Red Fleece Zip Jacket

After the success of my pattern hacking on the Girl's Coco Dress, I decided to push the pattern even further and go for a zip up jacket. Big Sis needed a non-hoodie top for sports and I had this red fleece and this red separating zip so decided to make up my own pattern to suit them.

I decided to trim this jacket with new silver ribbing, the only thing I bought for this project. I had navy, but red and navy are their school PE kit. I think the silver looks sort of Italian. I have no idea why.

She chose the slightly smoother side for the right side and I used silver thread for the overlocker. 

Unfortunately, the separating zip that I had (bought from a charity shop on the Isle of Wight) wasn't long enough to make a turtleneck, which is what I wanted. This is a v-neck, and is a little too low to be truly practical. But still worth making, considering I had almost all the materials to hand, and no other plans for any of them. 

After studying some of my RTW zip up tops, I decided the order of construction should be:

1. Sew shoulder seams together
2. Set sleeves in to armscye
3. Sew up side seams and under sleeve seams
4. Add ribbing to cuffs and hem band
5. Insert zip, leaving a small part not attached at the top of the zip
6. Add neckline ribbing, reducing width so that it will finish at the top of the zip  
7. Sew remaining inch of zip into place, meeting at neckline ribbing 
8. Add band of bias binding to inside of zip seam to hide the raw edge of the ribbing and the top of the zip tape. Where they meet gets quite messy.

I loved putting in the separating zip! Easiest type of zip to insert ever! And I can't believe I changed my thread colour so the topstitching created by the bias binding was red through the body and silver for the ribbing. Too bad it was a terrible mess at the top of the back. I left it as is. 

She has gone on her trip now (sob!), and we didn't have time to get photos of her wearing it, so we will have to do that when she gets back.

Costs: 

 Fabric: very old, purchased 2011 to make Christmas crafts, £0

 Pattern: Simplicity 1584, used 7 times before, £0

 Notions: 

  Zip: Charity Shop, 20p

  Ribbing: eBay, £5.25 

  Bias binding: Granny £0

Total: £5.45