Welcome back. This post is all about the sleeves. Again, it's not a tutorial, just an overview of the process. For us sewists there's a great deal of satisfaction to be had by a well set sleeve. Am I right? Do you find yourself looking at the sleeves on couture garments on Style.com? I do. [...]
Category: tailoring
Working on the jacket fronts
Today I finally had time to tackle the jacket fronts. I'm making this jacket out of a raw silk patchwork fabric. As much as I like the look of it, it's proving to be a challenge to work with. It's very loosely woven with flaws and slubs everywhere. Not to mention that it frays and [...]
The 8 degree (-13 C) photo shoot.
The "not so much wool" pea coat is finished! It was 8 degrees here in Maine today, so I'm wearing a flannel shirt, wool sweater and scarf under the coat. On a day like today I'm very glad I decided to add the flannel underlining to the back. I think it really made a difference. [...]
Setting the sleeves
Before setting the sleeves a 3/4" strip of pocketing is pressed into a curve and then basted into the armscye to prevent stretching. I then gathered the top of the sleeve between the notches with a long machine basting stitch. Mr Cabrera doesn't do this. Instead he bastes the sleeve into the armscye stating "Do [...]
Lining the sleeves
The patterns for the sleeve lining are easily made by tracing. Extra fabric is added at the vent and at the sleeve head. My tailors chalk from B Black and Sons makes this very easy to do. Knowing how much I hate working with lining material, the quicker and easier this job can be done [...]
Making the sleeves
Since my last post, the better part of a day was spent sewing the lining into the jacket body. There will be some detail shots later, but the process isn't really worth belaboring. I'm just glad it's done. The next step is sewing and setting the sleeves. At this point Mr. Cabrera has one [...]
Patterns? We don’t need no stinkin’ patterns!
This post is all about "collar insanity". I never dreamed the collar would be completely handsewn and created "on the fly". Here goes. Hold on. Only the undercollar pattern is used. The seam allowances are trimmed off and a piece of bias cut French canvas is attached to one side. I used a fusible from [...]
Getting back on the horse
I've regained my composure after the lining fiasco, and I'm soldiering on. Getting out the Swedish tracing paper is where I should have started in the first place. I've laid it over the jacket front and drawn a new pattern. I actually went back to my old "gal pal", Edna Bishop to do this. The [...]
The crash!
I'm sure no one is crazy enough to be sewing along with me, but if you have the Cabrera book there is a huge error (or at least an area of potential confusion) on page 117! BEWARE! This is the beginning page of "The Lining". Of course he has you toss out any patterns you [...]
The slippery slope
We all know the feeling. You're dutifully following the instructions and then things start to get a little crazy. The coat fronts are moving along nicely, and then Mr. Cabrera tells me to throw out the facing pattern that comes with the pattern, and just wing my own. Oh man, this is the slippery slope. [...]
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