bomber jacket | the curious kiwi

It’s time to say goodbye to January and Rigel Bomber month 😦 Thank you to everyone who sewed along with us, we really enjoyed seeing all your fabulous jackets 🙂

Sonja, Kat and I have each picked a winner from the Instagram and Flickr group photos. There were so many amazing bombers it was really hard to choose so before I tell you my pick, I thought I’d share some of the great jackets you all made.

Click on the images for links:

Loving the colour combo of Sonja’s Rigel…check out her blog post to see the fabulous lining too…and also SNOW…JEALOUS!

Carly made two fabulous Rigels – this one features the perfect fabric combo for the shoulder triangles. Check out her blog post for some great detail photos.

Rose’s Liberty Rigel is a nice twist on floral.

Sandra’s Rigel is covered in dragonflies! 🙂

One word: Rawr!

Chloe isn’t sure about her quilted Rigel. I think it’s fab so why don’t you go and tell her how much you love it too?

And now….

(drum roll…)

My pick for Rigel Bomber January is…

…

Katie from Handmade Thread’s Bomb Bomber quilted Rigel!

I need Katie to take me fabric shopping because I LOVE this print…not content to just let the fabric rock it alone she also quilted it. Great ribbing colour choice too. Check out more gorgeous photos on her blog!

Congrats Katie, Kat will be in touch soon 🙂

Check out Kat and Sonja‘s Rigel round ups on their blogs.

It’s all over now but we had so much fun. A big shout out to Kat and Sonja for dragging me into this, it was the perfect push to finally make the Rigel and take you all along with us.

Have we convinced you to get this pattern into your life? It’s available as PDF download too.

Happy sewing, I’ll leave you with a shot of all the Instagram #rigelbomberjanuary tags 🙂 xx

(*I know it’s February…)

I stitched up my jacket in a black and white polka dot needle cord. It took me a long time to decide what fabric to sew my bomber in, looking through my stash several times and trawling the fabric shops buying fabric…but not for my bomber.

This cord is actually a fairly recent addition to my stash from a pre-Christmas trip to Palmerston North with fellow WSBNer Sandra. We popped into Levana on our way and later we split up while I did some errands. When we met back up Sandra showed me what she’d bought from Morelands, which included the cord, and I decided I needed to go there too. So we went back and I totally copied her by buying the last of the bolt.

I was originally thinking skirt but eventually my ears attuned to the fabric’s whispering, “bomber…jacket…do it”

Your fabric whispers to you too right?

Right?!

I only had 1.55m, not enough for sleeves, but actually that much polka dot would probably have been too much anyway so I tested out an idea I had for a jacket with ponte arms and bought a black double-knit and then picked out an emerald lining fabric and mint green ribbing. I was channeling a 50s vibe I think…I might need a poodle skirt…

I drafted a lining from the pattern pieces (Kat wrote a great tutorial here) because I felt like this fabric needed it. My only other changes were to add 2cm in length to the sleeves and shorten the neck ribbing approximately 2cm at Kat’s suggestion to prevent a floppy collar.

It stitched up easily, the welt pockets went in like magic and I love my pocket lining choice.

I changed it at the last second when I found a random scrap of printed cotton in my “this is far too small to keep but I can’t bear to throw it away” box. I have no idea where it came from but it was the perfect match to both the ribbing and lining. You normally can’t see it but I know it’s there 🙂

I also used it to embellish my label.

And that’s it!

I’m really proud of this, I think it’s one of the most well made things I’ve ever made.

As my sewing improves I do notice more things I’d change next time. The arms are still just a tad short but not so much that I won’t wear it. It’s quite a different style to what I am used to, I’ve never owned a bomber jacket before and I find myself tugging it down occasionally. That’s just me getting used to it, but I think I’d like to try lengthening the body next time.

I’ve already worn this jacket a lot, it’s fun and casual and a good weight as we transition into autumn.

THE DEETS:

Pattern – Papercut Rigel Bomber, Size S, variation 1

Lengthed arms 2cm, self-drafted lining, shortened neck ribbing approx 2cm.

Next time I will lengthen the arms an extra 2cm (4cm total) and lengthen the body, maybe 5cm, need to check.

Fabrics – Needle cord for the body, double knit arms, ribbing.

I’d really love to do a glam brocade or sequinned bomber but I think my next version will be a sporty one, unlined, variation 2. I am thinking marl grey with bright coloured shoulder triangles.

Harriet was unimpressed with the lack of attention, and the beeping black thing on the tall metal tree, it was giving her the evil eye…so she is giving it right back 😉