Hi! My name is Jade (@jaderselise) and you may recognize me as the “pattern lady.” I’ve been sewing for over 20 years and I’ve been creating content since 2009. I have a series called “There’s A Pattern For That” where I help people find ready to purchase patterns to recreate looks they don’t have access to.

One of these videos was in response to when someone requested I find a pattern for the popular Damson Madder coat. This one really popped off and inspired so many other makers to take a stab at this project (including With Wendy!), which was so cool to see. So I had to have a go myself!

The Darcy Coat was a perfect for this project. The fit was close enough to manipulate, the collar was attached just right, and the front pieces were easy enough to add width to get that perfect front fold over portion.

When I’m hunting for patterns, I try to find the one that is as close as possible, but also needs the least amount of manipulation. Certain pattern manipulations are easier than others. I always try to keep a beginner in mind when I’m pulling these to try to make them as accessible as possible. So, the minimal design lines and oversized fit of the Darcy Coat was perfect.

I approached this project like many others… I turn on my projector and just get to work!  I filmed a full 40 minute vlog on how exactly I tackled this project. Filming always adds another layer of complication on top, but it’s always worth it in the end when someone says it helped them with their project.

I used the A0 file on my projector, and thankfully the modifications needed were mostly related to simple length reduction and width increases. I didn’t work with any of the lining pieces or facing pieces, which helped simplify the sewing process.

They’re great if you are making the original version of the jacket though, I could tell this was a well thought out and designed pattern. 

Honestly, the entire process was enjoyable. I love looking at a piece of clothing and then attempting to reverse engineer it. That might be my favorite part of sewing in general. I get a lot of satisfaction from it.

My favorite detail has to be the little embroidered pocket with my initials, that was super fun to figure out how to do on my regular sewing machine.

Finding the perfect plaid/tartan to go with the outer shell was a challenge, so I can’t say I enjoyed that part! I didn’t order any fabric swatches and just went for it, and thankfully it turned out.

It’s a cool fun piece that’s so different than anything else in my wardrobe. I don’t often sew up the actual pattern requests that I get, and the response to this project is making me second guess that decision.

If you'd like to see more of my work, I have my own line of digital sewing patterns called These Days, and I’m currently working a new sewing platform that I hope to share later this year, but I’m keeping most of that under wraps for now!

My advice for home sewists is to just go for it. It’s such a rewarding process if you can get through the initial beginner pains. It takes practice and patience, so allow yourself to make mistakes and learn. And always sew a toile when mashing patterns together. 

Jade