Tenacity on a challenging pattern! Way to go Cindy.

McCall’s Jacket Pattern M8533 (the longer version) by Cindy Ellenbecker

First, I LOVE the look of this pattern. I’m sharing what I did when I made it and why ---and some tips I used for success. Do what works for you, though.

1. I did not put interfacing in each of the panels as the pattern calls for. I’m always way too warm and with the many seams and top stitching and then a lining to boot, I just didn’t
want that many layers. It didn’t make any difference in how the jacket draped when it was finished.  BUT, when I put the white/black lining in, the black lines of the
lining showed through the white panels. That likely wouldn’t have happened with the
interfacing. My fix was to use a solid gray lining; that worked just fine.

2. I also didn’t put interfacing in the collar the second time I made the collar. The first collar was so heavy with interfacing and the corners on the collar were a bugger to do, so the fabric worked easier without another layer to manipulate.

3. I struggled to do the severe curves on the sleeves with the white fabric strip in the middle of the black u-shaped strip.  I made smaller seam allowances, I tried clipping and
tugging, I tried basting and gathering but the bubble created by gathering wasn’t attractive. Then I top stitched the white strip onto the black; however, that didn’t sit well
with me because everything else had top stitching on the black. Finally, I put the white middle strip under the black u-strip and turned the black strip under 1/8 inch and top stitched. That worked!

4. Lastly, make the lining FIRST!! Try it on. Lining fabric is cheap and had I done that, I
would have realized when I tried the lining on that the first jacket I made was way too big for me. 

If you read between the lines from above, you’ll realize I made this jacket
three times to get it right. I LOVE this jacket so I’m going to make it again in a new
colorway. It was a bit of learning experience for me, but that’s not a bad thing, so long
as I learn something!