Baste, Press, Stitch, Press... (Steps 25-49)

Over the course of the weekend (sparingly) and tonight I finished steps 25 though 49 on my lined jacket.  I am beginning to see how all the work done at the front end pays off at this stage.  Having marked my seamlines and pattern markings with basting stitches, assembling the jacket is far easier and more precise... miraculously I didn't have to rip out and restitch a single seam! 

I began by applying the organza underlying to the side front sections and then attaching the pockets. (I did not use silk organza because I'm cheap, but the polyester seems to be working just fine... I just need to be ever so slightly more cognizant of my iron heat.)



I basted, then stitched, the side fronts to the fronts. 

I clipped the the seam allowance and pressed flat.  By clipping each side of the seam allowance separately (the cuts don't match up) you can avoid some weird puckering and/or holes in the seam once pressed.

Then I created the pleated detail/pockets along the fold and roll lines.

Finally I attached the side sections and began work on the facing.  I first matched the facing to the front, with the right sides together.

I basted the facing and pressed, I stitched the facing and pressed, I trimmed the seam allowance and pressed... this was a time consuming step but resulted in a lovely collar that lies flat and is properly shaped.  Then secured the underlining to the back sections.

 

And assembled the back/side back sections.

Then I attached the back to the front and side sections and applied the hem interfacing.  This interfacing was pinned and then sewn in by hand

Finally I stitched the front and back sections together at the shoulder, and pressed that seam open.  So the body of the jacket is now assembled!  My next steps are assembling and setting the collar. 

In other news... I found a house and my rental application was accepted!  It is the second floor of a duplex with two bedrooms and an updated bathroom.  The kitchen is older, but functional and not appalling.  The place is bright, clean, and has a balcony, washer/dryer, copious closet space, and a decorative fireplace.  Currently I'm trying to decide which bedroom I should use as a sewing room and which should be my bedroom.  Currently I'm leaning toward sleeping in the back bedroom and using the streetside room with the east-facing windows for a sewing space. 

The only weirdness with this house is that it is about 4 doors down from the boyfriend... I don't know that this is actually weird so much as it makes me feel vaguely stalker-y.  That said, I liked the house too much to turn it down for such a silly reason so I went for it!  So hurrah for the new digs and I can't wait to move in and make it a home!