This week I want to share the story behind my latest pattern release: RUST, a 1890s inspired velvet jacket that started its life as something a bit different. ✨
The Beginning: A Historical Event in Padova
Last month I created a very long coat for a historical event in Padova, that I called MOCHA (cause the event was, as each year based on the year colour Pantone and this year it was precisely the Mocha light brown shades. Many find this colour boring, but I actually like the antique pink highlights it has). By the way the event consisted of a lovely walk through the town and a matching sumptuous dinner with lyrical music in a famous antique palace in the center, if you wish to go next year, I highly advise it, you may look for Reverie events in their social accounts (link on bottom of this post).
But going back to the pattern, I made Mocha using as a reference an authentic 1890s pattern from a period tailoring manual, making some modifications to suit my personal idea and the short amount of time I had to make the garment.
This is Mocha, I made it as a single breasted coat:
I am unsure whether to put it on sale online, as I wish to remake it more similar to the antique reference in the near future (I hope next weeks this month).
That original coat as you may see was longer, with differences in the panels sizes, in the collar, and closure details than what you see in RUST today.
RUST is Born
After the event, I couldn't stop thinking about that pattern. I loved the structure, the fit, the historical silhouette - but I wanted to reimagine it in a different manner. So Rust was born.
🎥 Watch RUST in action on TikTok, the sleeves stay much tighter on elbow and puffier ot top when worn: View the full video here
Let me be honest: this velvet is upholstery fabric, mostly synthetic, not my first choice for a historical garment (not even my second in general, but it is of high quality and not slippery). I would have much highly preferred cotton or silk velvet, or even a plain wool as an alternative. But the color - oh, the color! It's this beautiful rust-burgundy red that catches the light in a very nice way. I had it in my studio, I loved it, and I decided not to waste it.
The velvet did give me some small challenges with the collar construction and drape, but nothing terrible. Overall, I absolutely love how RUST turned out, and the way the fabric illuminates - plus the fact that I will wear it for everyday life and wash it a lot without much worry - is worth the minor compromises.
The Details
RUST is a very fitted jacket - both at the top of the body and at the sleeves. The elbow and wrist stays close to the arm, which means you need to be very careful not to sew it too tight, or you won't be able to bend your arm!
I chose buttons in a brown-bronze-reddish tone, almost like mother-of-pearl but in plastic material. They complement the rust velvet beautifully and add that perfect finishing touch.
One of my favorite details is the pleating in the sleeves. For a future version - perhaps that black wool jacket with black soutache or lace decorations I'm dreaming of, inspired by the antique model I posted as one of the references for the inspiration in the tutorial - I might keep these pleats, or experiment with gathering or cartridge pleating instead.
I added a train at the back, which isn't typical of Victorian jacket models, but I love it! It adds drama and elegance. If you prefer a shorter length, it's easily adjustable - simply shorten the back panels to your desired length. Or if you wish the round the front hem you may cut it more and shorten it from the side like in one of the other references in the tutorial.
While RUST is a winter jacket, the pattern is versatile enough to work in other seasons if you choose different fabrics. Imagine it in silk for spring, or in fine wool for autumn!
I made my jacket with only one row of buttons and buttonholes, but since this is a double-breasted model, you could easily add a second row of buttons for a more traditional look. Or get creative with frogs, or decorative hooks for hidden closures. Or even leave part of the top closure open as a revere like shape.
The Construction Details
I lined the inside of the jacket as usual with a glazed cotton fabric, this time much less glazed and more opaque than usual. And I stitched by hand all of the inside interlining cotton ribbed canvas, it took a while to do it. The most funny part was to shape and then make the collar, with the final topstitch finish.
RUST is available in my shop both here and on Etsy, complete with bilingual instructions as usual (English and Italian), step-by-step photo tutorials, technical illustrations, and multiple print formats in sizes 38-54. I can't wait to see your versions!
What fabric would you choose for your 1890s jacket? Let me know in the comments! 🧵
Shop RUST Pattern: 1890s Velvet Jacket RUST - Digital PDF Pattern & Sewing Tutorial
Reverie Instagram: Click Here to stay Updated on their Events.