Hi Makers!
When I saw that Minerva had this powder blue faux leather available, I decided that this would be perfect for my next project. I like garments with color and I wanted something a bit different. So, I decided to make this BurdaStyle magazine biker jacket. I have made this one before and always wanted to do it again but with a different fabric.

The pattern is 03/2019 #107. I had previously made a muslin for this which I had kept. So, I took it apart because I knew some changes needed to be made. I did include an FBA on one of the front pieces. When I added the new piece to the muslin, I got a much better fit.

The fabric is super soft and buttery. It is very supple and easy to sew. There weren’t really any issues with the sewing machine foot sticking to the right side of the fabric when sewing. I noticed that if I sewed slowly, that took care of it. This is one fabric that I didn’t prewash. Due to the nature of the material (it being faux leather), shrinkage shouldn’t be a problem.

If you aren’t familiar with BurdaStyle Magazine, the patterns included in it do not have seam allowances. The pattern I traced back in 2019 has 5/8” seam allowances that I added on, but this time I sewed using 1/2”. I think that helped me to get a better fit as well.

The downside to faux leather is that you can’t get nice, crisp edges and seams. Since ironing can be tricky, I did most of the pressing from the wrong side and didn’t really do a final press at the end. When ironing the jacket, I did double my press cloth (which is a piece of muslin fabric), used a wool setting on the iron and steam. Using a tailor’s clapper can also help to keep the seams flat. I also used a #12 jersey needle for stitching.

Now as someone who has a colorful, but more classic wardrobe, making and wearing this is fun. If you’ve ever made a BurdaStyle pattern, whether from the magazine or purchased from the store, they are very conservative in their instructions. By that I mean that the instructions assume that you as a sewist know how to do certain tasks. They aren’t going to tell you to finish off you seams, etc. So, for me, I do have to think through my process more than when making one of the Big 4 patterns. But, their patterns are really very stylish and have a certain flare.

All in all, I am really happy with how this turned out. Although it isn’t perfect, I have never let that stop me from wearing and enjoying anything that I’ve made. I encourage you to do the same.

#minervabrandambassador #minervamaker #minervamakes #fauxleather #sewingjackets