I love it!

Very nice. I can't even see the stitches. I like the fabric.

The stitches do kind of disappear on this fabric, since it's a bit busy.

One of the reasons I made this was because it is next to impossible to find this in a store or on line. Here's an article about that. I've had some vintage ones, and I didn't like the way they fit under the arms, and so I made this one the way I wanted it. I might make the next one a little narrower, however.

I did manage to find one vintage jacket on line (I think on Etsy), but it was $175.00, which I thought was high for something used, and it wasn't even described as being in that good of a condition.

The only things I had to buy to make this one were buttons, fusible interfacing, and terry cloth. The terry cloth was cheap, but it still feels very nice and is 100% cotton.

That's sharp! I like mixing black and white but that print makes it even better. It looks like you used terry for the lining - is the print a cotton? And now what about your swim shorts?

Unfortunately I used up all the black and white print to make the jacket, and I barely had enough at that. I was unable to match the pattern on the pockets to the pattern on the jacket front, but I'm okay with that. Anyway, I only have a few scraps left.

This fabric is actually a blend that is 95% cotton and 5% Lycra, and so it will stretch, although that is not really necessary for a jacket. I bought it originally to make jeans, but I did make some jeans for myself with a black and white cow print fabric. Those pants may have attracted a little too much attention, as I got pulled on stage by Judy Tenuda at a show when I was wearing them. I guess I should not have gotten that close to the stage.

The jacket is fully lined in terry cloth, and the pockets are as well. It is very comfortable and feels very soft.

I have some vintage swim shorts that will go very well with this jacket, but this one is for my brother. It will be a couple of weeks before I can start making one for myself.

This past weekend's Wall Street journal had an article about these sets making a return.

Really nice, retro print. I wish I could sew.

I love the jacket, Lars. You are very talented and although I sew, I am strictly a non-expert and really enjoy seeing what other people have created.

Nice!

Looks great to me. I think that the stitching doesn't detract or show in any negative way.

Maybe whatever fabric pieces you have left could be used on your shorts at the pockets or something like that if you put pockets in. Of course you could just buy black or white if you wish shorts.

Here's a photo of me modeling the jacket

This was not one of the easiest things I have made, as I am not that used to working with terry cloth, but I think the next one will be easier. I had to practice making buttonholes on scraps before I got it down exactly how to make them.

I need to get some more tools for marking fabric. I have tracing paper for fabric and a tracing wheel, but I could not see the orange marks on the black part of this fabric, and the orange is too bring on the white part. I used a dry pastel to mark where to sew the buttons, and that made a bit of a mess. I need to use some kind of pencil, but the art pencils are all in Los Angeles. Kevin did leave his pastels here, as he was working on some pastel drawings. He's done more artwork here than he has in L.A., possibly from boredom, but also possibly because we do not have cable here and therefore watch less TV. I don't really miss it.

What do you use for marking fabric?

Lars, love the jacket. The collar is perfect. Can tell you strive for perfection. Great job!!!

Nice job Lars! I'm glad you modeled one so we could see how long it is. It does look soft. Scrumptious! ☺

I use tailors chalk. I only have white. By Dritz. It has a plastic holder.

I have white tailor's chalk also, but that doesn't show up on white.

I ordered some more chalk in colors, and so that should help. I ordered pencil style so that I can mark over what I make with the tracing wheel on the areas that do not show up - so far only the black areas.

The length did come out the way I wanted it, as you can tell from the way my hand fits in the pocket. It's nice to leave it unbuttoned and then put your hands in the pockets to wrap it around you or open it up.

I want to design some Sputnik and boomerang fabric to use for the third jacket. I found a place that will print custom fabric designs, and the cost is $18.50 a yard, which I guess is reasonable, but I will need three yards for one jacket because the sleeve pattern is so wide, and the custom fabric is only 45" wide.

I like that print. The jacket looks good.

That's really interesting about the custom fabric. Lining in erry sounds like a pain--great work! Tom Collins poolside coming up.

Oh wow, Lars! I love it! I would actually love a women’s version of that to wear to the pool at our condo at the lake. I have things to throw on for the short walk there but all of it has to be pulled over my head. I’ve never found anything I like as this.

I always used tailor’s chalk for marking too. I had white and pale blue in something like what Nicole described. It always washed out. Or I could use an art gum eraser and rub it out.

Lars depending on the scraps you could do a solid black or white, and use the scraps to make a stripe down the side on each leg. That would not take much.

I used to save all my scraps, especially the special prints, and work them in with solid colors. They were very popular.

I like the jacket -- looks sharp and comfy at the same time.

Very nice. It makes me want a pool.

I've always liked the Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen. But it won't help you on the black.

I'm impressed with your sewing skills. It looks wonderful, fits nicely too.

I did make a mask out of this fabric, and so I have that.

After looking at the scraps that I saved, I think there is enough to make either the front or the back of a bathing suit, but it would have to be a small 1940s style. I don't think my brother would wear that, but I might.

I used to have blue tailor's chalk, and I don't know what happened to it. In L.A. I've just been using charcoal or pastel pencils. I ordered these chalk pencils, which I think should work. The fabric tracing paper I have is really old, but I haven't used it all up yet, which is why I haven't replaced it. It works best on light colored fabrics but is always difficult to see on dark ones, even when I use the white tracing paper.

I don't think there would be that much need for revision of the pattern to make a woman's version. I would mainly make the shoulders narrower and perhaps contour the sides. It's kind of nice as a boxy pattern, however, especially if you do not button it and just hold it close to you, for warmth, if necessary.

That's a great cabana jacket. We don't belong to a pool, but at the beach it's old concert tee shirts for the cover up for the guys. Ugh. Much prefer a cabana jacket.

I see what you mean about matching the patch pockets. The left pocket (right side when I look at it) seems to work better than the other, even though it isn't perfectly patched. The pattern allows for the flexibility.

A boomerang pattern would be really great!

I did make some jeans for myself with a black and white cow print fabric. Those pants may have attracted a little too much attention, as I got pulled on stage by Judy Tenuda at a show when I was wearing them.

With your experience, and your descriptive ability, I feel sure that you could write a best seller with the fashion industry figuring in there somewhere.

I missed the Judy Tenuda comment! CRAZY!!!!!!! She plays the accordion...so did I! But she breast feeds pigeons in the park....that's where WE part ways. ha ha A blast from the past...haven't seen her schick in years...

Amazing work, Lars.

Wow. That's is terrific. I love it. Well done Lars.

Nice jacket, Lars. You've reminded me that I've been wanting a bed jacket. I read in bed. In the winter, my arms get cold. I've resorted to wearing a zip front sweatshirt to bed or using leg warmers on my arms. Both work but not very elegant, hence the want for a bed jacket.

I like the Wrights Water Soluble marking pen (blue) where the color will work. Haven't tried the heat erasable gel pens but a white one of those might be a good choice for working w/ black fabrics. There is always tailor tacks as a last resort. I do use chalk to mark but it frustrates me because it isn't precise enough, dusts away and just doesn't mark very good. I have trouble getting the chalk (the pressed kind) to transfer to the fabric. Have not tried the chalk pens, though.

I use a red tracing pencil ( washable )

Thanks, Ci-lantro. I had forgotten about tailor tacks. Those would be ideal for marking button placement. I used pins plus chalk - I stuck the pin in where the button should go and then marked it with chalk, but I had to mark both side of the pin, and my chalk was not that accurate.

I'll have to order a Wrights Water Soluble marking pen. I do have tracing pencils in L.A.

Love the cabana jacket, Lars. It looks simply great!

That is really sharp, Lars! I love that pattern.

Very sharp! I have never seen one of those. I wonder why. They are perfect for the pool or beach.

Cabana jackets (or cabana sets) were popular in the 1950s and 1960s - mainly for pools, but I guess they could be worn at the beach as well. Vintage jackets are now very difficult to find and can be very expensive, which is why it makes sense to make your own, especially if you have a pool or go to the beach often.

I just wanted to say how talented you are. Thank you for sharing your pictures.

Well, my brother does not like his jacket because he thinks it is too heavy and too hot. So I will keep this one for myself and make him another one with a lighter lining. I had trouble finding waffle weave terry cloth but finally found some at fabric.com, but it is 30% more expensive than at the places that have no inventory.

I already have outer fabric that my brother likes, which is lighter than the current jacket, and so I will use that for the new one. I won't get the lining fabric until the middle of next week, however. Since the collar and pockets are lined, I cannot do much ahead of time other than cut out the shell.

I made the jacket extra large so that there is room for air to circulate between the jacket and the body, and so this helps, but the terry cloth is warmer than necessary in the desert. It was 115° here yesterday, but we waited until after 6PM to go in the pool so that it would be in the shade, and the temperature was below 110. The water in the pool yesterday was 92°, which is a bit tepid but still okay for swimming or floating.

I do plan to make several jackets of different weights, but I will have to get fabric for them, and that might take a while. The next fabric I want takes a couple of months to get because it is printed to order.

As for UV protection, we stay out of the sun in the summer and in the winter we wear sunscreen. December is the coldest month in Palm Springs, but still most of the days reach 70° or above. I heat the pool to 85-87° in the winter, and so it feels comfortable even if the air temperature is 70, but it does feel cold when we get out. On those days, I wear a full length terry cloth robe. The jackets will be good only for warmer days.

We do not have a pool in Los Angeles, as we are close to the beach, which makes the weather much cooler in the summer (usually mid 70s), and we have wetsuits to wear if we go in the ocean.

I'll look into a different fabric (other than terry cloth) for lining, but I don't think I have enough white cotton right now for that. I do have a shirt that I sometimes wear - Kevin might have one also, but he has been wearing a long Turkish cotton robe this week.