Happy New Year everybody! I’ve been so excited to share this super fun Katy Perry inspired New Years Eve Blog Party with you!
Katy’s style is always over the top and fun, so you know this blog party will be fun. The idea was cooked up by Melissa of Rebel and Malice, but is hosted by the lovely Becca on Sewing Stadium! I’m thrilled to share the newest pattern I’ve been working on in a Katy inspired mix of fabrics and prints AND there’s a tester call at the end of this post if you like what you see.
Introducing the Mackinaw Coat! Well, actually the Mackinaw style has been around for 100 years give or take, but this updated version and all the details make the perfect on-trend winter coat. The original Mackinaws were made with wool and had a shawl collar, but I’ve amped it up for this Katy Perry version.
All of the fabrics are from JoAnn, including that delicious faux fur. The pattern allows for using an accent fabric for the shawl collar facing and since faux fur is soooo Katy, I took the opportunity to go a little over the top. The nice thing is that the facing doesn’t use a ton of fabric, so I was able to splurge on the nicer faux fur which makes ALL the difference.
Bean cannot stop rubbing her face on the fur and keeps telling me how cozy it is. That’s a big win. Plus it’ll keep her super warm this winter!
The outer fabric is one I’ve been eyeing for awhile and since it was perfect for a modern day tribute to the original Mackinaw prints, I scooped some up for this project. There was some epic pattern matching, but I can’t imagine Katy Perry would wear such a fun coat and not have all the details just right, can you?
And I have to say the back of the coat might be my favorite. Everything just lines up so well and it looks so glam with the wide collar. I’m kind of jealous (yet again) of my four year old’s wardrobe. I need to start designing more for myself this year I think, hehe.
So here’s some info about the pattern testing if you’re interested. There is a girl and a BOY version which is pretty exciting for me, but it means I’ll need some more testers since I haven’t had any boy patterns yet. The testing will commence next Friday on the 8th of January and will run through the 18th which gives you two weekends and an (American) holiday to work on it. This is not a difficult pattern, but it’s also not a quick sew so I want to make sure you have plenty of time to work on it without being stressed out. Stressing out is so not Katy Perry inspired right?
The Mackinaw coat is fully lined and uses facings and a bagging technique that is all machine sewn which is super cool the first time you do it. Trust me, you’ll feel like a magician when you walk through the steps.
I used bound buttonholes for this version, but there is also the option of a regular old machine buttonhole so you have options. Again, the bound buttonhole technique will up your sewing game so it’s worth learning and the pattern walks you through it if you’re interested.
And the back… oh the back! I’ve included a belt loop that is part of the jacket itself and I love how it makes the back look so professional.
Here’s an up close pic without the belt running through so you can see how it looks.
And finally, here is a peek at an earlier coat I made which shows the slimmer “boy” version of the collar. You could certainly use this collar for the girl version as well, but the other differences for the boy version are: buttoning the opposite direction (not shown in the above pic), no pleats across the front bottom, pocket flaps over the pockets, and an optional sash belt that buttons along the front instead of the tied belt. Here is the link to the tester sign up if you’re interested! This will run boys and girls sizes 12m to 12 years so feel free to pass along the sign up to others you think may be interested. I’ll be notifying testers by Wednesday so there will be time to gather fabrics and notions before the weekend.
More importantly, don’t forget the party doesn’t end here! Check out this amazing lineup of bloggers that are celebrating the New Year in full Katy Perry style:
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