Finally!!! and I did actually wear this today just like this...60 degrees was the perfect temp, but it turns out its really really hard to photograph in any detail.
I ended up closing the door on my sewing room for a few days and taking a break. Staring at it was not helping...and It finally occurred to me that because one of my shoulders is higher than the other, the entire collar end on the left needed to be sewn half an inch lower...effectively compensating for the higher shoulder and leaving both sides of the collar lining up correctly.
I really like this pattern, it has some gorgeous design lines, is super flattering, and for anyone who has made a jacket or two before, not difficult to put together.
Size wise, I ordered the 10 and found it to be quite big, there seems to be a lot of ease built into this jacket...I had made a muslin before I started, but with the amount of padding I included in the actual jacket it was hard to know just how to alter it before I started...so I kind of graded and fitted as I went along...
I've been hoarding a couple of beautiful Valentino silks as well as some cotton fil coupes fabric's for a few years, that I originally bought for a dress and a peplum.
Unfortunately, I only had one yard of each design, so I had to plan the placement really well.
(Fil coupe has a cut out is done by a machine which removes certain areas and then an under layer of organza is attached for support)
Its very soft and pliable, and feels a lot more silk than cotton...its so so beautiful.
As it’s structurally pliable its not ideal for a jacket without additional support..... and so it ultimately just ended up coming along for the ride.
I spent a few days trying to decide before I left for Baltimore what I would use for the padding. It finally occurred to me that my tailoring felt would work well...its’s thin, very lightweight and flexible, the only issue was that I only had grey.
Thankfully, one of the lovely women in Baltimore had a cotton sheet that matched the Valentino colors perfectly (thanks Diane!!) so I was able to use this as a lining...
In total, the jacket ended up with a total of four layers, the Fil coupe/raised design, white organza underlining, the cream sheeting and the felt.
and while the felt gave it the look I wanted, sewing it was time-consuming. I had to change needles every three seams or so, as the layers kept making the needles dull.
Quilting was a simpler process, once I found an invisible pen that worked well.
The winner was the cheapest little pen from Jo-Annes, it disappeared with the smallest amount of water instantly.
Once I began the quilting, it became obvious really quickly that the fabric depth meant all the quilting lines were just sinking into the fabric and disappearing. Susan thankfully suggested running two threads into the needle, something I had not done before and it worked beautifully.
It made each line pop amazingly and really gave it the look I was after.
I also learnt a new way to add a facing to the pocket so that all the seaming could be hidden, while Style Arc had included a small tab, Susan suggested treating it more as a bound button to give the inside a neat clean finish and enclose the seams completely... I got a tutorial which was awesome..
Marking the side panel pocket placement...
Marking and sewing the lines..
Then I joined the side panel to the side front panel and pick stitched the zipper in, before sewing the pockets to the inside.
The sleeves were a real test in patience, the sleeve heads were four layers thick, joining the armseye (four layers thick) and they all needed to be basted for fitting and then sewn.
There was no way to use a sewing machine as there was just to much fabric to manipulate so the whole thing had to be sewn by hand...
I tried for an hour, and got half way around the first sleeve but I admit my fingers were not up to the task...I had to keep stopping to clean up the blood spots!
So I was incredibly grateful when Susan took pity on me, and used her iron fingers to get that needle around both sleeves in a perfect back stitch... and as they have been sewn on like a LFJ they fit perfectly. I swear they are beautiful!
You might have seen on Instagram that I ended up having to make the collar from scraps, I kind of knew that might happen so I had been saving every piece I trimmed.
and of course as none of it was in big enough sections I had to split the upper collar into three, and then join them together...luckily all the applique I sewed on kept the seams from showing.
The under collar was split in two and cut on bias, then lined with felt so it appeared as padded as the jacket.
Collar on finally...
So, once that was sewn and my fit issues resolved it was on to lining.....and I had a good one for this!
It’s on my small dress form, as my real "me" one is broken, so it’s not looking its best, but I think the colors go so well with the outside fabric...as well as my magnolia tree! Its some stash charmeuse Cavalli that I bought from Mood LA a few years ago. The print is huge and better suited to linings I've decided.
In summary - The ease in this pattern is generous and it definitely needs some fine-tuning so you wear it so it does not wear you.
I left the back middle and side panels untouched but removed approx an inch off each side of the SF, middle front and front panels, I also added some shaping to the center front panels.
Because of the nature of my fabric, I also found I needed to shorten the yoke by almost two inches. In a soft pliable fabric, the yoke would curve nicely over the shoulder but mine was too stiff and thick. It sat on the top of my shoulder and pulled the front and back bodice away from my body.
Wishing everyone a lovely week!
I'll be back Monday with sew along supplies, dates etc.
Leisa :-)