Thursday, November 7, 2019

Testing, testing: Helen's Closet Pona Jacket


The latest from Helen's Closet!


I was a pattern tester for the Pona Jacket, a super simple to sew but fun and versatile jacket from Helen's Closet. It's an unlined jacket that has dropped shoulders, a wide lapel, no closures, patch pockets, and two lengths. 


Helen describes the Pona Jacket as "a modern outer layer that is easy to make and style. An extra-wide facing allows this unlined jacket to drape open in the front, no closures necessary! Pona has an oversized blazer feel, complete with pockets and a statement lapel."


The Pona is designed for medium to heavy weight fabrics with no stretch, such as mid-weight linen or cotton, corduroy, wool, denim, and canvas, or a lighter-weight, drapey fabric for a more fluid look.


My Pona is made from a tencel denim. I can't remember where I originally bought it, but I have a lot of it in my stash! It's very, very drapey. Maybe a smidge too drapey for this jacket- I wish it were ever so slightly more crisp and less "sticky" in the sense that it clings to whatever I'm wearing underneath (here, my Seamwork Neenah).


I obviously sewed up the cropped version. This is a size 16, which worked pretty well.


I cut the 3/4 sleeves. They're a teensy bit long, I think, but look cute rolled up.


I think this jacket is really cute! Lots of possibilities for layering over all sorts of different outfits, both casual and more dressy. 


I'm really looking forward to make the longer Pona Jacket... the versions I saw from the other pattern testers, including a boucle version (!!!) were pretty awesome.