One Tacky Jacket

Since my attempt to make the plain gray zip front hoodie more appealing didn't go over well (which is fine--in retrospect, I really don't know what I was thinking in making something for The Child in gray), I have been keeping an eye out for a more suitable fabric, to make another zip front hoodie that isn't so short, which is the problem with the one currently being chosen.

Nothing turned up in the last trip to the craft thrift store, and Walmart seems to have stopped carrying mill end precuts, but I planned to keep checking both places sporadically anyway, just in case.

Then I looked at Fabric Mart, and, oh, did they have some amazingly obnoxious print knits.  Cotton blend (I know that a pure cotton loud print medium weight knit is asking a lot from random find bargain fabric searches), and on deep discount, in the ever-changing reduction way of Fabric Mart.

I asked The Child's opinion, and got a snicker in return, which I took as approval, so I ordered it (along with...other deep discount obnoxious fabrics.  I have plans for everything.)

I didn't want to use New Look 6766 again, because I wasn't in the mood for raglan sleeves, so I turned to McCall's 7668 for the first time.  As given, M7668 has a rather Pokémon Trainer Style

I borrowed New Look 6766's cuffs and waistband and here we are

Before going on, I will say that this may not be finished--I think it would be fun with some sort of text across the chest, rendered in appliqué or freezer paper stencil.  The Child agrees, but hasn't yet thought of the perfect thing to put there. (I quickly nixed the suggestion for all of the lyrics of Pac-Man Fever.)Construction was extremely straightforward, even with all the fiddly things I added, like double top stitching in a "stark contrast so every imperfection will be really obvious" thread color

It's only bad if you look this close.

I was surprised by how much, overall, I like the effect of the black stitching on the bright print.

I probably should do kangaroo pockets on one of these zip front hoodies sometime again (have I done them before?  I know I have in doll clothes.  Oh, looks like at least once, long ago, and in a woven) but I do like making this kind of pocket.  It's not the pocket the pattern has, and, as they are, they're only good for keeping hands warm, and not holding things, but that's fine for our purposes.

I am running very low on black rib knit, but I definitely wanted to use it for this jacket, because the zipper I wanted to use was black, and I didn't want it to seem too random.  Any lettering, if decided upon, will also be black.

The inside of the jacket simply has serged seam allowances, with white thread because that's what was in the serger

I remembered to serge the pocket edges before stitching them down this time.

(The thing I wanted to make that needs white serger thread...I have not made yet.)

I sewed an extra strip of fabric in when I attached the hood to the neckline, so I could use it to encase the seam allowance and give a nice finish

I suppose it's not quite flat felled, since I serged all the seam allowances and then folded this wide strip over everything before edge stitching.

Actual flat felling did happen on the hood's center back seam.

...the hood's very curved center back seam, in this medium weight knit.  My patience was tested.

(But this also made me realize that maybe I don't hate doing flat felled seams, it's just that the only time I ever do them is on unlined hoods...very curved unlined hoods)

I think the zipper waviness will calm down once this is washed (I did prewash the fabric, but it's a purely mechanical stretch knit with no spandex, so its recovery is not snappy) ...or...if I ever press it.

I realized that I could put words back here, too...

I have made a list of potential words and phrases that I think The Child might like, which probably means that none of those will be chosen (the kid isn't contrary as much as just doesn't want to do what's obvious.)  I have no idea how long it will take to make the choice, which is why I'm going ahead and posting this now.

Edit, January 28, 2025--The word was chosen, and it is

Pacmaniac.

Which is in the spirit of the initial idea of the lyrics of Pac-Man fever, but significantly easier to make happen with a freezer paper stencil.

I used the public domain font Oliver's Barney, stretched and edited, turned to outlines and printed.  When we had an ink jet printer, I could print directly on the freezer paper, but I don't dare run this plastic-backed paper through the laser printer we have now.  So, I had to trace the letters onto the freezer paper.  I used a straight edge as much as possible to cut the letters, free-handing the curves.

The freezer paper didn't stick too well to this synthetic blend, so the letters are a little blobby around the edges.  As usual, it's fine, because no-one's going to be looking that closely.

 

I did consider doing the letters as appliqués, or buying iron-on letters, or having a friend with a vinyl cutter cut some HTV, but, enh, this was fastest, and now it's done.

 

Additional edit: ...and then The Child requested "some edits" and now it looks like this

It has been worn several times in this state, so I think it's officially finished.