freesewing/sites/org/blog/core-1-8-jaeger-across-back/index.mdx

---
authors: 1
caption: 'This release brought to you from Bangkok'
date: '2018-03-21'
intro: "We've just pushed the  button on core 1.8.0. That bump in minor number is typically because we have a new pattern, but in this case, there's two reasons:"
title: 'Freesewing core 1.8: Jaeger Jacket is in, across back measurement is out'
---

We've just pushed the _release_ button on core 1.8.0. That bump in minor number
is typically because we have a new pattern, but in this case, there's two
reasons:

- The [Jaeger Jacket](/designs/jaeger) is now available
- We've gotten rid of the _across back_ measurement

<!-- truncate -->

Read on for the details.

## Announcing the Jaeger Jacket

For [my refasioners entry last year](/blog/the-refashioners-2017/) I designed a
jacket pattern that I intially wanted to release alongside my make. It didn't
work out that way, and I asked for a bit more time to get the pattern out the
door.

Turns out that when I say _a bit more time_ it means 6 and a half months, so
please forgive me for the delay, but here it is, [the Jaeger
Jacket](/designs/jaeger).

![Note that in my post back then, I was talking about the Blake Blazer, but
I've since renamed it because Jaeger Jacket is just
cooler](https://posts.freesewing.org/uploads/jaeger_1cb91a3cd3.jpg)

### Jaeger Sport Coat is not an alliteration

Jaeger is a sport coat style of jacket. As in, a single-breasted jacket with a
2-button closure, and patch pockets.

In other words, this is a garment that's typically worn on jeans or other
trousers, and not as part of a suit.

### Options galore

Jaeger comes with 38 options, so you can change _a lot_ about this pattern.

No need to worry though, it also comes with sensible defaults, so you can just
as well ignore all those choices.

## The across back measurement is no more

Speaking of sensible defaults, Jaeger is not the only new thing in freesewing
core 1.8.0, which is out today.

We've also gotten rid of the _across back_ measurement.

The across back measurement was cause of a great deal of confusion among our
users. More often than not, when someone contacted us because their pattern
looked wonky, an unrealistic across back measurement was to blame.

The roots of the across back measurement go back to a time when, instead of the
_shoulder to shoulder_ measurement we use now, we had the _shoulder length_
measurement. That one was also source of some confusion, so we phased it out
in favour of the _shoulder to shoulder_ measurement.

The thing is that if we know the _shoulder to shoulder_ measurement, we can
guestimate with reasonable accuracy what the _across back_ measurement will be.
So, instead of asking you for it, we simply assume now.

### But you're dumbing down the pattern

In case the _this pattern comes with 38 options_ bit above wasn't enough of a
giveaway, we're pretty committed here at freesewing to give you all the knobs
to tweak your drafts.

Replacing a measurement with a value calculated based on another measurement
may seem to go against that, but there's no need to worry. We've made sure you
can still muck about with your across back.

Patterns that used to require the _across back_ measurement now have a new
advanced option: the _across back factor_. It allows you to tweak how we
calculate your across back measurement, but does make sure to keep it within
boundaries that are sensible.

![The across back factor
option](https://posts.freesewing.org/uploads/acrossback_60791a4392.png)

As such, we feel we're preventing mistakes for the casual user, without taking
away power from you, the pattern option guru.

Or to put it differently, you can still muck about with your across back, but
by default, you don't have to worry about it anymore.