It’s time yet again for a fun season of Project Run & Play! A few of the designers this round are friends so I encourage you to vote on your favorite look. It takes only a minute and having been there before, I know just how much the designers appreciate EVERY SINGLE VOTE.
The theme of this first week is Inspired by 80’s Cartoon. I don’t know why, but I love this theme. There was a bit of a grumble across social media when the themes were first announced, but I think finally everyone has come around. There’s so much crazy fun to choose from in cartoons, but I narrowed mine down quickly once the weather here turned chilly to something that would inspire a jacket. Of course, my first thought was Inspector Gadget and this cropped trench was born.
I was originally going to use the Little Red Riding Hood Trench from Dear My Kids since I already own the pattern (I made this cloak using the hood), but I had so many little changes I wanted to make (crop, extend the front to double breast, add a collar and stand, bag a lining, buckled sleeves, etc.) to it that I just drafted a trench myself. I used the LRH Trench idea of it being a raglan style sleeve and then went crazy from there.
The double breasted front has a self drafted collar that nearly did me in. It needed to be just right (and I wanted a collar stand) so I went through three quick versions before using this one.
The jacket can be worn with or without the tie belt and without the belt the shape is super swingy and adorable. The outer fabric is a waterproof poplin I found in the red tag area of JoAnn and the lining is a creme color with gold polka dots. I used the same fabrics for the matching Fedora.
I hope to draft myself a jacket this winter, so I insisted on bagging the lining of this jacket. Which I’ve never done before. I went through practically every tutorial online showing how it’s done and the methods vary. I wanted it to be done entirely by machine (cause why not) and to have the lovely pleat at the bottom of the lining/main fabric hemline. In the picture above you can see how nicely the lining, facing, and outer fabric meet in the corner. The navy fabric you see along the bottom inside edge is the outer fabric wrapped around which is the result of bagging the lining. It also helps to give this jacket hem almost a bubble look to it when Bean’s wearing it. I am kind of shocked that it all turned out so nicely. I made up my own way of doing it using a bit from everyone else. Isn’t that kind of what we all do?
I made the sleeves meet the lining in the same way so that the outer fabric wrapped around. It’s such a nice finish. And speaking of finishes, man did I have trouble finding the right buckles. Since I was planning a tied belt, I was determined to use buckles on the sleeves. A trench should have buckles somewhere, right? I thought it’d be cute, but it took a billion store to find the right ones. I couldn’t be happier with the result. Once again, I had no idea if the whole buckle thing would work, but I lucked out!
To go with the jacket I finally made the Elegance & Elephants Fedora Hat pattern that I’ve been dying to try for so long. It came together pretty easily and looks so cute on Bean.
Bean has never watched Inspector Gadget, but she is obsessed with Little Charley Bear. Our friends told us about it one day last year and my husband and she now watch it on youtube on weekend mornings and she has every episode memorized. Her favorite is where he tries to find a missing sock. As I mentioned, this is a show she watches with her father and I’m usually off doing something else in the house (most likely sewing) so I haven’t really seen it. But I hear ALL about it all day long, hehe. I gave her a little magnifying glass awhile ago and she freaked out that it was just like Charley Bear’s so we told her he sent it to us for her. She cannot get over the idea that Charley Bear wanted HER to have a magnifying glass and she wanders around the house with it all the time. I snuck it with me when we were taking photos and she just couldn’t contain her excitement when I showed it to her.
So now it’s time for you to head over to Project Run & Play and vote for your favorite of the designers looks. The voting is open through this evening and those last votes mean so much to the designers, so show them a little love!
And finally, I remember my younger sister and I LOVING Inspector Gadget. He was ridiculous, but it definitely made us laugh. What makes Bean laugh these days?
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I called her feet stinky. And she laughed and laughed and laughed….
The gold dot and buckles are great touches! I spent probably too much time convincing myself there wasn't time for sewing a wearable Jem outfit. I have enjoyed scrolling through all the 80s cartoons
Love the jacket, I've never bagged a lining. Crazy stuff! I'm scared of most hardware too, so of course I'm extremely inpressed. And how cute that the bear sent her a magnifying glass! She'll remember that forever.
SUPER impressive!!!!
I love the lining! I HATED inspector,gadget and I had no idea Charlie bear is like him. Ugh. She is hysterical with that magnifying glass!
oh my!! So cute!! I love that there are no gadgets and that is just so girly, perfectly inspired!
This is a fantastic jacket!! You did such an amazing job with the lining!
I have to admit I'm not feeling it this season…I think i am just tired and so busy I decided to give myself a break 🙂 But…this is so great! Definitely my favorite so far as I loved inspector gadget as a kid! great job…plus she looks adorable!
Love LOVE the cropped trench you made. I totally see the inspiration and love the look! Really like the girl Gadget version.
Jem was definitely my second option! I just couldn't figure out a way to make it not so costumey cause I LOVED her actual outfit back in the day 🙂
The whole bagging thing was easier than it seemed like it'd be. The hard part was trying to figure out what everyone was doing in their terrible internet pictures 🙂 But then again I kind of winged it so who knows if I'll think it was so easy the next time?
I can only assume you're referring to her modeling skills….
Actually Charley Bear is nothing like Inspector Gadget. There's only one episode where he dresses like a detective so I told Bean that's what the jacket was like just to give her a reference. Also I knew you'd love that lining 😉
Thanks Emily! The little bit of outswing without the belt is so cute and girly that I may have her wear it like that most of the time 🙂
Thanks Marnae!! I'm sad you're not participating this time. It's always fun to catch up on everyone's blogs during pr&p. I find myself so busy lately too, but I try to take a morning during the pr&p weeks and really go through all the link ups which is a fun way to see what everyone's been up to 🙂
Thank you!! I really liked your Lucy inspired look too 🙂
Thank you so much Courtney!! ps I have been dying to sew an Avery and your sew-a-long might be the thing that pushes me over the edge 😉
Thank you Bethany! 🙂
I adore this trench! The lining, the buttons… It's perfect. And the hat!
This is beautiful!! I want that trench for myself!!
I'm with you Marnae! I have my 80's inspired look 3/4ths of the way complete but it got to crazy and hectic. I do hope to participate in the next weeks, but we'll see! I'll miss seeing your stuff too!
That trench is darling!! You did an amazing job!
Thanks Raphaelle! I was so pleased with how it came together 🙂
So do I Darcy haha! She wears it well 🙂
Thanks Karly! As you know, drafting a jacket is no joke. That collar like to did me in haha.
What an adorable outfit. I love the way you made such a wonderful wearable coat out of a cartoon idea. I loved Inspector Gadget, and Penny of course. That hat, so adorable. I wish my 3 year old would wear hats. Maybe I can bribe her. 🙂
Thanks Juliann! I swear I thought she would take that hat off so fast, but she wore it the entire time! Even on the swings at the park afterward. It cracked me up. So maybe that pattern is a place to start 🙂
What a beauty! (The outfit is cute too;) ) LOVE the gold polka dots!
This looks SO professional, and I love how you get two different looks with/without the belt! That gold dot fabric is a lovely accent.
This is just adorable. And the trench coat is so lovely, with all the attention to detail. Thank you for sharing!
Fabulous project! I just made a coat with a lining for a granddaughter & had forgotten so many of the details so kudos to you for doing such an amazing job!
I hope you do! I know your version would be fabulous!
Oh I love your Go Go Gadget Trench!! Those gold buttons!! To die for!!