Anna's Lined Rigel Bomber

I've been enjoying sewing gifts for friends birthdays this year. My Friend Anna, who just turned 25, is super enthusiastic about my sewing. In particular my Papercut Patterns Rigel Bomber Jacket, so I suggested I make her one for her birthday. Now I've already posted about the Rigel bomber after making my own version so I wont blab on. But I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about the lining process.

I had bought the cream and punk novelty viscose from Darn Cheap Fabrics with Anna in mind and once we decided on the Rigel I went looking for something appropriate for the main fabric. I sent An pics of 8-10 possible fabrics, including cottons, linen, silks & polyesters, for her final say. My two favorites happened to be the one she picked (a black and white pineapple quilting cotton) and the metallic linen the fabric tragic just made into pants(!). I think I need to go back to DarnCheap and get more of both just for me! I bought some mustard ribbing from the ClothShop to brighten up the jacket. 

Now to the construction. I wanted to line Anna's Rigel but wasn't sure how to go about it. Other bloggers seemed to have tackled it a few different ways but I was looking for the simplest (least likely to fudge it up), most logical way which used little to no hand stitching. 

I knew that I wanted an enclosed seam where the jacket meets the waist ribbing but needn't bother for the others as they weren't visible. The wrist ribbing seam will never be exposed (except here) and the seam around the neck ribbing and zipper is hidden under the facing. Heres what I did:

1. I cut  two versions of all jacket pieces (one in pineapples and one in viscose) except for the facing & pocket pieces (which I cut once out of Pineapples) and the ribbing (cut once).

2. Made the jacket up to the point before ribbing on both the main and lining pieces. Obviously only put pockets in the main jacket.
3. I attached the the ribbing to the neckband and wrist holes of the main jacket at this point although you could do it at step 5 in one single step rather than two.
4. Attached waist ribbing by sandwiching it right sides out between the main and lining fabric right side in. Then you'll have something that looks like below. To attach the ribbing around the corners at the centre front you need to clip into the corner of the main and lining fabric, but not the ribbing, press the SA of each under separately and top stitch down with the ribbing sandwiched between the fabric.

5. Pin the lining wrong sides together around the neck band and bodice front and sew as normal. see below. 

6. Attach the lining to cuff again as normal. At the end point the cuffs will be the only exposed seam you are left with.

7. Attach the facing to the front bodice and neck band as instructed. I then pressed the edge of the facing under .5", pinned it to the jacket and edge stitched it down. This covers all exposed seems around the neckband and front bodice. If adding a label, sew it on before stitching the facing down.  

8. Enjoy your beautiful and easily lined jacket!
Note, these instructions sound a little confusing but I found the process really logical. I hope it works for others as well.

I loved how the jacket turned out and was a little sad to let it go! So I took a few happy snaps of myself in it as a reminder of the times we had together. I will definitely be making myself another lined version for winter. I'd also like to try and heighten the neckband or even try a different pattern.  

Happy belated birthday, An! I hope you get lots of wear out of your jacket. Here's An in the jacket. Doesn't She look fantastic?!