This is the first entry on my Brocade/Lambskin Biker-Style Jacket from the Burda December 2015 issue (design 12/2015 #108B). For more information on this issue, please visit the Burda Style Back Issue Archive. The project itself was very, very intricate and time consuming. I documented it from beginning to end. In order to thoroughly address the project, I need to break it down into a multi-part series. This first article will focus on the pattern preparation, leather preparation, laying out and cutting of the pieces. I won’t go into much detail regarding the fabric preparation – this will focus primarily on working with leather.
The materials …
Burda indicates that “jacket fabrics of wool or blends” are to be used for the body (1 1/4 yards), and “leather or faux leather” for the trim (6 sq ft). For my project I knew I wanted to use a brocade roll end that I had purchased from EOS, it was a
unique weave with Laurex threads and chenille-like textured relief. The fabric itself was not a black, it was a deep gunmetal color, with a bluish tint. This fact made the choice of contrast particularly difficult. I could have gone with black lambskin, but I really wanted to use a piece of gunmetal colored glove weight lambskin that I’ve been holding on to for years. This piece couldn’t have been more than 4 sq ft. Probably less. I didn’t think I could make it work, but I was willing to try.