Restyled Pendleton 49er

I thrifted this vintage Pendleton jacket a few months ago. I love Pendleton plaids but I don't like the styling on the 49er, it's not very flattering.

I dry cleaned it - never wash this kind of wool, especially when it's this old. Weaknesses will become holes, and any linings will shrink or can lose their shape.

First I cut it off about an inch below the bottom button. Then I removed the pockets (I haven't figured out what to do with them... yet). Next I made a waistband out of the remaining fabric. I gathered the entire back until I was happy with size of the waist. Then I put the waistband on the bottom. The whole process took about 90 minutes.

Good Project for a Gray January Day

It's rainy and cold here in Chicagoland. I have been trying to figure out what to make next and pulled out this vintage pattern that I got from ZipZapKap recently. I found the chintz fabric at an antique store in Pentwater MI two summers ago. I had the damndest time getting my fusible interfacing to adhere. It gunked up my iron twice before I finally gave up and used the sew in kind. I hate it when little things that should be simple end up being so hard - makes me feel like such a dolt! Oh well, I have moved on.

(I cook my chicken at 425 for the first 30 minutes. Then I put 2 large sweet potatoes sliced up in the bottom of the pan. I cook it for another hour (depending on the size of the bird) and the potatoes come out perfectly!)

I'm in the middle of making a chicken dinner, so work is proceeding slowly, but obviously it's no hurry - spring won't be here anytime soon!