Isla Trench Coat

Hi all! This is by far the biggest project I’ve ever undertaken, but I’m so glad I saw it through. I love my finished Named Clothing Isla Trench and would absolutely make it again (if I had a need for multiple trenches in my wardrobe)!

Approaching the project isn’t for the faint-hearted. The PDF pattern is HUGE, so lots of sticking together, and some of the pieces are overlapped so there’s still some tracing to do. The jacket is made up of 24 pattern pieces in total, many of which you have to cut out multiple times in the outer fabric, lining and interfacing. One positive though, and a bit of myth busting here: seam allowances are included in the PDF version of the Isla (phew)!

It’s not the cheapest project to embark upon either; requiring 3.5m for the outer alone (I used mid-weight denim for mine), plus lining fabric, over 2m of interfacing and notions. Seeing the results come together has made it absolutely worth it though!

Once all the prep was done, the whole jacket came together surprisingly fast! The instructions are very clear and methodical. I felt like could approach the make one element at a time – first the welt pocket, then the cape, then the collar – and breaking it down made the project feel much more manageable.

There are lots of little details (nearly every edge is double topstitched too) which are really fun to construct and make for a really professional finish. The whole sew was smooth, even the lining/bagging out stage, which I had expected to be difficult based on previous bagging out confusions. Joining the inside of the vent to the lining was probably the hardest bit to sew neatly, but luckily is hidden away on the inside.

The only thing I’d do differently is to make bound button holes for a better finish as the regular ones don’t quite cut it, particularly when the rest of the jacket is finished to such a high standard.

I’m absolutely thrilled with my finished Isla and couldn’t recommend the pattern any more. It’s actually turned out to be my favourite jacket sewing experience ever, and might just be my favourite Named pattern too. Don’t be put off by the 5-scissor difficulty rating, just give it a go. When I eventually got started, it took me a little under 2 weeks of evening/weekend sewing to finish.

There’s a full review and LOTS more pictures of the little details on my blog now if you’d like to see more: http://www.magnificentthread.com/2017/11/named-clothing-isla-trench-coat.html