Recently I was lucky to be sent an advanced copy of the Auri jacket pattern from TAUKO Magazine Issue 7. They let me choose which pattern I wanted from the issue, and I couldn’t resist the Auri with its wavy lines and colour blocking opportunities!
What fabric and size did I choose?
I used Sevenberry cotton twill. I actually bought a little extra twill in yellow to add the optional ruffles, but in the end I decided to keep it simple and focus on the green and blue.
This is a size 2. I chose the cropped length, full sleeve view, with no ruffles. I lengthened the sleeve by 1.5″, which is a standard adjustment for me.
What is the pattern like?
Although it is published in TAUKO Magazine, the AURI jacket was actually designed by Jo Morris, the designer from Forget Me Not patterns. I’m a big fan of her designs, and I’m also an ambassador for Forget Me Not – so I knew I could expect high quality pattern drafting. And I was right about that! The drafting is excellent, and the pattern comes together very nicely.
This was my first time sewing a pattern from TAUKO Magazine though, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a bit different to indie sewing patterns that I’ve made in the past, purely in the way the information is presented. The text is a lot more densely packed, and there are very few illustrations of the steps along the way. So a word of warning for anyone who relies on the visuals when following sewing instructions! I wouldn’t recommend this pattern to an absolute beginner as the instructions don’t hold your hand along the way to the same extent as other indie patterns do. That said, I’m not a beginner, and I found the instructions well written and easy to follow.
What was the TAUKO Auri like to sew?
I really enjoyed the process of sewing this pattern!
The curves were my favourite part to sew. I pinned only at the notches, and used my hands to ease the curves into place at the machine. This was incredibly satisfying. I cannot stress enough how satisfying this was. The seam allowance is 3/8″ (1cm) rather than the more typical 5/8″ (1.5cm), which allows you to do this sort of thing more easily as there is less seam allowance to ease into place.
The sleeve is a grown-on style, and the pattern instructs you to insert the sleeve flat, in the same way as a t-shirt sleeve is inserted flat. There’s something kind of thrilling about inserting a sleeve this way rather than setting it in! (Or is that just me?)
I made sure to match up the colour blocking on the side seams. It only takes a little bit of extra time to pin more precisely in that area, and it’s so worth it.
What’s it like to wear the finished garment?
I love the overall effect of the colour blocking, and I think my jacket came out looking cute. It fits me nicely.
The sleeves have a bit of a Dolman effect going on, which is not my favourite kind of sleeve to wear, as it does restrict motion a little bit. I wouldn’t wear this jacket if I needed to be doing lots of physical movement with my arms. But I wouldn’t really expect to be wearing a cute jacket in those circumstances anyway, so it’s no problem!
Otherwise, it’s a very fun jacket to wear. One of my proudest makes!
Would I make it again?
Absolutely yes. I don’t need another jacket though, so I would be more likely to sew it as a blouse. I’ve seen a few beautiful blouse versions of it on the #taukoaurijacket hashtag and I’d love to make one myself. I’d like to try adding the ruffle too!
In conclusion
The TAUKO Auri jacket is a really fun pattern to sew. I would recommend it to people who have a little bit of experience sewing, because the pattern instructions don’t include many illustrations. It’s a straight-forward and satisfying project, with lots of opportunities for playing with colour.
Thank you Lisa! ❤