s.  Other than the sleeves and back fit issues (which are normal alterations for me), I didn’t have any problem sewing this jacket to fit me.  I don’t find that there is as much ease in this pattern than other Butterick patterns, so one would definitely want to test the fit out.

I used this technique for grading this pattern up and this technique for altering the sleeves.

Pattern Rating (1-5):

Size range: 3
Instructions: 5
Construction process: 5
Final fit: 4
Overall rating:  4.25

Overall, I really do love this jacket.  It’s far nicer than any other denim jacket that I’ve owned and I love the lining.  The front pockets and the back yoke are nice little details.  I think it’s really only missing side pockets as it feels odd not to have pockets there.  For that reason, this jacket really isn’t a utilitarian item, but neither is the dress that I’m wearing with it. 🙂

*Note:  I received the fabric for this jacket as part of the blog team at Cali Fabrics.  These are my honest thoughts and opinions.