Amy from SewsNBows and a pattern review of the Coco Jacket

Hi! I'm Amy from SewsNBows. I sew mostly children's clothing, but dabble in doll clothes and stuff for me. But I HATE being in front of the camera, so you won't see too much of me :)

I'm new to tween sewing. I woke up one day and my little girl had morphed into a big girl. Her clothes used to be...what kept her from being naked. Now they are an extension of her personality, and suddenly soooo important! I vaguely remember being that age, back in the dinosaur times. But Sew Cool for the Tween Scene came along just in time to give me a refresher course.
This was before things had to look "department store". It was less than one year ago! What I've discovered about "tween" is that it's not really an age. It's not really a size. It's both of those, but also more. It's a crucial part of a child's development, where they need you but also want to define themselves as separate from you. They are "between" in every sense of the word, it's so important that we give them the confidence to make choices...and even let them make mistakes. I was that mom who followed her baby around with my arms out in case she fell. This is freaking hard. There's no manual on how to raise a tween! But I'm getting comfortable with tween sewing. That's a start ;) I'd love it if you'd visit the Tween Fashion Sewing board on Pinterest. It's full of tween sized patterns, finished garments from the web, and sewing inspiration from designers to department store. Follow along if you'd like, or contact me at the bottom of the post if you'd like to pin to our board :) When SewCool launched, I had just about given up on sewing for my daughter. I remember Gina, Justine, and Shannon's Words of Advice guest posts here, and it encouraged me to keep going. There aren't tons of resources for tween sewing; I think we should stick together! Without further ado, here's my review of the Coco jacket from Heidi&Finn.
Pattern Source: HeidiandFinn (Etsy) Sizes available: 6m-5t, & 6-12 Special materials required: This coat can be made with heavier materials like wool, or light cottons. Trim is optional. The jacket is meant to be worn open; no buttons or zipper needed.
 Skill level required: Advanced beginner How you came to choose the pattern: I was lucky enough to pattern test this jacket! It was my first Heidi & Finn pattern. I'm a huge fan now. Most patterns go up to size 12, which buys me some time, but not much! Did you deviate from the pattern? If yes, how? Nope. But it wouldn't be hard to add 2" to one side make it a button up jacket. That will be my next Coco jacket! Good: There are no intricate tailoring methods used. I have always been afraid of lined jackets because they tend to be more than my attention span can handle. But the jacket and lining are cut from the same pattern pieces. You sew your jacket and lining RST, then pull it right side out through the sleeve. Bad: You always need to prewash your fabrics, but especially with a lined jacket. If your main fabric and lining aren't prewashed, they can shrink at different rates and leave you with an unwearable, lumpy jacket. Wool often needs to be washed by hand or dry cleaned. You don't have to use wool for this coat, but I did. I love the way it looks, but I have to tumble dry with low heat. Ain't nobody got time for that! In tween sizes, you'll need to be very careful selecting fabric. Use a fun lining or trim, just be sure to get your kid's input. I pictured this pattern as a dressy church jacket, but Bella styles it casually with combat boots. And it works with her style! Ugly: There is a minuscule amount of hand stitching on the sleeve vent. Trust me, it's not that bad. I'm violently allergic to hand sewing, but it didn't even bother me. Overall pattern rating: lightning bolts. Stay in touch with me! I love seeing your projects and having a network of sewists who can help each other out from time to time :) Facebook G+ Pinterest Twitter Ladies, thanks for having me today! End code