The Next Project – The JamCat (North Face Denali Interpretation) Fleece Jacket

Hi Everyone!

Happy 2012! I had a lovely vacation and am back home and have taken a few days to ponder what my next project is going to be. Since it is still fairly chilly out I thought this first project of the year might be a fun adventure to sew a fleece jacket! Whoo Hoo! There’s nothing like a little fleece to take the chill off, indoors or out!

So some back story here, Jim and I were at Hancock Fabrics once last Fall and we had commented to each other after passing by the big tables of fleece that were lined up on display that making some fleece jackets might be a fun project to undertake sometime. I had even looked at some patterns and Jim even thought this Kwik Sew 3815 pattern would be just great. We talked about it needing one of those logos on the back like the North Face jackets and he came up with JamCat. It needed JamCat on the back. He said it so quickly like he’d been just waiting for the opportunity to share it with me! He asked if it could be done and of course I said ‘Sure!’ and the next thing I know I’m getting excited about making this thing!

So with the big fleece sales going on right now I picked up the last few yards of a forest green anti-pill variety. I found a weatherproof outer layer fabric that was also in the forest green family and will use that for the contrast.

I’ve been studying the pattern and have read the instructions and there’s just a couple of things that bother me with it which I’ll most likely perform one of my design edits. The first is the zipper length. The pattern calls for a 34 inch zipper. My stores do not carry 34 inch zippers, only 32 inch. I measured one of Jim’s jackets and the zipper is only 30 inches so I know I can go a little shorter in the length, so design edit number one.

The second is the lower band with the elastic. Jim’s jackets have an elastic cord with a cord puller/release mechanism on either side seam. This will most likely be a design edit here too, but that will depend on if I can find the elastic cord.

Then third are these sleeves. These are set-in sleeves with a contrast on the back of the arm. It is not the most attractive design to me and I’m thinking about changing the sleeve to a raglan or a pieced sleeve.

Here is the Denali Men’s Jacket by North Face. It is very similar in styling.

The Jacket retails for about $165.00!!!! Yikes! That is a lot for a fleece jacket, I had no idea these were so expensive…holy moly. I’m sure our JamCat production won’t be nearly as much.