Minky Swing Girls Jacket Review

My daughter loves this jacket.  You can find the pattern and tutorial here.  It only comes in size four, but since she is big for her age, it fits her just right.  The pattern and tutorial were easy to follow and sew.  The photos really helped.

Speaking of photos…

 

Swinging in the Swing Jacket

Due to budget constraints, the jacket needed to be something that would work for daily use.  Fleece seems to wash and wear well, plus it's fairly cheap and goes on sale often.  With fleece a lining is not necessary, but I decided to line it and I'm glad I did.  Lining is fairly inexpensive and it just makes the jacket seem much nicer. 

I did make a few alterations to the pattern.  I added a zipper to the front.  It doesn't swing or hang quite as nice as it would without the zipper, but a zipper keeps the wind out and so works much better for everyday play.  My daughter had very strong opinions on the button placement and chose where they went.

I also added pockets, since I like pockets in my jackets.  I looked at a jacket I made years ago for me and added similar pockets.  I used the seam for the pocket opening placement.  This wouldn't work on all jackets, but due to the fullness of the jacket, the pockets are easily accessible there.  

The collar is a bit off, but I think that is due to my sewing.  By the time I noticed it, I was not up to any more unpicking.  I think stay stitching around the collar pieces before sewing them together would have solved most of the problem, since fleece is a knit and has a tendency to stretch.  

If any of you are thinking of making this jacket, I would definitely recommend it.  It sews up quickly and is lots of fun.