(http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL417/1033223/23310958/388817720.jpg)
This is Ursula's jacket/waistcoat from "Much Ado." I found the perfect fabric for it and got just under 2 yards for $3!!! (A cream upholstery chenille with the exact diagonal striping!)
I'm trying to find a Big 3 pattern I could pick up on sale and easily adapt: a *very* basic jacket with armscye princess seams and unfussy sleeves. I'm going to need to cut down the neckline and add the skirting at the waist, so a pattern that will facilitate that would be useful, too! I don't want to use one of the H/A jacket/waistcoat patterns, because MIL won't be wearing period undergarments with it.
I found a great Butterick vest pattern (http://butterick.mccall.com/b4815-products-6110.php?page_id=369), but I'd have to draft my own sleeves to fit. This (http://butterick.mccall.com/b4929-products-5281.php?page_id=369) is a nice jacket (it even has the right button placement, and I could probably even get away with making it that length), but the sleeves are gathered/poofy at the top, and I'm not sure how to adapt that.
I'm not that familiar with mundane patterns, so I'm hoping someone here who sews more than just garb will have a suggestion!
Gramercy!