Thanks for all of your well-wishes! I was under the weather for a few days but am back up to speed now. I’ve been trying to stay off the computer in the evenings so that I can actually get some much-needed things done. Today is the first day I’ve even turned my home computer on all week!
I finally finished up my wool boucle jacket and am very pleased with it. You know, I used to sew jackets all the time. They are actually one of my favorite things to sew – or were. Then I started my embroidery business and didn’t wear jackets too often so I stopped making them. But, I decided that my wardrobe needs an upgrade and 2010 is going to be The Year Of The Jacket! I had soooo much fun working with this wool boucle and can’t wait to start another one. Yes, I know it will be warming up very quickly here *but* I figure I’ll be prepared for next winter.
Here it is, exactly the way I will be wearing it – unbuttoned. Oops, I see I still have a little pressing to do on that front hem! I’m really happy with the way these snaps look. The pattern calls for 5 snaps but I eliminated the 2nd one at the top of the facing because it looked odd when the jacket was open. I bought these snaps from Pacific Trimmings in NYC and definitely want to order a few more just to have.
The back. I’m pretty happy with the inverted pleat but feel it needs a bit more ease to hang better. Or maybe I should sew the pleat closed a little more. What do you think, Els?
I added a hanging chain which is really half of a bracelet I found at Michael’s. The color is just perfect.
To make the chain I sewed two narrow tubes out of my lining fabric. Crossgrain, lengthwise grain or bias – doesn’t matter because most of it will be enclosed in your neckline seam anyway.
I bagged the lining which is extra-easy with this pattern because the collar is closed up last. When I first learned to sew, we were taught to stitch this area by hand (which never looked good). Thanks to Kathleen, I learned how to bag a few years ago and haven’t looked back! If you haven’t done it before, this pattern does include instructions. Ignore the part about leaving an opening in the sleeve lining. You won’t need it because you can turn the jacket through the neckline seam.
I did handstitch the hem in place after attaching the lining. I like the way it looks better than securing the hem at each seam. On the sleeves I did just tack in a couple of places.
Although I wanted this jacket to be very soft and sweaterlike, I wanted the hems to retain their shape so I interfaced them with bias strips of Textured Weft. I happen to have several bolts of this stuff that I’m trying to use up.
When I got to the sleeves, I searched high and low for the moustache-shaped sleeve heads that Els sent me awhile back. I finally gave up and used bias-strips of tie interfacing instead. I have since located the moustaches – seems they were canoodling with some 1980s-era shoulder pads lurking under my counter. I should post photos of those pads. I can’t believe we ever wore those things!
Speaking of shoulder pads, they are optional in this pattern. However, I think a jacket needs some kind of shoulder shaping, something for the jacket to hang from. I found some very thin raglan pads in my collection, which were perfect once I removed the inner layer.
I always sew my shoulder pads on from the outside. I just feel that I have more control and that they are more secure that way. I sew them on with a small backstitch through the shoulder seam and
around the cap of the sleeve, being sure not to pull the stitches tight. This makes it so easy to shape the shoulder area over one hand while sewing with the other.
All in all, this jacket went together effortlessly. It’s a really nice pattern that I would highly recommend. It’s very nicely fitted through the shoulder and upper chest and really flattering. As I mentioned in my previous post, I usually prefer a fitted jacket and was unsure about this style. I absolutely love it and am so glad I made it!
One thing you need to look out for is the size of the pocket bags. Before trimming, the pocket seam allowance ends up being the same length as the hemline of the jacket. However, the jacket front hemline is a seam so you have some bulk to contend with there in addition to the pocket seam allowance. Add possible drooping of the pocket bag and you can end up with a lump at the hem, which is what happened to me. The fix is easy, I simply sewed the pocket 5/8″ shorter at the bottom. So, if you are working with a soft, drapey fabric be sure to check this before you close up your neckline.
Parting shots:
We have Cattleyas! My poor, neglected orchids still spoil me with their beautiful flowers. Really, I must build a slat house for them this year.
While cleaning out my linen closet (which is, of course, filled with fabric and leather) I found some large remnants of linen that were too small for anything so I made kitchen towels out of them. Linen towels are the best for drying barware!
Check this out! I am planning on making a Chanel-style jacket from this beautiful black wool that I’ve had in my collection for quite some time. I was kind of disappointed that I have less than two yards, not enough for the fringe trim I’d planned. Well, the other day I was in Fabric Hell (aka JoAnn’s) and had a quick look at their trims – something I never do. By the time I got to the end of the aisle I was thoroughly disgusted. That is, until I saw this trim! The perfect trim for my wool! It even has the sparkly cellophane threads! The tag said “mohair fringe” which I seriously doubt since it was only $4.79/yd. Still, it looks awesome with my fabric so I am very pleased.