I was given the Blair jacket pattern as a prize in the Homer & Howells giveaway. There was no obligation to sew or review the pattern.
Can you believe it is the end of October already? I feel like October Blairly just started! Ok, I’m sorry. Let’s get to sewing.
The Blair pattern is intended for lightweight fabrics such as cotton, viscose and linen yet ever since I first spotted it I couldn’t shake the idea of it in a tweed weight wool. When I found this wool blend for a bargain €2.50 per metre at the local fabric market I knew I had to give it a go.
The Blair features a wrap over front, back yoke, deep side dart and lovely in seam pockets. It can be made in two lengths- the shorter view looks cracking as a blouse whereas the longer can be worn as a dress or in my case, jacket.
The Blair has an oversized fit which I was worried in this wool might make me look like a Resistance extra in one of those post-apocalyptic movies. So I asked advice from Nic and Susan and ended up sizing down from a 12 to an 8. If you’re doing the same, be sure to check the arm circumference too.
I’ve used H&H patterns before when I pattern tested their Innes and know Nic and Susan pay really good attention to detail on their patterns. The steps were really clear although somehow I managed to sew the back pleat the wrong way round – it still looks fine to me though!
There were a couple of tricky parts to the construction thanks to my fabric choice. Firstly, the Blair uses the burrito method which gives a really neat finish. However with a mid weight wool like this the burrito became more of a tree trunk and it was a real battle to turn the garment the right side out! H&H have since written tips on how to sew the Blair in heavier fabrics here.
Secondly, H&H patterns use a 1cm seam allowance which I normally prefer not to use. A small seam allowance doesn’t give much room to play with if you need to let a pattern out and I find it quite fiddly. I would normally add more seam allowance but the Blair has some really small ‘steps’ in the seams and notches that need to align perfectly so I was reluctant to mess around with them. On a heavier wool the edges frayed so it was tricky to match the notches. I got there in the end, but would recommend a thinner wool or linen blend for this garment in future.
Some final construction tips – Sharlene from So Sew Dressmaking is Queen of the Blair and advised me to use a home made clapper in the form of a wooden chopping board which worked a charm!
I enjoyed the little details on this coat – I used a cotton poplin in the pockets and for the front buttons decided to add them in a straight line. Having chosen a smaller size the coat feels comfortable but doesn’t wrap over as originally intended. I used these gorgeous buttons from Pigeon Wishes that Meg sent me as a present. Seeing as the majority of the jacket was sewn while on a catchup Zoom with her, the buttons were appropriate and are just so stunning.
Overall I am really pleased with my Blair jacket and think it’s a great autumnal layer. I love wearing it with a scarf over a ditsy print dress but think it would be great with a pinafore or Dawn jeans too.
If you’re looking for inspiration you can check out the Blair hashtag – whether in a lightweight cotton lawn or heavier wool, it would be a great addition to any me-made wardrobe.
