Grainline Tamarack jacket in size 18

I made the Tamarack jacket in the new extended sizing range 18. I have admired quilted jackets for a while, but thought they would be way too boxy on my curvy figure. Grainline has added a couple of bust darts to their design and that, along with the curved hem, shadows my figure enough that I was quite surprised how much I liked it. I think I always have a puffer jacket in my head when I hear quilted coats, but actually the resultant fabric is much thinner and more malleable than that.

I did not make any adjustments to this jacket and I love the fit. I used two pieces of quilting cotton for the outer and lining and I love the effect of them. It’s definitely more “art teacher” than my usual style, but I’m enjoying something a little different and it’s sooooo cosy.

The pattern itself is quite simple, but the tricky parts are the welt pockets, quilting and binding. All can definitely be achieved by following the comprehensive instructions and I personally found that handbasting the pieces and then using my walking foot on the machine definitely helped with the quilting. I am a novice quilter, but the pieces are nice and small and sewing straight lines wasn’t too bad!

This is definitely a good jacket for spring and autumn and I’ve already worn mine quite a bit. I have more details and pictures in a detailed blog post if you’re interested. 🙂