Sewing Lekala

I have been itching to try these patterns.

And for a first go I think I did okay.

Elsa chose this blazer but rather then a linen (as recommended) she was super keen for wool+suede.
I agreed on the proviso we left off the welt pockets. Too hard with those thick fabrics.
When you purchase your PDF pattern you enter your measurements  and the pattern is made to suit you!
I was pretty excited to try this concept out.

I won't lie, this was a challenging sew.
Elsa has a tiny waist and there was some seriously clipping, pressing and shaping going on.
The suede jacket I recycled wasn't 'proper' suede, just reversed leather and it was pretty rotten to sew and impossible to press, even with a Goddess sheet.
I ended up topstitching everything and it sat okay, not great but okay.
Then, disaster.

The lining pattern is traced from the main minus the facings and I think I may have subtracted the seam allowance instead of adding it?
Or the wool stretched?
Or I just have sleep deprivation?
What ever I did the pretty spotty georgette lining was too skimpy and the jacket wrinkled across the back.

To fix this, I dampened the wool and rolled the bottom up so the outside jacket was slightly to the inside.
I pinned it in place and steamed it and then left it for the weekend before edge stitching the whole lot in place.

It is not perfect but it is wearable.

Elsa also requested elbow patches.... which I didn't position quite right.
Le sigh.

I am wondering if I should have pinched a bit more out of the shoulders?
Or are my shoulder pads a bit big?
It looked very 'blah' without them.....

I am very happy with my first Lekala pattern.
Not a lot of hand holding, I am pleased I had sewn Lidia and Elsa's coats last year as I used all the skills I learned sewing them.
The lining is bagged and I went back to the Lisette blog to double check the method.
Next time I will leave the sleeve lining longer so I can press an ease hem at the sleeve end, or I will use a stretch satin for the lining.

I can definitely see myself sewing these patterns a lot for my girls.

Special thanks to Lara for recommending them to me.

*Elsa's Verdict*
I like the way it shows off my waist. I like that the lining is firmer then the outside fabric because it feels warm and like I am wearing two blankets. ( This surprised me as I felt this was an error but she actually likes it NMK)
Its pretty.
I like the contrast panels. 
I wish we had got the elbow patches closer to my elbows. I may get Mum to unpick them.
If I had it made again I would choose a soft linen. Not because that is what it is meant to be made with, I like my wool one but because I don't need two wool blazers.

Thanks for reading!
xx N