Yesterday I mentioned that I was debating whether to splash out £14.00 on postage from Australia for the Style Arc Julia jacket pattern.
I love the style and the pattern itself works out at about £12.00, but the postage cost was putting me off big time.
I hadn't been able to find a suitable alternative anywhere, but after posting and reading a couple of comments I decided to up my search.
I managed to find 2 possibles, and have actually now chosen the one I'm going to use.
The patterns I found are shown below, either side of Julia.
On the right, McCalls 6655 and on the left Simplicity Threads 1919. The McCalls pattern comes with 3 other jacket variations and the Simplicity has another jacket, a skirt and a pair of trousers as well.
Both patterns have their advantages and disadvantages, so I've done a little comparison.
Here are the notes if you're struggling.
Style Arc Julia jacket
- 3/4 length 2 piece sleeves.
- Curved collar.
- Curved peplum.
- No fastenings.
McCalls 6655
- Full length 2 piece sleeves. Could easily be shortened.
- Angular collar. "Point" could be changed to curve.
- Straight hem with no peplum. Could possibly be changed.
- Button fastening. Could be omitted.
Simplicity 1919
- Option for full length sleeves, but one piece. Don't look as nice.
- Curved collar but 2 pieces. Possibly could sew pieces together for continuous effect.
- Curved peplum hem.
- Single hook and eye fastening. Could be omitted.
In addition to my notes above, I looked for reviews. I could only find one review of the McCalls jacket, and that was hardly detailed enough to be a review, and was also of one of the other styles. I found several reviews of the Simplicity pattern, all saying how small it came up and is also unlined.
On balance I've decided I'm going to go with McCalls 6655. There's more about it that I like than I dislike and I think with a few alterations I can make a close enough approximation of the Julia jacket that I'll be happy. And the pattern will cost about 1/3 of the price of the Julia jacket. Of course, I'll probably end up spending a fortune on fabric for muslins, and it will cost far more by the time I've finished!
What do you think? Have I made the right choice? I've not ordered the pattern yet, so tell me now if you can think of something better!
Living in Australia I am also hit each and every time with excessive postage for either patterns or fabrics! But I am getting to the stage where I wonder if for something special, as this jacket is for you, do we just bite the bullet and spend the little extra to get exactly what we want, without having to reinvent the wheel! The Style Arc seems to be a blend of both the McCall's and Simplicity doesn't it??? I have never purchased a Style Arc pattern, and maybe will look at them closer now ... good luck with your final decision...J
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. Sometimes when you set your heart on one thing however nice the alternatives are, they're just not quite good enough are they? I am currently veering towards biting the bullet on the postage cost and getting the one I really like.
DeleteI've looked at the Style Arc line too, but so far have been unable to justify the postage to myself. Maybe if you found several patterns you wanted that would bring the cost per pattern down? I really don't like using the Big4 patterns if I can help it, I want to support the up and coming independents.
ReplyDeleteGood suggestion, if I bought a couple of patterns it might bring the individual cost down.
DeleteMy favourite is the first one - but have you considered Sewaholic's Cordova pattern? www.sewaholicpatterns.com - I think it could be a useful base - dressed up or down depending on the fabric.
ReplyDeleteNow, trousers. Clover is a great starter. But, having said that - Sewaholic do a Thurlow pant that is designed with hips and curves in mind. Worth a thought. Slightly trickier with the front fly - but you might be fine.
Both Colette and Sewaholic patterns available in the UK - I'm thinking your in the UK?
Thanks for the suggestion of the Cordova jacket. I do like it, but it's not what I'm after right now.
DeleteI've read good things about the Thurlow trousers but hadn't really considered them as I don't really wear bootleg trousers. I might go and have a serious look as I know Sewaholic designs for pear shaped figures. Thanks very much.
These typically accompany zips, poppers or Velcro to make it simpler to relax to get the snow out. Babykleding
ReplyDelete