McCall’s 5252 Fleece Jacket

I have been on a mission this year to a) use fabric I already have, and b) to use many of the patterns I already have. I believe this is the third time I’ve made something from this pattern. Here’s one time and the other. McCall’s 5252 fleece jacket and vest pattern is a “misses’ and men’s” pattern with lots of variations. The pattern came out in about 2006, and I realize now that I bought this THREE different times! But that’s okay because it’s small-medium-large so now I have a pattern for every size. Much to my surprise, the pattern is still available on the McCall’s website.

I color blocked the jacket so that I could use the blue sweatshirt fleece I had leftover from the sweatpants I made. I used the orange fleece that was leftover from another project, as well.

Color blocking is a great way to use up leftover fabrics!

I had to shorten the jacket by about 4″ in order to make this and have enough material.

The pockets (two front side pockets and a chest pocket) can be closed with Velcro, although I haven’t sewn that onto mine. I do plan to make another one with fleece that is at the length the pattern’s supposed to be. If you make workout gear and you want a warm jacket to wear, this is a good option. I wanted something colorful to wear while walking. But I also need something warm. This solves both of those issues.

Planning my projects:

Generally, I’m really trying to plan my sewing projects well this year. Not only do I want to use the fabrics and patterns that I already have, I want to get better at matching up the right fabric with the right pattern. I know that every pattern will give you suggestions on what to use, but sometimes I have other ideas in mind. It often means taking the time to determine what type of pattern adjustments should be made before cutting.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve done any color blocking on your projects. Are you fabric stash busting this year?

McCall’s 6796 Made With Minerva

This is an out-of-print pattern, but it is such a classic style. This is the second time I’ve made this sweater and I just enjoy it so much. For this version, I made McCall’s 6796 with Minerva fabric that I was gifted.

This is a slub sweater knit in burnt orange. Here’s a link the fabric if you’re interested. The fact that this material is lightweight and orange, reminded me of the cover photo on the pattern envelope. With that in mind, I figured that these two would be a good match.

I did not add buttons to this sweater because I wanted this to have a more casual look. This fabric is soft and comfortable.

Because the fabric is light and somewhat sheer, I would line it if I were to use it for a dress or skirt.

This color is definitely the bright spot I needed in my life! While many people are afraid to sew with knits, I LOVE having a knit memade wardrobe. The comfort and ease of care is almost unmatched. And, you can find a knit for almost any occasion. I have found that most knit fabrics are very easy to sew.

The exception to that might be some of the more “slippery” knit fabrics.

This is the previous sweater and blog post I made using this pattern…

Woman wearing orange sweater made with M6796

I hope you will give this pattern a try if you have it. It’s a lovely classic style and quite versatile.

My 2021 Sewing Plans

Happy New Year (it’s not too late to say that. It’s still January-LOL)! Although I did a video about my 2021 sewing plans (here), I really wanted to write a blog post about it too. I want to share some sewing goals/ideas with you and the best way to hold myself accountable is to write it out.

I wrote a list, in no particular order, of what I want to do or work on this year. This will be the year I make a jumpsuit or “aviator” style jumpsuit. Over the past few years I have talked myself out of it. But maybe, this is the year – I hope! I actually just bought a McCall’s pattern (M8046-Trudy) that has a long and short version.

This pattern I recently purchased features a biker jacket.

I have a BurdaStyle pattern that I’ve made before that I really love. That blog post is here. So that’s another great option. One thing I realize is that I love making things like jackets and jeans. They can take more time to fit, but it’s such a great feeling once I’ve completed a project like this.

At this time, most of my project thinking is going into cold winter days and into Spring. Since I never know how long it’s going to take me to get to a particular project, I like to think ahead.

I have plans for another shirtdress as well. Since it’s is such a versatile garment, I’ll add one to my wardrobe. There are many patterns (and I have more than a few), so I have endless options. And I hope to make a maxi dress at some point this year as well.

As always, my goal is to improve garment fit. That’s an ongoing process as bodies change. I learn so much with studying how different things are made. Paying attention to the construction can really help.

This is just a quick look at what I plan to do this year. I will share with you throughout the year what specifically I’m sewing.

Do you have any sewing plans or goals you’re working on this year?

Let me know in the comments. I always love to know what others are working on!