By Hand London Victoria Blazer

Continuing with my love affair with By Hand London (Elisalex 1 & 2, Georgia Dress), I present my latest make, a Victoria Blazer. I wasn’t really sure if this was totally my style, but I actually love the way it looks when I’m wearing it. And it’s a nice alternative – and a smarter alternative – to a cardigan, which is pretty much all I wear as an extra layer. I’ve only worn it a couple of times so far (after finishing it at the end of last year) as it’s been so pigging cold in London, I’ve been wearing my few thick jumpers pretty much in constant rotation!

I made the straight size 8, with no changes – because it’s not really fitted, it’s a really easy first jacket to make. I made the long version as I felt it would look better with a loose t shirt and skinny jeans (speaking of which, I definitely have to jump on the Ginger Jeans bandwagon, they look AMAZING on everyone!). I feel like it may look a little wide on my shoulders, but the slouchy style means it doesn’t look too bad. I always thought I had wide shoulders, but maybe not!

I used the excellent sewalong to work out how to attach the collar as I was having trouble picturing it. Once I’d done it, it made total sense, but I was clearly having a brain-fart moment. Does anyone else have those? Just me?

You may recognise the lining fabric from such makes as my second Colette Laurel dress and my Tilly and the Buttons Mimi blouse. This was seriously a huge ‘remnant’ from Rolls and Rems on Holloway Road. This lining was the last of it, sadly, as I do love it so! Also goofy face – you’re welcome.

 

You can see when I’m not holding the blazer (as in the very top photo), the lining peaks out. This was really bugging me, so after finishing the whole blazer, including hand-sewing the gap at the bottom of the back closed, I unpicked my stitching and managed to manoeuvre the jacket under my machine through the little hole, to understitch the lining to the shell seam allowance. As you can see, however, this didn’t really work. I realised this is because the shell fabric is so much thicker and stiffer than the lining fabric and won’t stay bent/ ironed on the stitching line, if that makes sense? I think the only way to fix this would be to unpick it again and trim the seam allowance as small as possible without making the whole thing unravel! Any other tips gratefully received!

Did I mention I LOVE the huge pockets? Because I do! I also love the little cuffs. Such a nice detail!

 

I couldn’t resist putting the jacket on with my matching Laurel, for the lolz!

I don’t really have much to say about the construction, it all came together really easily. The only issue I had was working out which rectangles were the cuffs and which were the lapels because I’m an idiot and didn’t label them! I feel like it was a little boring to make it in black, but the boring truth is I wear a lot of black and things that go with black, so for a first try, I thought it was a safe bet. I would like to make more versions, in more interesting colours, but as I found out after spending a WHOLE YEAR knitting a red cardigan, I can’t make myself suit/ like colours just because I spend ages making something in that colour. I love Ginger Makes’s jazzy blue version. 

Looking at these pictures now, I realise I’ve made a little mistake and sewn the lapels into the hem/ where the lining joins the shell at the bottom. Doh! If I decide to unpick it to fix the rolling lining, maybe I’ll fix this at the same time? Once I finish something, I’l always be reluctant to fix any issues – it feels like time when I could be making something shiny and new! Does anyone else feel like that?