Oops, just a quick #tbt to my raincoat that I made with this Textured Waterproof Raincoat Fabric with all the info.

The details are:

100% polyester medium weight waterproof woven non-stretch fabric.
It’s a shiny matte black effect, with a slight wrinkle which gives it a faux leather look. It has a woven backing for support and needs lining.

I used an old favourite pattern of mine, Vogue 8239 which is out of print but I think you could use any biker/moto-style jacket to get a similar look such as McCalls M7694 or Style Arc’s moto jacket.

Working with the fabric was surprisingly good, it cuts easily using a rotary cutter and mat as I always do. The woven backing of the fabric proved quite sturdy so I needed a little extra oomph to cut cleanly (“new blade” I hear you scream). My initial thought that it was a bit fragile, was overcome.

Inserting a chunky zip to add a sporty casual edge was straightforward too. I wanted to topstitch around the edges to give a well-finished look but the only thing I'd say is to take care as if you make a mistake you'll be left with holes in the fabric Make sure you don't have to unpick anything.

A set-in sleeve required ease and that was a little tricky and I was worried about the wrinkling, as it’s a vinyl finish, I couldn’t do the usual steaming and pressing that I do to make a beautiful set-in sleeve, but I think it’s OK.

As the wrong side of the fabric is not attractive I decided to use this orange Aertex style sports mesh that I had in my stash. I think it gives it a great pop against the black of the coat.

Also, as waterproof coats tend to make me a bit sweaty, this will give a wicking layer if you’re out on one of those drizzly-but-warm days you sometimes get.

The pattern includes a lining so that was easy to add. I actually love bagging coat linings.

Pros of this fabric: it's lightweight means that it is easy to wear and easy to pack. I managed to fold this down quite small to go in my travel luggage and even fits in a day sac if you need a backup coat. It's waterproof so it's ideal to take along on a walk or a day out shopping or sightseeing if you aren't sure how the weather is going to go.
Cons: it is a little flimsy and because of the finish you can’t iron it. It’s not forgiving on errors, it will show if you have to unpick anything.

The final verdict? Lightweight, easy to handle, weatherproof and packable, this fabric made the perfect travel jacket. In addition, I think this would make a great tote bag or backpack.
Thumbs up!