Back when we polled the CSC** about what you wanted to see on the site, several members suggested a new series: Same Pattern, Different Bodies. As part of this series, multiple sewists with different body shapes sew versions of the same pattern and share their alterations and how the final garment looks on their bodies. We loved this idea and thought that the side-by-side comparisons could be eye-opening. Today’s post is the first in that series! And, lucky for you, we also have a giveaway! Check out the end of the post for details.
Today we’ll be taking a closer look at the Decades of Style Three’s a Charm Jacket as beautifully sewn and modeled by several of our CSC members. The Three’s a Charm jacket is an unlined jacket with a topstitched facing, 3/4 sleeves, a single button closure, angled front darts, and side bust darts.
Tanya
Tanya has sewn two Three’s a Charm jackets so far, one in white stretch denim and one in plaid wool suiting. Below are the alterations she made to her Three’s a Charm jackets:
- Graded up to a 48″ bust
- Widened the sleeves
- Added a lining
- Graded up to a 49″ bust
- Full bicep adjustment
- Enlarged the armscyes
- Bound seams
For any future Three’s a Charm jackets she makes (because the third one will be the charm, right?), Tanya plans to make a small swayback adjustment.
Elaine
Elaine also made two Three’s a Charm jackets, a mustard version with sashiko stitching (her muslin) and one in rusty red lightweight denim. She describes her fitting changes from the mustard muslin to the red denim version as follows:
- Added 1″ to the torso length
- Lowered vertical bust darts by 1″
- Sewed the waist 3/8″ larger at the side seam
- Removed 1/4″ from the hips at the side seam
- Small FBA
- Forward shoulder adjustment
For her next version, she might tweak the shoulder and armscye a bit more to perfect the fit.
Michelle
Michelle’s Three’s a Charm jacket is made from some lovely floral stretch denim. Her fitting changes were as follows:
- FBA
- Shoulder dart (rotated from bust dart to keep it from being too large)
Andie
Andie chose a woven mid-weight black and pink polka dot fabric for her Three’s a Charm jacket.
- 1.5″ FBA
- 1.5″ large bicep adjustment
Next time she makes the Three’s a Charm jacket, she will add more width to the sleeves, do a narrow shoulder adjustment, and lengthen the back to accommodate the length caused by adjusting the large dart to make it less pointy.
Meg
For my Three’s a Charm jacket, I used Thai dupioni silk. I sewed the pattern as-is from the envelope with no fitting changes.
Next time I make the jacket, though, I’ll either lengthen the sleeves to full-length or shorten them a bit because they were too long to be true 3/4 sleeves on me. I might also narrow the forearms.
GIVEAWAY: Decades of Style has generously offered to give away a copy of the Three’s a Charm jacket pattern to one lucky CSC reader! To enter the random drawing, please leave a comment below by Monday, May 30 and tell us what fabric you would use to make a Three’s a Charm jacket!
UPDATE: Congratulations to giveaway winner Sherrell!!
**Slowly but surely we’re covering the suggestions and requests from the poll. We have plans for posts for many of these, but we want to hear from you, too! Do you have great ideas for posts in one of the topic areas identified in the poll? Send them our way!! Do you have ideas for patterns you’d like to see get the Same Pattern, Different Bodies treatment? Do tell! Contact us, we’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas.
I would probably make one up in a denim and one in a silk.
I’m going to a wedding and have been looking for a dress and jacket combination to make in a silk material. I’ve just spotted the release of the Upton dress, and wow, that’s my dress. This jacket will be perfect to go over the top, made up in the same silk material.
I have some lightweight red wool that would look amazing.
I think a fine soft corduroy, lined with something surprising…a silky, colourful oriental print, maybe.
I love denim, so I’m sure I’d make it in denim!
This would be great in a denim!
Cute Jacket and how cute it would be made in one of the new Art Gallery Denims (very lightweight). I think I would try that and wear over one of my maxi dresses. 🙂
Such a cute jacket and so versatile. I loved how you showed so many seamstresses and fabrics. I couldn’t make just one. I
would make this in a wool and a denim for starters.
Great to see the success on multiple body types. There’s a dark red 4ply silk in my stash. Perhaps this jacket would work as not much yardage. If not a rusty/brown wool would be another choice. I’d make a muslin in another fabric.
Thanks for the giveaway. I never saw this pattern but seeing it made up has me dreaming.
After I made the gold jacket muslin above I found the vertical bust darts climbing up and over my bust point. For the red jacket I also added 1″ to the torso length and dropped those darts the same 1 “.
Oops- sorry I missed this, Elaine! I’ll update the post to note these changes you made. Your jackets are both so lovely!!
I’d probably make one in denim first (and hope it would be a wearable muslin) and then I have some gorgeous ocean blue velvet tucked away to make a very fancy jacket.
Loved Meg’s jacket when she blogged about it. Would like to make it in silk dupioni
I’d like to use a patterned light-weight denim to make this jacket.
I LOVE this post. I am excited to see others like this! This jacket is so flattering on all of the models. I would make this in a dark teal stretch denim or a dark teal Ponte in my stash. 🙂 And the silk dupioni has me out searching for fabric already!
I can see this jacket made from a kantha quilt. The kantha gives a quilted look but is light weight enough to be suitable for this pattern.
I love this pattern and appreciate the opportunity to see how it looks on different body types – thank you! I plan to make it in boiled wool for next fall/winter.
I have a vintage gold and burgent brocade that would look great in this pattern.
Thank you for the information and eye opening comparison.
I would make this in Denim!
I love this look. I would make it in a piece of fine drape wool I have found in my stash. I never would have considered it without the “modeling” on my body type. Thanks for the ongoing encouragement and support for curvy sewists.
I actually bought some heavy black twill to make this jacket (haven’t bought the pattern yet though), but I keep seeing it in black velveteen in my head.
Wow! I love this series idea. Can’t wait to see more and will definitely submit some pattern requests 🙂 I would love to whip this up in an emerald green silk shantung from my stash!
Ohh, I’m liking this jacket more and more! I think I’d make a mid blue linen blend jacket. It’d be something I could wear in warmer weather to give a proper finished look to sleeveless dresses at work.
I think I might try to make this pattern in a ponte, actually–I know it’s not called for but I just finished a different ponte blazer and am not completely happy with how it fits, but still would like something like that for traveling to conferences and not having to worry about wrinkling.
i really like the Thai silk version! I’m going to a wedding in October up north, so it would be a perfect dress topper for the dress I want to make in satin. The soft satin would contrast with the stiff texture of the silk perfectly!
This is a great post! I love seeing it on multiple body types and how it works. I love the denim and silk versions, so different and yet it proves that it’s a versatile jacket. I’d probably sew one in a twill or denim.
Loved reading about and seeing everyone’s jackets. I was really inspired by Meg’s dupioni version, and so that would be my fabric choice
Cute jacket pattern. Something my sister would love. I’d make her one out of stone washed stretch denim for casual days at work and one out of fleece for cooler weather.
Wow, what a great pattern, I may have hesitated on this style but you gals rocked it! I think I would try my black raw silk in this or splurge on some great Irish linen lined of course. Yippee, on a great make!
This is so helpful! More of these!
I have a slightly stretchy suiting with a light green chevron weave that I have been holding to use for the right thing!
I would love to make this jacket in a dark pink tweed, and also tartan plaid. Thank you!
I LOVE seeing the pattern on multiple body types. This is valuable info! I would make the Three’s a Charm jacket out of a mid weight linen, maybe periwinkle in color, and line it with silk charmeuse. Yes, I would like that jacket!
Love the new series! I would make this in red linen for summer and emerald wool for autumn.
Need a denim jacket so that would be up first
Love, love, love the silk! Have never sewed it before, but your jacket is so lovely I’d give it a try.
I have a taupe/rust colorway floral denim that has been in my stash for probably 15 years! Time to put it to use
Great idea, love to make it out of a heavy cotton for cool summer evenings.
Corduroy that i have been holding on to for just the right project.
Hmm, linen, a ponte knit or some boiled wool from my stash, or perhaps one of each! ?
I’d use a navy linen mix to make a jacket for my mum to replace one she loves but which is now too small.
I have a piece of shaded colors of blue looks like silk, but isn’t, that would be perfect for this jacket. This pattern looks like a simple, easily adjustable one, good for all body types.
I have some lovely brown wool flannel that would make a really versatile jacket,
What a nice jacket! I love the shape. I can see it in brocade or linen. Beautiful.
This looks like a simple jacket for me to put into action all of the alterations I have learned from this blog. Your information thus far has been amazing!
Oops, forgot to add what kind of fabric I would use to make this – black wool.
Somehow I missed this pattern. It is lovely and I have the perfect stretch cotton with which to make it up!
indigo stretch denim for me…can never have too many denim jackets!
Oooh! I loved seeing your version on your blog, Meg! It’s great to see all the other versions as well — such a great idea for a series of fitting posts.
I’m a regular jacket/sweater wearer; I love to have a layer to keep the sun off me or keep me a bit warmer in our chilly work office. I have some beautiful lightweight cranberry wool (and a fantastic decorative button!) that would work beautifully for this pattern.
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I think I would try it with a light weight denim perhaps. Love the styling of the jacket. Love love love the side by side comparisons. Very good idea and very helpful. I’m not doing a lot of sewing yet, but plan to begin sewing more in the coming months. This is a wonderful collective. Thank you!
I would make it from a Japanese brocade fabric, with a Japanese lady and florals down each front side panel, and one centred on the back of the jacket.
I would love to make that in a sky blue stretch denim!
I have a beautiful floral denim that would look good in this pattern.