Style Arc: Stacie Jean Jacket

I fell in love with the Stacie Jean Jacket the moment I saw it. I'd been looking for a casual jacket pattern that wasn't boxy or dated. The Stacie seemed to fit the bill perfectly! There are many reviews for this pattern and they are overwhelmingly positive. Everyone who has made the Stacie seems to love it! Once I discovered that Style Arc patterns are very size-inclusive, and that they can be ordered in print-at-home PDF (instant gratification moment - yeah!) I was sold.

I'm newly returned to the world of apparel sewing. I definitely have different curves than I used to. So following the advice of seasoned sewests every where -make a muslin!- seemed like a good idea.  

Thank goodness I did!

My first attempt was with their pattern size 22 which seemed to match my measurements almost perfectly. No modifications, no grading. Simple cut and sew. It turns out that my basic C-cup curves were a bit too much for the bodice. I ended up with pulling in the front and gaping in the armscye (armhole) that looked like it was begging for a dart. I tried ignoring it and added a sleeve. Note to self: improper fitting does not improve with application of magical thinking!

So I tried a size up. Yet another mistake. Now I had shoulder seams (pre-sleeve) inches below my shoulder and the lovely shaping of this pattern got lost in all that fabric. Time for the gloves to come off!

After a trial of this, a tweak of that, and an adjustment/mini-redraft of several key pattern pieces, I finally have a Stacie Jean Jacket custom fit for me! What trials, tweaks, and adjustments, you ask? 
-Lengthened 1"
-Upper arm widened 3/4"
-Bust adjustment 1/2" (split between the two princess-style seams)
-Yoke adjustment to correct fit for bust adjustment
-Narrowed shoulders 1/2" per side
-Omitted the faux-pocket flaps

Sounds like a lot, right? OK, maybe, but this was a labor of love. As in I was loving discovering all the ways I could make a pattern work for my body and with my curves. These adjustments were discovered during the creation (and subsequent trashing of) two basic muslins.

This first jacket is a wearable muslin. It's not the lovely light weight, light-colored, printed denim that I've picked out, but rather a heavy weight cotton, almost canvas weight, that I found for a whopping $2.00 in the remnants bin at SR Harris. Here's to bargain shopping!

Do I recomment the StyleArc Stacie? Yes! The pattern as drafted fit and looked ok. I just wasn't settling for ok. And now that I've customized it to my fit preferences you can bet I will be making another!

Have you tried the Stacie by StyleArc yet? What did you think?