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I subscribe to ThreadCrate, a sewing subscription box that sends you a pattern, fabric, and all the notions you need to complete a women’s garment each month. I had a lot of fun with the pattern included in February’s box. It was the Ollie Bomber Jacket from Sew a Little Seam. I hope you find this pattern review helpful.
ThreadCrate included some amazing black, ponte knit fabric for the jacket, as well as two zipper options. I went with the bold rainbow zipper for my bomber jacket! I also bought some fun rainbow knit for the lining. I love how my Ollie Bomber turned out! Check out these pics of me wearing it:
Ponte fabric is a really nice, structured knit. It holds its shape well and the thickness makes it a good option for jackets. If you’re looking for fabric for any sort of outerwear, search for “ponte.” You won’t be disappointed!
Ollie Bomber Jacket Review
CLICK HERE to Get the Women’s Ollie Bomber Jacket Pattern
Pattern Description: Women’s knit jacket with zipper, welt pockets, and ribbed collar and waist. Optional kangaroo pockets and hood are available. Can also be made fully lined, reversible, or single layer.
Time to Sew: 3 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Format: PDF (Regular 8.5×11) Instant Download, and A0 Print Shop Copy
Here are the notions you’ll need to buy to sew the women’s Ollie Bomber jacket:
- 1.5 yards of sturdy knit fabric: ponte, Liverpool, French terry, quilted knit, or sweatshirt fleece
- 1.5 yards of knit fabric for lining (optional)
- Rib knit fabric for the collar and waistband. I just used the same fabric as the main body of my jacket and it worked fine.
- 24-inch separating zipper. A reversible zipper can also be used.
- 1-inch wide twill tape if you’re making the unlined version.
- Jersey/ball point needle
The Ollie Bomber jacket pattern wasn’t too difficult to follow, but I rated it ‘intermediate’ because of the welt pockets. If you’re scared, you could leave them off, but Sew A Little Seam has very good picture instructions for them. The zipper is pretty straightforward, too. I think a beginner could definitely attempt this pattern successfully. However, if you’ve never sewn with knit before, I have a post I think would be helpful: How to Sew Stretchy Fabrics Without Losing Your Mind.
I like the way my Ollie Bomber turned out, but it was a little big for me. I followed the measurements on the pattern, so if you’re in between sizes, it’s fine to choose the smaller size on this one. The Ollie Bomber is roomy in the waist area. I know bomber jackets are not very long, but I wish I would have added some length to my jacket because of personal preference.
I would definitely make the Ollie Bomber again. I actually purchased the child version from Sew A Little Seam and plan to make it for my two sons out of the same ponte fabric.
I would never have thought to try this pattern if it weren’t for ThreadCrate. I love that I get a new pattern and get to sew something for myself every month. If you’re interested in giving this monthly sewing subscription box a try, you can get a 10% discount with the code: Society10. It really is a lot of fun, especially if you have trouble coming up with your own projects and choosing the perfect fabric. This Ollie Bomber is probably the most challenging pattern I’ve seen from ThreadCrate so far, but I think it would totally be doable for a beginner if that’s something you’re worried about.
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