Another contest, a cool jacket, and buttons... the controversy

After finishing up my mini-wardrobe, I decided to check out the next contest that PatternReview.com is running.  The October contest is to create a lined jacket.  Perfect, I thought!  I have winter wear and I have rain wear, but I don't really have much in the way of light fall jackets.  That said, I didn't much want to spend a lot of money so I raided my stash and found a heavy red wool that I had picked up from the clearance table of Virginia Marti before they closed and some lovely red leather I bought from Fabric Mart when they were running a sale about a year ago in the EXACT SAME SHADE!  Given that these fabrics were not purchased together, and one was bought online at random, this is an astonishing match. 

 

The next step was to decide on a pattern.  At my disposal I had one skin that made for less than a yard and just under 2 yards of the wool.  After looking through the many interesting jacket patterns in my stash, I decided to tackle the asymmetrical jacket with overside collar in view B of M5759. 



This pattern is pretty good and has the potential to be amazing.  I was initially attracted to the asymetry, the (always flattering) princess seams, the two-peice sleeves and the pocket flaps.  That said, I made some alterations to take this jacket from merely pretty good to extaordinary.  I continued the front band along the back of the jacket and altered the "pocket flaps" into full pockets with a double welt and flap. 

 

After altering the pattern (FBA and adding 2 inches of length to pretty much every relevant peice) and cutting out my fashion fabric, the next step is assembling the front of the jacket by sewing and pressing the front and front-side panels which connect via princess seam.

 

 

 

Note to self and everybody... this is the beauty of working with actual wool.  It stretches.  It shrinks.  It can be shaped by steam. This is just gorgeous fabric to work with.

 

I then attached the front band (cut from the red leather) to the jacket front.



 

After the fronts are completely assembled, I also assembled the back.  (More princess seams.)  As I extended the back band,  also sewed the leather band to the back of the jacket.  Once both front and back were assembled, I sewed the shoulder and side seams attaching the front to back.

After the structure of the shell of the jacket was assembled, I tackled the pockets. I had drafted internal pockets which I cut from the lining material.  I then made the pocket flaps from the same wool as the body of the jacket and LOT of interfacing.

 

I decided to create the welts out of remaining leather scraps.  I cut long 1" strips from the leather, folded them in half and sewed along the seam line.

 

I then marked the location of the pocket seamline on the outside of the jacket with tailor's chalk.  

 

I sewed the pocket flap (with previously sewn upper welt) along the seamline. I also lined up the lower welt and stitched it to the jacket shell along the lower seam line.  Meanwhile, I also constructed the inside of the pockets so I could assure that they were attached with the same seam as the welts.  

 

Finally, I cut the pocket open, flipped the welts to the inside, and  finished the inside of the pockets.  I didn't work on making the inside neat here though.  As a fully lined jacket, I figured nobody would see and it wouldn't much matter.

 

 

 

 I then attached the sleeves.  I am pretty proud of these very neat sleeve caps if I do say it myself.  The trick?  Gather along the edge of the sleeve cap and then baste in along the "bend" of the gathered section.  I've found that even if I am generally using a 5/8" seam allowance, the seam allowance might increase to as much as 1 inch or more at the shoulder seam. 

 



 Then I added the shoulder pads... I don't usually like shoulder pads, but in this case I thought I'd like the extra structure in the shoulder and I think it was a good call.

 

 



I sewed the outside of the collar to the collar stand and attached it to the shell of the jacket.

 

And then I built the lining...

 

 

Finally I attached the lining to the shell along a 5.8" seam line, leaving the center back of the jacket open.

 

I then hand-sewed the lining to the shell along the center back...

 

So this jacket is pretty much done.  Now I have to decide what to do about fastenings. On the one hand, I could use large snaps and keep the front visually clean. 

On the other hand, I bought these gorgeous buttons!  They are 24k gold plated and red enamel.  They are interesting.

 

 

And the buttons also look good.  So, any input?  Anyone have a strong feeling about buttons v. no buttons?  Please let me know.  I can't enter the contest until I've finished my garment and I'm having some trouble deciding on what said finished garment should look like...



Shop San Francisco - Episode One: Fabric Outlet

So this was a full weekend for me!  I picked up the bicycle I ordered from Public on Valencia and while I was in the area, I decided to visit one of the fabric stores on my list of places to check out in the Bay Area.

For my first excursion into San Francisco fabric shopping I went to Fabric Outlet on Mission Street.  I have to say I am very impressed.  And I will definitely be returning when I have more time to spend browsing. 

The store has a huge selection and lot of good deals on offer... and they were running a 40% off sale on top of the (incredibly reasonable) regular prices.

I was particularly impressed with the selection of buttons, zippers, and other notions which were not only inexpensive, but also offered options that one cannot find at Joanns or other chain options.

 

On a weekend when I could spend a lot of time and money this trip could have easily lasted hours.  But this time I had my photographer (read: boyfriend) with me and I tried to be considerate and not spend several hours in a fabric haze...wandering around and fondling the textiles.  Instead, I kept to plan and only purchased some red silky lining material and buttons to use on my next project: a lined jacket!  (to be posted soon...)

And after our fabric shopping adventure we continued exploring the mission and enjoyed the very impressive views and outstanding weather!

Mini-Wardrobe contest

It's that time of year again... Pattern Review's mini-wardrobe contest!  And even more excitingly, I actually finished!

 

For your edification:

 



For my wardrobe I made a coordinating skirt and blouse in a purple floral rayon with a white silk chiffon yoke, a high-waisted leather pencil skirt, and a long sleeve tee in a cream color jersey.  The purple print skirt was self-drafted, the blouse was loosely based on Simplicity 3688.  I made the skirt from Vogue 1324.  Which I discussed at LENGTH in posts from earlier this month. 

 



 

The purple print skirt was a simple self drafted pattern with gentle gathering, pockets in the side seams and an interfaced, slightly shaped 1" waistband that sits at the natural waist.  The skirt has a 9" zipper along the back seam and fastens with a large black button.  Now I am not a genius when it comes to drafting patterns by any stretch of the imagination (I'd love to take a class someday... and if wishes were horses) but this was a breeze and took no more than an hour to draft and construct.

 

For the purple print blouse I cut the bodice front and yoke from 3688; the front from the purple floral and the yoke from a white silk chiffon.  For the back, I frankenpatterned the back of 3688 and the upper back of the blouse from V1324 to create a light, easy feeling.  I then made bias tape from the print material and used that to finish the collar and armholes as well as creating a large buttonhole at the collar where I attached a black button which matched that on the skirt. 

 

The blouse can also pair with the camel-colored leather pencil skirt. 

 

 

The prize detail on this pencil skirt is the seaming at the front sides.  The back of the skirt has a shaped waistband which then ends at the front dart.  This bit was definitely tricky and I made a muslin out of a gray suiting before cutting into my skins.  On the original muslin I followed the directions as written and found it to be tricky to get the seams to line up perfectly.  On the second, leather version I assembled the entire side and sewed the seam last to create a clean line which I think turned out very well.  I am incredibly proud of this skirt which I finished with a zipper I picked up from the handbag department.  

 

 

And of course, a lovely basic like a leather pencil skirt will always pair nicely with another basic, the classic white T.  This t-shirt is a Palmer/Pletsch pattern from McCall's, M6399. I made view B.  Now, the beauty of the Palmer/Pletsch patterns is the very explicit fitting directions.  And not to step away from recieved wisdom, but I have to disagree with the pattern's esteemed creators when it comes to fitting this top in a knit.  I used a 4-way stretch jersey and realized that if I cut it in my normal size as the pattern recommends it would be HUGE!  I cut a straight 14 and it was still very roomy despite the pattern's insistence that I would need to make extensive alterations.  I also left out the shoulder pads, because...gross?  Here's the deal with this shirt... The pattern photo is incredibly dated as is the desire to make this in a woven, with a zipper and shoulder pads.  But in a drapy knit?  Those side pleats are gorgeous!  This is one of those cases where the dress form doesn't really do the garment justice.  The wide collar and raglan sleeves are flattering to the shoulders and collar bones and the pleats allow the fabric to ease over the bust without pulling and creates a nice drape over the lower mid-section.  I highly recommend this as a basic (so long as you promise to leave the 80s behind).

 

 

And of course, a lovely "not so basic" tee will pair nicely with the gathered print skirt.  I would probably add some additional chic-ness to this outfit with a jacket or cardigan, chunky jewelry and maybe some colorful pumps. 

 

In the end the mini-wardrobe contest gave me the opportunity to put together some easy basics for fall in this new California climate. 

 



Go to Patternreview.com and vote for me!

 

Happy National Sewing Month!

It’s National Sewing Month!  I know we are already a week into September, but I just remembered this most important of unofficial and made up holidays!  Although to be fair, National Sewing Month has not always been unofficial…

On September 24, 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed Proclamation 4976, declaring September of that year as National Sewing Month:

“Tens of millions of Americans sew at home.  Their efforts demonstrate the industry, the skill and the self-reliance which are so characteristic of this Nation.

In recognition of the importance of home sewing to our economy the Congress has, by Senate Joint Resolution 205, designated September, 1982 as National Sewing Month.

Now, Therefore, I Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September, 1982, as National Sewing Month.  I call upon the people of United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24^th day of Sept. In the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eightytwo, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh. “

September was again declared National Sewing Month in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1988. 

In 2004 the Home Sewing Association (HSA) requested a revival of National Sewing Month which was sadly denied.  (I don’t know why it was denied as September is also officially National Preparedness Month, National Honey Month, National Guide Dog Month, National Childhood Cancer Month, and National Yoga Month… I mean, who decided sick kids and bees are so important?  Can they not share? Whatever yogis!) Not to be deterred, our intrepid stitchers determined that they didn’t need an official government declaration to proceed with their holiday and instead launched a themed advertising campaign in 2005.  After the HSA was shuttered in 2007, the American Sewing Guild and the Sewing & Craft Alliance took up the Sewing Month mantle and we are now celebrating our ninth consecutive National Sewing Month:

2005: Sewing…the alternative yoga

2006: Sewing… Express your Creative Spirit

2007: Sewing… It’s what you make of it

2008: Go Green! Sew Green!

2009: Reuse, Remake, Restyle

2010: Sewanew

2011: Sew for the LOVE of it

2012: Sew for the FUN of it

2013: Sew for the SKILL of it

And in the spirit of this year’s theme (albeit unintentionally) I have already started discovered a new-found skill:  working with leather!  To continue on this celebratory path, I may just have to bust out some of my couture books and work on developing some additional skills as I continue to build my mini-wardrobe this month.

Now before I sign off, I did want to draw attention to a mild quirk in the Reagan proclamation.  You see that second to last paragraph?  Where he calls on Americans to partake in appropriate ceremonies and activities?  What exactly is a home sewing ceremony?  If you complete a perfect welt pocket do hooded figures raid your stash and force you to take an oath by the light of a thousand Berninas?  Do you swear on a copy of Burda?  Is Claire Shaeffer a high priestess?  Is the Church of Craft involved?  Because dude, I totally want in!