Like many of you all, I am a member of several sewing related FaceBook groups. A few weeks ago in my feed appeared some of the coolest looking handmade tween clothes I have ever seen. They were made by Kelly from Handmade Boy. She was using the new patterns from Blaverry and they are perfect for the older girl that you may sew for. She has kindly agreed to do a review of the Decklyn jacket that is part of that new line.
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Hello! I'm Kelly and I blog over at Handmade Boy. I have been sewing with the purpose of perfecting my skill for about 3 years. However, I have been sewing kids' Halloween costumes, throw pillows, and a few curtains for close to 15 years. I am self taught, learning primarily from paper patterns and books.
My blog has a strong focus on sewing for boys without having a "My Mommy made my clothes" look. But I do sew a lot for my daughters, also! They are 10 and 13, so of course, what I sew for them has to be in style and on point with today's current trends. My younger daughter has a very defined style. Or styles. She is all over the place with what she is willing to wear. Though she does have a few "rules" on what she doesn't care for. Ruffles, Peter Pan collars, frills, florals, chevron, polka dots and stripes are all out. It really narrows down the fabric and pattern selections, doesn't it. Luckily, she has a list of designers that she likes and Blaverry is high up on that list. The things she loves about Blaverry are that they are not little girl styles. These patterns are designed with tweens and teens in mind! They feature clean lines, modern details like exposed zippers and very minimal ruffles and frills. One of my daughter's favorite things from Blaverry is the Decklyn.
She loves this jacket and wears it A LOT. And gets compliments all the time on it. She is very proud to have custom made clothing and doesn't hesitate to tell people that it was made by her mother. Disbelief is a common reaction to that statement.
The Decklyn is available in sizes 2T-16. A HUGE size range! The pattern sizes are layered so you can print only the size you need.
Materials needed are mid weight cotton such as denim, twill, or light to mid weight leather for the main fabric, light weight fabric for the lining, snaps or buttons for the collar accent, a separating zipper and two 7" zippers. I used a lighter weight denim with a slight stretch to it for the main fabric and my snake's skin fabric is a stretch denim also. I used a quilter cotton for the jacket lining.
The belt was a feature of the pattern during the testing phase, but is not included in the finished pattern. It would be an easy addition to do on your own though, if you like the look of it. (My daughter loves the belt. ;) )
The Good: Great design that is perfect for a trendy girl who loves custom style. Layered sizes, large size range, clean to the point instruction, fully lined with all seams enclosed, and professional results.
The Bad: I wish I would have sized up so she could get extra time out of this. It's slim fitting and a crop length, so if in doubt, size up! However, the pattern did run true to size for us and the pattern does state to size up to use as outerwear. My daughter tends to just wear a tank top under this and wears it like a cardigan instead of a jacket.
The Ugly: I can't say we have any! With how much use this jacket has seen, it's safe to say, it's a hit. And, it has been through the washer and dryer more than a dozen times and it still looks great! So go back and add sturdy construction to the list of good.
Over all rating:
5 of 5 bolts 
This is gorgeous! Its no wonder your daughter loves it. Great pattern and beautifully constructed.
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