Thayer Jacket made in Ventana Twill

I had my eye on this Thayer Jacket by Grainline Studio as soon as it came out and also had the fabric in mind too with this Robert Kaufman Ventana Twill. After a little episode of decision anxiety I finally settled on the Brick Brown for the main fabric and this Brown Mammoth Flannel for the lining. Then I had another indecisive episode over which fabric to use for the collar! I initially wanted to use the flannel but I wasn't happy with the way the plaid sat on the small area so I kept it all in the twill. I love these rich tones, always drawn to the 'American tan canvas workwear' kind of thing. Once I had these fabrics coming together during the process it started to feel like an, already worn in, favourite denim jacket. The twill is soft with a weighty drape that made the techniques in this sewing pattern joyful. The pattern suggested quilt lining for the sleeve but I went with this super soft flannel, there is no problem gliding on the sleeves.

I'll be honest I hit a few hurdles where I had to break off and go for a cup of tea and count to ten! I made mistakes and had issues with topstitching thread, sooooooo much topstitching! At this point I also decided to stop searching the Instagram hashtag due to the amount of Thayers being churned out at such speed, thinking why am I finding this so difficult? At one point, during a cry for help, Grainline came to my aid, which was awesome!

This pattern definitely has to have precise cutting for things to line up, I can be lazy, there are quite a few pieces and lots of notches. I did slow myself down with this project, trying to be patient, giving myself time to think in between sessions. I particularly loved the way the front pockets came together it's a wonderful method. The design details are so impressive, I think Grainline have excelled with this jacket, plus there are so many possibilities with fabrics and styles. The fit is also good, I usually have lots of success with this brand, the shape is just right and I made no modifications. 

All in all, even with the issues I had, I did spend most of my time during the making process saying to myself 'I just want to make another!' I really did have genuine excitement at making this jacket so I planned to return to one of my favourite place of magical trees to photograph it!

Final notes, the copper buttons are jeans style I got on eBay, I used woven interfacing for the best fluid result. Don't mention the buttonholes (I nearly cried) I've since discovered my old machine was best for this and not to use topstitch thread. If I could change anything now it would be to flannel line the pockets that would be a nice touch.