A Garment A Week – Week 26 – 02/07/16

Woo Hoo celebrating making it halfway through the year!  I’m so proud of getting this far 😀

 
This week another jacket for Jonny to wear to work.
I definitely underestimated the time these jackets take to make!
I still have at least an hour of hand stitching and tacking to go, plus getting the buttonholes done and buttons on. It’s taken approximately 13-14 hours to get this far!
It has taught me a lot too and I don’t think a second version would take as long 🙂

The pattern was taken from an early 80’s pattern and then massively adjusted when fitting the mock – it really is hardly the same pattern anymore. And I do think I may have taken in too much across the back shoulders. As it pulls a little now 🙁

The outer fabric is a vintage NZ wool – a piece that came from Mum’s fabric stash! It is quite a light fabric and was easy to work with. I should have made the lining from a beautiful satin or brocade but I realised that after cutting the plain old acetate lining lol.

There is quite a bit of interfacing in the relevant areas and luckily you can’t see inside the jacket as I had no canvas or thick interfacing so I have hand tacked in a stiff tulle! To help keep the shape and firm up the wool.  My stitching is really rough but it’ll do the job, I understand why tailors take up to 60 hours to complete one suit jacket!

 I also hand stitched in a strip of cotton tape around the fold line of the front and collar, to help it turn in the right place.  And across the shoulder seams so they won’t stretch.

There are two welt pockets with flaps on the lower front which are possibly a little skinny and the top breast welt pocket is definitely too small, but it looks ok. There is also a hidden welt pocket in the lining.
The sleeve cuffs are split just at the hem but they look like the split goes higher, there will be 3-4 buttons on each soon. Just for looks though no buttonholes. Thanks to all the sleeve shortening I do at work for being able to understand these cuffs!

A single vent (split) at the base of the centre back for movement.
I’m unsure whether to put 2 or 3 buttons on the front – let me know what you think?
The collar still needs some more work – I think tacking all the layers together will help and definitely a really good press – my iron isn’t the best.
I’ll feel triumphant once it’s properly finished 🙂
Here’s to the next 26 weeks!

And just because – I love this picture! <3