Patterns for Wind + Rain Jackets

[damoprz]

Hey!
I am planning on making a set of Argon 90 wind pants/jacket. I am 189 cm and 64kg and sick of wearing clown pants or jackets with short sleeves.

I'm pretty confident I can repurpose a general pants pattern easily enough but I am not so sure about the jacket. I have found a few patterns online but was interested in what other people do, or looking for recommendations. Unfortunately I don't have any old jackets to take apart and copy.

[Moondog55]

Any off the shelf pattern can be altered to get the correct sleeve length.
There is usually a set of lines about half way down the jacket body and sleeve marking where they are to be cut and extended
Cecile never uses the pattern as is tho and she will respond and explain how to do it
The better patterns are more complex
But the best way to do it is to use tracing [aper so you don't cut the original pattern

[Cecile]

Any off the shelf pattern can be altered to get the correct sleeve length.
There is usually a set of lines about half way down the jacket body and sleeve marking where they are to be cut and extended
Cecile never uses the pattern as is tho and she will respond and explain how to do it
The better patterns are more complex
But the best way to do it is to use tracing paper so you don't cut the original pattern

Green Pepper patterns do awesome outdoor gear. I'm not familiar with Argon 90 (is that the fabric?) but I do know that Green Pepper does do a wind pant, and a variety of parkas/pullover windproofs. Moondog knows much more about gear than I do - I know how to sew!

Off the shelf patterns are designed to be lengthened using a mark about halfway down the sleeve, somewhere through the middle of the torso and if doing pants, sometimes two lines, one around the hip area but generally only one somewhere on the leg. Lengthening at the hemline, especially for shirts or tapered pants legs generally won't work, as it can distort the finished hemline and in particular around the hip, it will be narrower.

I rarely cut the paper pattern tissue to alter it for length. Patterns will tell you to cut the tissue at the "lengthen or shorten here" line and spread it out to add the additional length, tape it to a piece of paper, then cut. Instead, use some non-woven tracing fabric that you can get at Spotlight, or any fabric shop (they will know what you want if you ask for "tracing fabric.")

Lay the pattern tissue on a big flat surface and make sure the pattern is completely flat (kitchen bench works well but make sure it's spotless!) You can actually iron the tissue if you use a very cool iron and no steam. Lay the tracing fabric over the pattern, then simply trace it off down to the "Lenghten here" line. Draw the horizontal line on the tracing fabric, measure down the required distance and draw another horizontal line. Make sure it's exactly parallel or your garment will be wonky. Move the tracing up until the new line rests on the lengthen line, then finish tracing. Voila, longer bodice that is still in perfect proportion. Same deal with sleeves, and pants legs.

Always use a good straight edge, and whatever you do don't use a permanent texta to trace with. It will go straight through and onto your bench (yes, I have done this, most recently on the brand spanking new pure white kitchen bench, and I could not even yell at anyone for it.) Pen is fine. Also, always use a very good quality fibreglass tape measure, never a cloth one (cloth stretches and can be inaccurate. A carpenter's box tape works too but is a bit too bulky for me.

I hope this is clear. Any questions, please ask.

[damoprz]

Thanks! I will grab a couple of the green pepper patterns. I will definitely have more questions when I get them. Argon 90 is the fabric, I am making a quilt out of it at the moment and should have enough left-over.