Made By A Fabricista: Duchess Jacket

I was absolutely thrilled to be chosen to be a Fabricista for 2025! I have been a customer of Fabric Mart for a while now, and I love the variety of the fabric I find whenever I shop.

When I got the assignment for my first blog post, I searched around the site for a fabric to jump out and inspire me.  In my mind, I needed to start off big and make something that I’ve had on my list of things to make, but for whatever reason, I have been putting off.  I knew I wanted to make a classy and chic winter jacket, and one that would wear well on the days I have to dress professionally for work.  I wear a lot of suits, dresses and skirts to the office, so I figured a dressy winter trench coat would be ideal. I decided on Ellie & Mac’s Duchess Jacket, which has a beautiful hi-lo hem, fitted bodice, statement puff sleeves, and faux double-breasted closure.  

Once I decided on the pattern I wanted to use, I set out searching for the perfect winter coat fabric.  I found this gorgeous Micro Houndstooth Tweed Flannel Suiting, which has a traditional black and tan color from afar.  However, when you get up close, there are fabulous flecks of bright colors intertwined in the houndstooth pattern.  I thought it would be fun to draw out the awesome colors, so decided to line the jacket with a solid fabric.  I know the pattern calls for a slinky satin lining, but I am not a fan of the chilly feeling a slinky fabric brings as a jacket lining.  Instead, I opted to use a 100% Cotton Sateen Shirting in a bright cardinal red for a fun pop of color. 

For the faux double-breasted bodice, I was torn between a brown and black horn button, or a solid black wooden button.  Since I was going for a dressier jacket, I decided on the black buttons because the horn buttons felt too casual for the look I was hoping to achieve.  

The tutorial for the Duchess Jacket is very detailed with instructions for taking proper measurements, grading the pattern if necessary, lengthening or shortening for your personal sizing needs, and photos of the construction for each step.  The pattern was well written, and sewists of all skill levels would be able to sew their own jacket following the tutorial step-by-step.

The jacket has a fitted bodice, with bust darts and waist darts in the back.  I went by my measured size pursuant to the sizing guidelines, and I was pleasantly surprised with a perfectly fitting bodice without any size adjustments. 

The construction of the Duchess was very straight forward, and ended up being a lot easier than I anticipated.  For the waist tie, I used my most favorite sewing tool:  a hemostat.  If you don’t have one in your sewing toolkit, I cannot recommend one enough!  The one I use is a 12” hemostat, which is perfect for turning long belts, spaghetti straps, or swimsuit ties with ease.

I absolutely adore how this jacket turned out!  I love the little pop of red that peeks at the hemline of the gorgeous hi-lo skirt.  Although it has a fitted bodice, I am able to wear a long sleeve blouse or thin sweater underneath, which is perfect for the climate where I live. 

If you’re looking to make a winter jacket, I highly recommend the Duchess Jacket.  There are so many gorgeous winter fabrics on the website, I may need to make another!  

Happy Sewing!

KIM  |  @JosephineRoseSews