Vogue 8600 – Jacket
I finished this jacket-sewed it in a corduroy with snap closures. At first, I wasn’t really pleased with it, but I wore for a day and I do really like it. I might even make it again but in a lighter weight fabric for spring. It is a nice jacket to wear with just a T-shirt underneath.
I made up a muslin first that fit pretty well. This is a tight fitting jacket with a large collar (which really adds to the whole look).
The jacket is unlined, so I just used a Hong Kong finish for the fabric edges ( I don’t own a serger). For the bias I used cotton scraps that I had – normally, I would use silk organza, but I didn’t have enough and I really didn’t have the time to drive downtown (LA- fabric district) and pick some up.
Initially, I had planned on using piping (in contrasting corduroy) along the bottom edge between the jacket and the bottom band, but it was just too stiff so I took it out. The only piping I did use was between the sleeves and the cuffs.
Of course, as with all sewing projects (at least with my sewing projects) I needed to look a few things up, like how to sew on the snaps.
This came from a Kenneth King article entitled, Master the Hand Stitch #2, in Threads, Vol.136, May 2008, p. 66. However, in the end, I just wanted to get this done so I didn’t really following the article – but it is nice to know there is a reference (maybe my next jacket I will follow this?!).
And of course, I had LOTS of assistance in making this jacket, too:
My cat, Darby, who finds sewing SO tiring for the her that she had to take a nap. And, my other cat, Fitzwilliam, had to check out the fit eventhough I wasn’t done yet, as you can see. The last snap still is not completely sewed on.
For my next project? Not sure yet. Perhaps my cats have a suggestion!
Another finished project!
I did it. I finished another ‘unfinished project’. Of course, I used the worst fabric – quite possibly the worse fabric choice available. Well, maybe not that bad, but- The problem is the fabric is ‘flocked’. Who knew they made flocked fabric – I thought only Christmas trees got flocked. I purchased this fabric at JoAnns – where sometimes you can get some great fabrics and sometimes you don’t! Anyway, the jacket can’t be dry cleaned and I can’t wash it since I, of course, over tailored it. But – I DID FINISH IT! Here’s another look at the lining, too. I purchase this at Michael Levine’s and I love animal prints. The buttons are from my stash. I know there has been some blog-chatter about using ’stuff’ from you stash just because its from your stash, but I love it when someone makes a garment and they use unique and interesting buttons/closures/trim or whatever that they bought years ago. There’s a story there and as a sewer I want to hear the story. 
Another project completed!
I just finished yet another of my unfinished coats. I finished it several days ago and I am just now posting it here.
- Vogue 8123
Its Vogue8123, considered an ‘easy’ pattern, which doesn’t necessarly mean that I get them done faster. I purchased the button at Michael Levine’s (downtown), but I broke the back of it, so I just sewed it on flat, so the button won’t go through the buttonhole. Oh well!
My Coat of 100 Mistakes
It is done! I just picked my coat up from the dry cleaners and I can’t wait to wear it. I have christen it, ‘My Coat of 100 Mistakes’. It has taken me about seven months to finish this coat and there are SO many mistakes in it – maybe 100 is a conservative guess. I doubt Iwill be making another coat any time soon. How many coats does one need in sunny Southern California? So, what did I learn by making this coat -a few highlights:
- Underlining. Yes, I should have underlined this fabric, which unraveled just by looking at it.
- Extra wide seam allowances. Okay, I made it with 5/8 ” as per the instructions, but with this fabric I should have used at least 1 ” since the fabric unraveled so well.
- Bound Buttonholes. I should have had professional buttonholes made rather than the bound buttonholes- why? Once again the fabric was difficult to work with and the bound buttonholes were tricky and not as nice as I would like or should be.
The fabric I purchased at Fabric Land (in Orange, CA). The pattern is Simplicity 3966. I think this pattern is out of print. Not sure, you would have to check on it.
Of course, what would a coat be without some ‘fabo’ lining. I normally use (in my blazers) silk charmeuse in some crazy pattern. I know, all you professional tailors and my fellow tailoring students are now cringing – traditional tailoring requires a sedate color lining, but I love silk and fortunately for me, Michael Levines’ (downtown) has a ‘fabo’ selection of silk charmeuse. But having said all that, I ended up using a polyester fabric for lining! Why? Well, I saw this at Journal Fabrics and just fell in love with it.
I used the not-so-right-side for the right side of the lining. To bad I didn’t buy more and I could of made a dress, too. Oh well, maybe next coat (in about ten years)!
So there it is. I have finished one of my many projects!
Next week I will be going downtown and will be buying lining fabric (no doubt – silk charmeuse) for my three completed blazers that just need lining and buttons. So stay tuned for me finishing some more projects and now, I’m going out. To where? Who knows- but I’m going to wear My Coat of 100 Mistakes!
