I've been eagerly anticipating the release of updated version of LearnMYOG's ultralight windshell, and I'm stoked with how it turned out! This 3.14 oz windshell is incredibly soft, light and comfortable! It was a bit challenging to sew (mainly due to the material I chose) but ultimately turned out great. View & Sizing:Based on the measurements from the size chart included in the pattern, I opted for the smallest size, 32. My current measurements are: chest 32" (full bust, about 31" upper bust); natural waist 27", low waist 31" and my sleeve is 26". Before cutting out my fabric I compared the body width of the finished garment (36.5") to my best fitting rain jacket and it was an exact match so that solidified my decision. The only adjustment I made from the pattern up front was to shorten the sleeves 2" because my shoulder to wrist is 26". I thought about shortening it 4" to match exactly, but I like having additional length and it is easy enough to hem after the fact if it was still too long. The only fit issue I had was tightness at the hips after installing the main zipper. I'm pretty sure this is because I didn't shorten the body at all, and the pattern is designed to sit at your "low waist" but it sits at my hip. I couldn't shorten the hem because it would interfere with the zippers which were already installed, so instead I added a triangle wedge at the bottom of each side seam to give me some relief. Next time I'll just add 2 inches to the front gusset piece to address this. Thankfully for now the triangle addition is barely noticeable! Materials:I used uncalendered 1 oz HyperD from Ripstop by the Roll in the color olive drab. *If you purchase using the link above I receive a small commission. I considered using membrane 10 or silnylon, but I've worked with the 1 oz HyperD from Ripstop by the Roll before (for my insulated skirt and for my sister-in-laws wheel-chair friendly leg warmer) so I thought it would be the best mix of breathability, durability, and soft on the skin. I used Mara 70 thread and zippers from Wawak. I screwed up and ordered jacket separating zippers for the pockets which feel abnormally heavy against the thin fabric, but it isn't the end of the world. Machine Tips for working with 1oz HyperD:My first thought was to use a microtex needle, however the microtex + Mara 70 thread did something funky on my machine and it kept feeding the fabric diagonally instead of front/back like normal. On my regular sewing machine (Juki DX7), I used a new 75/11 needle, with the tension turned to -3. I did not use a walking foot, when I tried it made the fabric slip even more. On my serger (Baby Lock Vibrant) I did the following on a 4 thread overlock setup:
Construction:The instructions were super clear with pictures for most steps, which I super appreciate! The only area I struggled with was installing the second pocket zipper, which required just mirroring the steps. To be fair, this is always an issue for me and has nothing to do with the instructions or design. The 1 oz hyperD is super slippery and I'm out of basting tape so I used some Elmer's glue where necessary and lots of pins! I actually preferred pins to clips since the clips were super heavy and made feeding the fabric through my machine wonky. The uncalendered hyperD really recovers well from pin holes so it wasn't a concern for me. As you can see from the pics above, the seam finishing around the pockets got messed up for me. I switched between finishing with a zig-zag and my serger. Next time I'm going to finish these raw edges separately first, before construction. This will also help with how intensely the hyperD frays while working with it. Fixing the hip tightness:As I mentioned earlier in the sizing section, the jacket was way too tight at my hips, so I added two triangle wedges to the side seams. I did this by drafting a pattern piece that's a 6" high triangle with a 2" base, then adding the 3/8" seam allowance around it. I picked the seam apart and sewed it in before finishing the hem. My decision to omit the grosgrain along the neck and the binding along the zipper was purely laziness, I don't think it's completely necessary and since I already gave up on the clean inside finish after messing up the pocket finishing, I decided to just keep it easy and serge everything. Before main zipper installation I serged both raw edges of the front pieces, and that allowed me to skip the binding of the zipper. One thing I super appreciate about this pattern is the zipper pocket instructions. While zippers can be challenging for beginners, the use of a front gusset means you're just inserting the zipper between two side seams, which is very straight forward! I also love how the pocket bags end up tucked into the zipper seam, so there's a neat and easy finish. (I did have to unpick my zipper topstitching the first try though because I didn't catch the pocket bag fully. Again, 1oz hyperD recovers well from seam ripping and doesn't show the holes, so this wasn't a problem.) Final ThoughtsAll around I think this is a great pattern that blends gear and apparel making really well. Most gear/apparel patterns require a ton of mods to fit my small frame (I'm looking at you Green Pepper Patterns), so I love the inclusivity of the updated size range. Women (or just folks with larger hips) considering this pattern should plan to grade out the bottom of the front/back pieces, or have fun drafting a little triangle wedge!
I think this pattern could be achievable for beginners, but it isn't easy just by the nature of zipper installations. As an intermediate/advanced sewist I didn't have any issue with the construction and I think it took me between 6-8 hours over a few days to make. I'm reworking my backpacking apparel for this summer and am close to a full hand-made getup which this fits into perfectly. At ~3oz I'll always throw it in my bag (esp because it easily stuffs into the pocket), and with the lovely color and soft feel I'll probably be wearing this outside of just technical uses.
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About FrancescaI got my first sewing machine middle school, circa 2005 (although I don't remember learning much in the way of sewing). After a long hiatus, I was reunited with my machine in 2019. I re-entered the hobby through gear-making, and have been crafting a handmade wardrobe since late 2020. I have a real affinity for comfy clothes (secret pajamas) and all the colors! Archives
August 2023
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