Jacket for a Little Prince

If you're familiar with The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry you know what a special gem of a story it is. There is nothing quite like it that I'm aware of. Well, I have been sewing day and night to come up with stage costumes for a show based on this book. They are mostly done but I've only had time to photograph one, the Prince jacket.
It's crushed velvet with chartreuse silk dupioni trim and red satin lining. He also wears a ruffled blouse (the lace ruffles of which I plan to replace with a subtle metallic gold silk organza...sometime in the next few hours), and wine red faux suede pants. On his head is an open turban of the same wine red. Actually he is a she, played quite professionally by an 8 year old actress!
I have also made 8 "cosmic clowns" and 8 "mirages" (sand creatures) for this show but it's been so crazy trying to get it all done that I haven't photographed them. I will try to take some pictures at the theater, though, the actors being children, I am not sure what I can post here. I may have to photograph empty costumes which is a shame, because they look wonderful on the kids, in motion, with head pieces and attitude!I am continually amazed at how these shows somehow manage to come together. In this particular one there is a full size bi-plane on the set! The kids have memorized hundreds and hundreds of lines and are even taught to improvise when something goes wrong on stage.
Here is one little theater secret...do you know that bows are choreographed? They are rehearsed as well! That's all I'm going to reveal though!

Thanks and Follow Up

How thrilled I was to come home from 8 hours in the car and find such nice comments on my humble blouse project! Thanks so much!

Here's a few follow up answers to the comments:
Alexandra,
I am the opposite of you...I get enticed by the prints then wish I'd done something solid. Solids are infinitely more wearable/useful!!!

Keely,
Yes, Made-for-You are in the McCall's line. However, there are also some Simplicity patterns that have cup sizes. I am using a Project Runway pattern now that I was surprised to discover had cup sizes. I don't think it even said so on the envelope!

Marietta,
I matched the center front. then, for the other pieces around I match the bottom only. In other words, I make sure that the hems are at the same level on the pattern. Beyond that, it's mostly coincidence.

Susan,
Every time I turn around I make some kind of mistake. So, the best I can do is try to keep going straight, you know?

One final note on this pattern should anyone try to make it...I took about 1 1/2" out of the sleeve fullness. Why? B/c I had run out of fabric with all my re-cutting of mistakes!

A Monumental Achievement

I know, it's not a big deal, it's a blouse. McCall's 5426.

But it's the first thing I made myself since the Vogue jacket of October of 2-double-ought-7. I managed to do most of it on 3 nights when my family was on a trip.

Sewing at night is a mistake. I've told my students this. But...it was my chance and I took it. As a consequence I had to re-cut all the interfacing and half the facings. Also, I incorrectly sewed on the stand about 3 times. I had it in my head that it had to be lined up with the center front, not the edge (there's an overlap) and I stared and stared at the picture and it just didn't click... Well, finally it did, but I'm embarrassed to tell you how long it took. Suffice it to say that the sun set and rose at least once in the interim.
So anyway, I'm knee deep in costumes, but here's the blouse. Oh, and these Made-for-You patterns are great. I saved quite a bit of time by just cutting out the right cup size. (I still used my high bust to select the pattern size.) I made my other usual alterations - narrowing the shoulders, shortening the waist, lowering the bust (ahem) and adding upteen inches to the hips. It fits perfect, better on me than on Gerlinde here. But my daughter, Her Highness, can not be bothered to photograph me at this time. She is doing homework, don't you know, not to be disturbed ;)

Neat and Tidy Facing

Here is an easy, beautiful way to finish a shaped facing.

De-constructing this from the outside in:Above is the finished facing on the center front princess piece of McCall's 5426.

Opening it out, you see I have used self-fabric for the interfacing. Now, ideal would have been some cream colored batiste or lawn, but I don't have that at the moment. So I have oriented the self fabric so that the wrong side (which is lighter) will face the outside of the garment when folded in. Why a sew-in interfacing for a blouse? Well, why not? Especially with this method, where you are going to sew the interfacing in anyway to finish the edge of the facing. Sew in interfacing is less risky...it won't bubble in the wash! But, yes, you could do this technique with a fusible as well if you like. Orient the fusible so you sew it right side of fusible to right side of facing, then understitch, turn the fusible side in under the facing and fuse.

Opening the facing/interfacing out one more time, you see the seam between the two. I have used a 1/4" seam allowance b/c to use 5/8" would have made the facing a bit too thin. I have also understitched the interfacing to encourage the interfacing/facing seam to roll to the underside and become invisible.
You could use this technique to nicely finish any kind of facing. I especially like it for a keyhole opening, waist facing, or, as in this case, a blouse center front.

One final note: I always tell my students to do the most difficult sewing tasks (i.e., cutting) when they are freshest. But, as Jedi Master Yoda would say, "Practice what I preach, I don't." So, I cut all the blouse pieces out last night. I was thrilled to have them done...until this morning when I discovered I had cut all the color, stand, and interfacing pieces doubled so that I had two right sides of everything. Nothing was mirrored! Duh!

Spindle Bag Prototype

This is a project I've been working on (in my mind, mostly) for months. A bag especially for spindles. Once the pattern is perfected, I hope to sell them (like hotcakes) in my etsy shop.

Here is the back:This first example is large enough for my 2", 1 ounce spindle. It fits inside loosely enough, with the hook just under the line where the quilted part meets the cotton topper. But there is little room for fiber. It's a trade off...do I want the bag big enough for spindle and fiber, but the spindle able to move around and get snagged in fiber? Or do I want a snugglier fitting bag that can then be placed inside a larger tote with fiber and accessories?

So, I am going to try a wider version next...just enough so that about half ounce of fiber will also fit inside. (It also occurs to me that having fiber inside also helps to cradle the spindle.) Then, I'll decide which is more marketable. What do you think?

A couple other FO's

This weekend I got out a crochet hook for a change. This scarf, Anne, by mkcarroll was easy and fairly mindless once I got into the pattern of it. You know how I like easy, mindless crafting! I completed it in between tending my dyebaths. I reminds me of the crochet lace jacket that Tany made awhile back...but much less complicated!

Also finished this past weekend:

Another skein of fingering weight shetland. This one is from the combed top. The top is smoother and easier to spin. But it doesn't have what I think of as the characteristic "fuzziness" of Shetland.
It's actually darker red, brick really, than the photo shows.

Dancer's Vest

This is a silk brocade vest I recently finished for a client who travels around to folk/country/ethnic dancing festivals. (I understand as much about that world as he does about sewing!)

You'd think a silk brocade vest would be "fancy" but he wears it with a casual grey shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat, giving it a whole different look. Yes, I'd have to say, he makes it look quite good!

Here is the front:We chose bound buttonholes. It is a working welt pocket, into which he promises to place only his pipe lighter!

back:We chose to use the fashion fabric on the back rather than just lining since it's not to be worn under a suit jacket.

The peacock feathers have special meaning for my client as he has peacocks on his farm (and chickens, roosters, and sheep.) I am assured that this vest will at no time be worn in the barn!

Keepsake Necklaces

These are fun, special holiday gifts you can make with precious bits of silk and velvet, beads, embroidery floss, and ribbon. I wish I could find the pictures I'd taken of them years ago before I gave them away, but I can't. That was before I had my digital camera.

Fortunately, I did find one lone unfinished pouch in my embroidery basket, pictured above. I never finished it because I never liked it that much. So, please, use your imagination to conjure many more of these, but prettier, OK?

You need to draw yourself a pattern that looks something like this, below, with round or pointed flap ~Cut one in the outer fabric, my favorites were crinkled velvets. Cut one in a lining, silk dupioni or satin is nice. I usually interfaced the outer fabric.

Stitch the flap portions only, right sides together. Then fold up the lining and outer fabrics on themselves, RST, pre-folding the hems at the short ends under 1/4". Stitch along the sides of the lining and outer pouches. The short ends, hems folded under, get left open.Now you can first turn the flap right side out, then turn the outer pouch RSO, then push the lining pouch inside the outer pouch. (This will be much easier to see when you have the actual piece in your hand.)

Before you hand sew up the top, short edge of the lining to the outer fabric, slip in a length of decorative cording for the neck strap ~
Catch the end of the strap in when you close the top.

Now you are ready to have a lot of creative fun embroidering and embellishing the top. I've embroidered with DMC floss, silk ribbon, and beads. You can use the beads as accents or make a fringe all along the edge. I also often used beads to make button loops at the apex of the flap, then secured a larger drop bead to the body of the pouch as the "button" for a closure. You can add beaded fringe to the bottom of the pouch as well.

Beyond the basic shape, you could make drawstring pouches, or moon or star shaped pouches. The key is that they be small and precious so they can be worn as a necklace.

As a gift, perhaps you can tuck a prayer, charm, or other sentiment inside.

Enjoy!

With Nap Layout

I almost always use a with nap layout, no matter the fabric. Sometimes a fabric may have a very subtle nap, or direction, and you do not want to find this out after the garment is made, the first time you wear it outside and the sun hits you just so.

Nap, or direction, refers to a fabrics one-way qualities.

Nap usually refers to a one-way texture. These are fabrics like velvet or corduroy, on which your fingers leave a "trail" when run along the lengthwise grain. These fabrics also tend to look darker or lighter, matte or shiny, depending on your lengthwise perspective. If you cut a gored skirt on one of these fabrics without regard to nap, then some of the gores will look darker than others.

Note: Satins and other "flat" fabrics might also have nap/direction. Be careful!

Directional fabrics may also have a pattern or print that is not symmetrical lengthwise. Fabric with printed trees is a good example. Most will want all the trunks pointing to the feet and leaves towards the head. (But, hey, you're the designer!)

Because I often have a hard time determining whether a fabric has nap or direction, I have gotten into the habit of always using what the pattern companies call a "with nap" layout. Simply put, I lay out my pattern pieces so that the "head ends" are at one end and the "feet ends" at the other.

Here is my daughter's long awaited winter coat being cut, (on the floor b/c I was not sure I'd have enough fabric and wanted to make sure I could get all pieces on before cutting)...

There is a subtle nap to this wool. It is difficult to see, but lightly running one's fingertips along it lengthwise reveals that it has a slight pile that feels smoother in one direction. I am cutting so the nap "runs downward," or so that it feels smoothest from neck to hem. That is traditional. However, as I said, you are the designer. I have also cut things the other way, in order to get a deeper looking color.

Notes: See the collar pieces that extend past the fabric fold? One, the piece on the left, is smaller. That is the under collar piece. The piece to the right is the upper collar piece and it is bigger. Experienced sewers know that whenever you are turning a collar, at least one that does not have a separate stand, the upper piece must be relatively bigger or the under collar will peek out from underneath, wrinkle, bunch up, and cause the points to turn up, looking very unprofessional. When a pattern gives you one collar piece only and instructs you to "cut two," one for upper and one for under collars, that is a bad pattern. You must either re-draft the piece to make an under collar pattern that is smaller around the outer edge and point, or trim the under collar after cutting (do not trim the neck edge.) This is due to turn of cloth and I hope to get out a detailed post on the subject after the holidays.

Additionally, I hope to post about making under collars bias. I have not yet pinned these collars to the layout because I haven't decided if I will make a bias under collar. Bias under collars curl around the neck more easily and gracefully. Again, I would like to post on this in more detail when I have a bit more time to give it the attention it deserves. But if you are cutting an under collar now, feel free to write for more info.

Christmas Tree Skirt

These can be very easy to make with a simple circle pattern. You may wish to simply make a solid circle to be placed under a decorative tree stand.

Or, you can make a circle with a circular hole in the middle for the tree trunk and stand, to be placed over the top of the tree stand, as in the picture above of one I made almost 20 years(!) ago. In the latter case, make sure you also leave a "slit" so the circle opens and can be placed around the tree trunk. Basically, you are making a circular skirt, where the "waist" is the diameter of the hole for the tree stand/trunk, the "hem" is the outer edge of the circle, and the slit is a full length center back zipper.

It's nice if the skirt has some body to it so I recommend using batting and backing and assembling as for a quilt.

Once you have the circular pattern set, you might decide to divide it into wedges and alternate two, or many, fabrics. Or, perhaps you'd like to make the wedge arcs into points for a fancier look. You might do some embroidery or other embellishment on the wedges, add ribbon or ruffled trim, or even bells.

And a tree skirt is the perfect canvas for those fun decorative sewing techniques for which we rarely have a use...heirloom tucks and laces, needle felted wool motifs, huge embroidery medallions, and free-motion embroidery, quilting, or couching just to name a few. The sky is the limit with a project like this!

Costume Crinkles

I recently finished this dress for a local show. The costume designer (who is an artist and fantastic costume designer, but not a sewer) drew me a picture of his vision - a simply shaped sleeveless dress, full at the hem and falling close to the body in the waist area, crinkly. The drawing looked to me like a dress done in pre-crinkled fabric, cut in a column, so that the crinkling would pull in naturally at the waist and release over the bust and hips. Except for the hem, which was A-line, not straight as a column cut would produce.

The fabric provided was a very lightweight embroidered satin with tiny bit of vertical crinkling, but just a mild texture, certainly not enough to contribute to any shaping. So my question was... how will we achieve the waist shaping? A midriff? Princess seams? Pleats or tucks? Elastic? None of that would have produced the look in the drawing. So we decided on random looking tucks, made to the outside, to mimic fabric crinkling.
I ruminated over how to do this....the original plan was to fuse the tucks, as I created them with my hands, to woven interfacing that had been shaped to her midriff. I had her come for a fitting and pin-fit muslin around her middle to make a pattern for the interfacing. Unfortunately, I forgot to mark, on the as yet unshaped dress, where the top and bottom of the muslin was placed when I did it. (Duh!) Also, when I experimented with fusing crinkled scraps to the interfacing, I found that it was quite tedious and it was difficult to get a lot of crinkling b/c the fusible surface of the interfacing gets quickly "taken up" or covered with the crinkles. Besides, I only had 4 days for the whole project and time was running out!
So I decided to just start folding and tucking the fabric. I made enough tucks that gave the dress some shape, but was not yet "fitted" to her body. That way, I could try the dress on her, and place the final couple dozen or so tucks just where they needed to be for the best fit. It took some patience on her part and and lots of pins, but I did just that...and only stuck her once.

You see the results (well, almost, no hem or pressing) here. It's not bad for 4 days I guess. It's definitely interesting.

As Audrey Hepburn

My daughter, 13, wanted to be Audrey Hepburn, in Breakfast at Tiffany's, for Halloween. So, I told her she'd have to make her own little black dress. She was determined even after I warned her (several times - because normally she loses patience with sewing very quickly) that it would not be a quick, easy, slap-down project.

She selected Butterick 5032, and I purchased a synthetic "ponte" knit at JoAnn's thinking it would be fairly easy to work with and not need seam finishing. (This was 3 days before Halloween!)We tissue-fit the pattern and made minor alterations...cutting a larger size in the hips and shortening the skirt an inch.
DD did all the tedious cutting. Pinning the ponte knit was very difficult, even with ball point pins. Actually, she finally decided that my silk pins worked best with it.

I showed her how to mark darts with tracing paper and wheel, snip notches, and mark dots with pin and chalk, and she diligently did it all.

My daughter is good with the sewing machine and didn't have any trouble with the construction. She even under-stitched the neckline and inserted the invisible zipper. It was exciting for both of us watching as all those flat pieces taking the shape of a dress.

By then it was after 8pm and we'd been going since after school. I offered to tack the facing to the zip and do the hemming. She was grateful, laid down on the living room floor, and fell asleep until morning!

But she is proud of her little black dress and I'm proud of her. Not only because it came out great, but because she stuck it out and completed a detailed project. She wore it last night, hair up, lots of pearls, long black gloves, fancy shoes and bag, collecting candy with her friends (one of whom was Marilyn Monroe) and had a blast! So I guess it was worth the toil.

Knit Float Dress

**Edited 10/25 to include better pictures (sun came out!)
My 13 year old fashionista chose this pattern, Vogue 8411. I love the style. It's simple and versatile. She can wear it with or without a belt, dressed up with sparkly shoes, or down with suede boots.

I used a rayon jersey, which I've never worked with. Maybe not the best choice for all those pleats! The fabric would not hold the pleats with just pressing, so I had to hand baste each one in place. I also had to use thread to mark each pleat since white chalk didn't show up and colored chalks didn't seem to want to come out.

This pattern says "easy," but honestly, the only thing easy about it was the coverstitched hem! This was the most challenging thing I've dealt with in years. I think part of that was due to the extreme drapiness of the fabric.
Another problem was the ease in the sleeves. I'd pulled up the shoulders about 1/2" after I'd cut the sleeves. So, I in effect added ease to the already generous amount of ease provided. I cut self-fabric sleeve heads and that seemed to help quite a bit.

In conclusion...a very chic, different but classy, dress. But not easy!

Finally! Vogue Jacket Done!

I've been busy, as evidenced by my lack of posts lately. One thing I've been doing is finishing up the Claire Shaeffer couture jacket, Vogue 7467. Here's a few shots taken by the future fashion photographer, my daughter.

This is how I'll probably wear it ~
I'm stylin' huh?

Here's a close up of the sleeve vents and pocket ~
And some inside finishing ~
Something I really liked about Claire Shaeffer's construction method is that when you're done, you're really done. Lining and finishing steps like hemming and topstitching are done throughout the process . Once the sleeves were set all that was left was to hand sew the lining armscyes and sew on the buttons.

Now that it's done I'm sure I'll wear it a lot. I think I need another though. Don't you?

Vogue Jacket Sleeves

Usually I use crimping or crowding to ease sleeve caps in dresses and tops. But for the tailored jacket, Vogue 7467 I thought I'd put in a little more effort. Anyway, with the hair canvas interfacing making the wool heavier, crowding would've been ineffective.

So I ran two rows of 4.5mm basting stitches. Pulled them up and pressed on the tailor board:

They looked so good I thought that setting them would be easy.

sigh....

Not so. I hand basted them in quite meticulously and still had to make adjustments. I spent quite awhile trying to get the plaid to match in the back of the cap but finally had to give up that idea, which placed too much ease at the uppermost back shoulder.
Finally satisfied, I machine stitched the sleeves in place.
I used a "mustache" sleeve head that Sewing Diva Els sent me from Denmark! That part was easy enough. Though, honestly, I'm not sure I put them in right. I put the bigger end in the back of the cap.

Correction 10/7/07: Els is Dutch and lives in the Netherlands. Duh. I had to do quite a bit of fussing with the steamer to get the caps just right. They seemed to want to be a bit too pronounced for my taste. I thought about pressing the cap/shoulder seam open to flatten them out like a men's jacket...but actually, with my "weak" shoulders, I decided a little volume there wouldn't hurt.

I did not, as I'd expected, have to remove any of the 1 1/4" I added to raise the armscye base.

What's next? Closing the lining, sewing on the buttons, and revising and attaching patch pockets. (I already made the pockets once according to the pattern, but I decided they are too big, and I don't like the way they stand away from the body...my hips already stand away from my body.) Hopefully the next post on this project will be the last.

Vogue Jacket Buttonholes

Vogue 7467...

I suppose I should've photographed the entire process of making the bound buttonholes, especially with the Dritz tool. But I was feeling selfish and just wanted to lose myself in the process when I did them. So, next time I'll be better about that.What I liked most about using the tool is that there is minimum marking required. And it is fairly quick, though I'm not sure it's any quicker than doing them traditionally. A HUGE Thank You to Cidell for sending me the directions for the tool's use. I'd have never in a million years figured it out on my own. By the way, I got this tool for free at an estate sale. I've seen them on ebay as well.
I can say that the most difficult part of the buttonholes was the backings. The buttonhole themselves were easy. The problem had to do with how prone my fabric is to fraying, especially with the cuff buttonhole backings. They are so small, and I just slit and turned the backing. The triangles were so miniscule that it was not neat at all.
You can see on the one on the right (above) that I tried to neaten it with a buttonhole stitch.

I really like how the larger, front buttonhole came out:
For this buttonhole I made a window pane opening by stitching woven fusible interfacing RST (right sides together) on the facing, cutting, turning, and fusing. This worked much better though I think it was partly due to the much larger size of the buttonhole and the little triangles at the end not being so hard to handle.

Oh, and by the way, I couldn't resist trying to stitch the collar again. I didn't dissemble it, just re-attached it to the inside neck, easing the fullness down and center-ward. I like how it turned out. Which just goes to show you...

When in doubt, Rip it out!

Last night I also topstitched the collar and lapels, and stitched up the hem. On to the sleeves and lining.

Vogue Jacket Collar

Continuing this project...

Well, I had some real trouble with this. I set the collar entirely by hand, as per the instructions in Claire Shaeffer's couture Vogue pattern. Hand stitching is quite relaxing and "Zen" like. While stitching by hand you have much more control over the work, an element of stress is removed, and you can simply enjoy the physical process.

But upon completion, I found too much ease inside the neckline of the collar. Strangely, it seemed I had too much upper collar width (not length). See the problem inside the curve of the neckline?Els? Are you out there? What did I do wrong?

Loathe to rip it off and start all over I set about steaming the excess volume out. To do this I judged it crucial to maintain the concave curve of the neckline while steaming. So I used my kidney-shaped ham.In order to get into the small target area I used a small "heat sealing" iron I purchased a couple years ago from Claire Shaeffer. It does not produce steam so I misted the wool press cloth generously. After working each side, I let the piece dry thoroughly in place before moving it.
This seemed to help quite a bit, though I'm still not thrilled with the look inside the collar. here it is now inside:And on the form, where it never really looked that bad:I've decided to press on. After all, I don't even like this fabric! Also, I don't want to fiddle with it so much that I make it worse. I cannot cut another collar (not enough fabric left!)

I completely blew off work yesterday and made all the bound buttonholes. Photos in the next jacket post. Right now I'm still playing catch up with my official sewing.

Vogue Jacket and Pressing Board

This is a June Tailor Board that I purchased quite a few years ago with the pads. Unfortunately, these are not available anymore. (Though there is one currently on ebay for over $50!)


***edited 11/19/07 to add - see comment below by Nancy2001....Tailor Board may still be available at Nancy's Notions...suggests calling and speaking to a customer service rep.

However, you can use a point presser for straight, tight seams, and a sleeve board (standing on it's end) for very rounded seams. Here is how I used my board today as I worked on the collar and lapel of my plaid Vogue jacket ~
I first used a steamer to slightly shape the lapel facing over the jacket front in the correct position.

Then I basted the facing to the jacket front, easing the facing where it would curl outward, and sewing it taut under the break point, where it should be hidden. Claire Shaeffer gives very detailed instructions on just how to do this in the pattern.

At this point I have to mention that I was very surprised at how efficiently the easing and steam shaping techniques worked. I had expected to understitch the front edge, on the body under the lapel, and on the facing below the break point....but the easing and pressing worked so well it's unnecessary. Also, the hand stitching that is done to secure the seam allowances inside works wonders to keep everything in line.

The tailor board is indispensable for pressing collars and lapels.

Here, left, I am using the curved point to press the upper lapel.

Remember, you can use the currently available point presser/clapper for any of these tight spots.

Incidentally, for a clapper, I use a scrap of wood salvaged years ago from the basement. Hitting the freshly pressed, steamed, seam with the flat of the wood helps to flatten it, and also causes it to dry much faster.



Right, I am pressing the "gorge line" with a straight portion of the board.












To press the lower front opening edge of the front/facing seam, I have turned the board on end and placed the curved seam over it. This is where you could use the end of a sleeve board for the same purpose.











The collar has a straight portion, towards the sides, which I'm pressing over a straight edge. Note how easy it is to press right into the corner! This makes for an easily turned, neat, collar point. (Just as with the lapel point)







The collar is more rounded in the middle back, so I pressed that over the curved portion of the board, though I think the straight edge of the point presser would work well enough.





So now the lapels are finished and the collar is ready to be placed. Just give me another few months for that....sigh....





Did I ever tell you how my husband, clever guy that he is, once put my ham in the fridge? Never a dull moment around here, folks.

OK, is it just me, or does my ham, adorned with the collar, look kinda like Patrick Star?

Vogue Pants

My daughter is 13 and quite the fashionista. I guess it must skip a generation, because Mom was "Best Dressed" in high school. And I....wasn't.

Well, my daughter requested Vogue 8131, view C. We selected a cotton plaid at JoAnn's.
When will I learn with plaids? I didn't buy extra, thinking she is 4" shorter than the average pattern pant anyway. And when I washed the fabric, it shrunk like crazy, and I couldn't match the back center seams or back yoke seams. I did manage to match the fronts and sides though. Also, the fabric was terribly skewed after washing. It was very difficult to keep the plaid running on grain straight down the pattern pieces and also matching.

They came out nice though...she's thrilled with them and plans to wear them to school tomorrow. And I'm thrilled - because there were a few years in there when she wasn't interested in anything I might make her. She's coming back! She also selected Vogue 8411 and Vogue 7979 and I have a feeling that, now that she's so into fashion and can also fit into women's sizes, we're going to have some serious fun together!

Couture Jacket Progress

During my vacation I spent a lot of time working on the Claire Shaeffer couture jacket pattern, Vogue 7467. It took two muslins before I was ready to cut the wool. After the initial alterations, I had to add an additional 1" across the bust, and a mere 6" around the hips!

Second FBA:I also found it necessary to raise the armhole about 1" to facilitate arm movement. Here you see the side panel on the left and underarm sleeve piece on the right:Cutting
Lesson learned - always buy 3 full jacket lengths of a plaid in order to simplify matching! I had only about 2 1/2 lengths and it made things very, very difficult. I had to finally resort to doing the layout on the floor, so I could visualize the entire thing at once, and it took me hours. I do think I achieved fairly good matching, though I haven't set the sleeves yet.

Understructure
For what Ms. Shaeffer calls the entoilage (understructure) I used bias Egyptian cotton, Arco, and Tailor's Pride hair canvas. In substituting the cotton for the primary layer of canvas, I was using material I had (i.e., free) and also opting for a bit more suppleness. Unfortunately, I did not realize I should've replaced the cotton with canvas in the lapel area until after I'd machine quilted the canvas chest piece onto the cotton underlining piece. I then tried to "retro-fit" canvas into the lapel area. The white tape you see in this picture is not the roll line, it is securing the catchstitches I used to attach the canvas to the cotton (which is underneath the canvas chest piece.) (Did I just lose, you Mom?) This tape is so lightweight, I don't expect it to interfere with the turning of the lapel.
Note the balanced dart, not yet trimmed.

Welt pocket
The welt pocket insertion went smoothly. I did add the step of fusing interfacing behind the pocket as this wool has a tendency to ravel quite easily. Matching the plaid was the biggest challenge and I considered cutting the welt on the bias but I thought it was too busy looking. I also fused lightweight interfacing to the silk pocket bag pieces to make them easier to handle, and used a self-fabric facing for the upper bag piece to fill in the slash opening behind the welt with matching plaid.Seaming
The major seams had to be meticulously matched across the plaid of course. I pinned them from the right side and slip basted them before machine stitching them:
This worked like a charm and I didn't have to rip and re-sew any seams.

By now I am thoroughly disenchanted with this plaid. The color is all wrong for me, and it's dressier than I'd really wanted. I wanted a sport jacket and this is more of a suit fabric. Nevertheless, I plod onward, considering the whole project as a sort of private, self-directed, class in tailoring technique. And here is the fun part, the pad-stitching ~

Collar Pad-Stitching
This is the part I couldn't wait to do, and what appeals to me so much about tailoring...the hand-stitched shaping of the collar and lapels. I'm using a milliner's needle and cotton quilting thread. The idea here is to pick up only one of 2 threads of the wool behind the canvas, so the stitches are invisible from the right side. I do this by "rocking" the needle into the wool and out so the needle just catches it. Since you are stitching while the fabric layers are held in a curved position, you are in effect making the curve permanent. It's like magic. Lapel taping and pad-stitching
The roll line tape is cut about 1/2" shorter than the actual roll line, and as it is attached, the lapel roll line is eased to the shorter tape in the middle third area. I found the fell stitching awkward at first but got into a groove after several minutes. I also used a tailor's thimble, which is open at the top, on my right ring finger. I could then use the fingernail side of that finger to push the needle easily through the several layers - fabric, canvas, and tape.

I used 3/8" cotton twill tape at the roll line and 1/4" tape at the lapel and front edges. This, then, is where I have to set this project aside and attend to some work. Oh, yeah, work, remember that? Rats.