It’s Month 11 of my self-imposed Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ) pattern challenge, and it’s time to share my upholstery jacket.

When I approached this month’s project recently while in Michigan, the gorgeous fall colors had peaked and the days were getting short. Any minute, we could find ourselves covered in snow. It was time for this snowbird to fly south. I wanted to get one last project under my belt before heading to the southernmost sewing room.

A weighty, boldly printed fabric

I had found an interesting upholstery fabric earlier in the spring and had been pondering and moving it into the next month’s project all summer long. I figured it was now or never.

The fabric resembles mud cloth. It is a heavy, rustic woven, natural-colored cotton with a dark gray design that looks to be block printed on the surface. It is distinctive, and I wasn’t sure if my idea of making it into a jacket would work. I finally told myself: “It’s just fabric.” So I took the leap.

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PATTERN SPECIAL: Fit for Art Patterns is offering the Tabula Rasa Jacket at a 15 percent discount when you use the coupon code TRJBecky at checkout, as Becky continues her Riffs on a Trusted Pattern adventure. Plus, the patternmaker is offering 15 percent off another digital pattern through February 20, 2023: Rain or Shine Variations for the Tabula Rasa Jacket. Be sure to use code TRJBecky for this discount as well. Stay tuned for other discounts from Fit for Art Patterns throughout this series.

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Planning the details

This project started with the basic Fit for Art Patterns TRJ. I wanted a V-neckline, and a small standing collar, both of which are part of the original draft. I also wanted a long flared hem that dipped at the…