McCalls 6172 Wool blazer version 2 in Shetland wool from Britex in SF

This jacket shows why I like to make a pattern more than once. When you find a good pattern and get all the fit adjustments worked out, then why not make it multiple times? After all, our wardrobes consist of a lot of basics, be it button front shirts, or a pencil skirt, a fit and flare dress, a knit t-shirt. It's the fabric that makes things look completely different, and also the small details like stitching, pockets or even length that change up the look a lot. I find myself less interested in buying new patterns, particularly for items when the patterns are often so similar. But fabric, I have a lot of restraint but I could find endless pieces to add to my stockpile.

Fortunately my friend and muse Heather usually knows exactly what she is looking for, and when we make a trip to Britex we always find it. How could you not?  their selection is amazing. I grant that you don't go there for bargains or bulk buys. Last time we went shopping we selected this wool as well as 3 silks for coordinating tops. (I say we, because she lets me have a veto which I do exercise against really tricky plaids and stripes).

We took these photos early on a Sunday morning when we were both free. She was on her way to her office to get in some quite-time work undisturbed by clients or her employees. So it was a jeans and t-shirt day but perhaps that shows the versatility of a nice blazer jacket - you can toss it on over just about anything and look put together.

I have a lot of photos of the construction on this jacket - far too many to post but as I was constructing this jacket I took pictures and video which I uploaded to my Instagram Story and saved to a Highlight.




A lot of people have viewed as I've posted this over the past months and I appreciate all the comments and direct messages 😊. The whole series is there and I'll leave it up so it will be a reference.
But for those of you who like to see the insides of garments - here is a sampling of what I included in the Highlight.



Jacket front. I do my own thing when it comes to interfacing, and it all depends on the weight and structure of the fabric. Let's get a round of applause for this pattern which has the collar and lapel roll lines marked on the pattern. You can see that I mark the angles on corners which makes stitching so much more accurate and it goes faster as well. Also I always want to make sure the two jacket fronts are exactly the same so more markings help with that.



Above, collar attached and now clipping, trimming and grading seam as needed, prior to catch-stitching it down with silk thread.






Somebody is liking their pockets!
Since I did a fair amount of fit adjustments to the front pattern pieces I had to decide where to place the pockets and I'm very happy with how they turned out. Here's a look at them in progress. Again the color of this fabric is so different in every picture.



By the way - as I mentioned above this is the second time I've made this pattern, both for Heather. The first one was a solid navy blue that was really a test version - here's the blog post on that one which has a lot of the info on making fit adjustments on this pattern as well as some other info.








Lining sewn in by hand, and a small pleat at the bottom edge so that the lining has space to move and not tug on the bottom edge of the jacket when worn.



Side view and you can see how a two-piece sleeve curves nicely to follow the shape of the arm. Also in the background is a jacket I've sewn for myself, another version of the Pauline Alice Saler jacket in wool with a velvet collar. I started Heather's jacket the week after Christmas and since I had already made one version I just needed her to come by for a final fit check on this one. But she had the bug that was going around so it ended up being postponed for several weeks - but I was still in wool jacket making mood so I decided to do that one. And have already worn it a couple of times. It goes so nicely with a couple of silk shirts - a blog post on those items next.
Also in view is my sewing room table, which is not the most beautiful worktable you can see on the web but it is really functional. I got a few questions on that so in my next Random Threads post I'll show some details and tips on how I made it.



I love this picture! It really shows how well the lining color and the buttons complement this. Which should be credited to the lovely salespeople at Britex who know what they have in stock.

Here are the 3 silks we also found that day which will be tops to go with this jacket. Not sure which fabric will be used for what top pattern I just got Vogue 1412 so that will be for at lease one of these.






Someone really likes that fancy lining :)



So that's a wrap on this wool jacket. Is it spring yet?  Although last week I traced a couple of distinctly wintery patterns from the recent Burda mags so I will have to get to those quickly.

Update on classes at Hello Stitch Studio:  Classes are filling up quickly - so if you want to register I suggest not waiting. I do have a fitting class on a weekday coming up, on Thurs. March 14. After that we still have some spots open in the Wrap dress class (Sat. Mar 23) and in April we have a Lander pants class (always fills up fast) and the Bondi dress class. Tessuti patterns has come out with a really nice new dress pattern, the Coni dress so if the sleeveless Bondi dress is not for you perhaps the alternate one will be just the thing.

Jacket making is in the air - have you seen the sneak peeks of the new Closet Case pattern? which will probably be available to order when you read this. I'm starting to plan for a Jacket Making weekend workshop in October, as I've had a few people from out of town ask me if we are doing that this fall. Since we have a bit of time I'm open to suggestions and questions. It will definitely be a Sat. and Sunday class, but possibly we could add a shopping day and a dinner together. All kinds of possibilities. Message or email me if you want to make a suggestion or with questions. By the way - tentative date, the weekend of October 19.

Happy Sewing, Beth

today's garden photo, this camellia which has big sticky blooms that the bees and hummingbirds love, but if you look closely at the photo above you can see that they fall in a messy heap creating an unintentional red carpet. That red/yellow combo though, so striking.

BurdaStyle 12/2018 # 107 Wrap look dress

The sun is shining today here after a stretch of gloomy weather, so I plan to get outside and do a bit of garden cleanup. It was in the 30's℉ last night but I think winter will swiftly depart so any winter sewing needs to be accomplished soon. (Hurrah - summer sewing ahead!)  I saw this dress in the December Burda magazine and perhaps it was the color in their version that appealed to me, also the fact that it looks like a wrap dress but it's actually not. Which makes it easier to wear and fit.

So I traced it out, sewed it up and while I like the dress I probably won't wear it much. Or ever. I think I'll end up taking off the sleeves, or giving it to a friend. The thing about thin jersey long sleeved dresses is that they just don't work all that well for me. I'm always cold so they are just not warm enough and then once our winter is over they are useless to me. But I do like the color and the shape is reminiscent of some of my favorite knit tops. I think it will go in the magic closet for a while.




I bought this fabric the week after Christmas at Joann's when they had a super sale. I went in there for a few things but ended up buying a bunch of different fabrics for bargain prices. This was maybe $ 4 per yard after coupons etc. I still have a good 1.5 yards left so it will probably be a summer knit top.



Here's the Burda magazine photo from their website. The pattern is also available as a PDF download here.  Before I subscribed I used some of these PDF single purchase patterns and sometimes when I'm tracing I'm actually tempted to do it again :) Actually practice makes it easier - once you have traced a few you get the hang of it and know to look for the notches, grainlines, etc.


In their version I think they have used a thicker knit which I don't like as much, the waist drape part looks a little bulky to me.

Here's the technical drawing. Which is really all I look at when deciding on a pattern. This knit dress has bust darts which make for nice shaping and in a stable knit are probably quite necessary.



Sewing details: I omitted the center back zipper as my fabric was quite stretchy so I could get it over my head and shoulders without it. I think sewing the zipper in that gathered section at the center back would not be fun! but to get it to fit around the waist it does need to fit rather snugly. It also had some gathering at the top of the center back neck part which I skipped as well.

Here's a look at the inside back. The shaping is achieved by a base layer inside which you sew the gathered overlay to, and then you attach the skirt and upper part to that. I sewed the whole front and whole back (as is my habit) and then I stitched up the side seams last, and took it in about 1/4" on each side to get a snug fit at the waist.



I used a knit for the inside, but it is less stretchy than the jersey, so it was good for the base layer. And note - I never use a serger on knits - I really don't care how the inside seam allowances look and they don't unravel so not a concern. I did take in the center back upper bodice a good bit as well, I cut a size 38 in the upper bodice which is mostly fine but typically I take everything in from waist to neckline at the center back (also have to do the same on Vogue, Mccalls etc).




There's the inside front, you can see I took in the side seams about 1/4" more after the first try-on. Also the center front bodice was a bit long, and kind of sagged at the waist, so detached it about 6" across the center front and pulled the wrap portions down a bit and restitched, taking out about 1/2" there in length. Any dress or top with a wrap neckline is likely to need some adjustment and there are a few things you can do even after cutting it out. I wrote a blog post on this topic on the old Craftsy sewing blog - they have migrated those old blogposts to the Blueprint site and the links I have on my own blog still work. Here's the one about Adjusting a Wrap Dress Neckline. 




If you look closely you can see the center front seam of the waist rises up slightly on the dress form but I think when worn it settles in the right place. This is also an accurate version of the color of this fabric. My biggest difficulty lately with blogging and photography is getting the photos to show the fabric color correctly. Of course taking pictures at all times of day and night plus sunny or cloudy weather means I have a multitude of shades of each fabric. Kind of annoying.

This dress started out about 4 inches longer which for me just feels dowdy. So I cut off 4 inches and it's ok now. I didn't hem the skirt, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. You can't see that it's not sewn and since it won't unravel I will leave it as I like the length now












I'm including this picture because I laughed a bit when I looked closely at it. I decided to take photos of this dress, the light was just right outside. In the 5 minutes it took to put it on and go out there the sky opened up and it was pouring hail, plus thunder and lightening. Which rarely happens here!



I wanted to see how this coat looked with the dress, since the color match is so good. I bought this coat ages ago in Italy and I actually don't wear it often, maybe I haven't worn it for 2-3 years. The other day I was thinking I might cut it off and make it into a jacket, then I might get more use from it. The leather is really nice quality but it's a thin coat so not really suitable as a coat - more of a fashion item.

So that's the latest on my Burda Magazine sewing. I just traced a shirt pattern from the January issue (this one)  and it is easy-peasy to sew. I have started stitching it up in a mystery fabric I got for free at a swap which might be a wool challis. Anyway it is a different color palette for me but so far I like it.

Yesterday Heather came by to pick up her wool blazer, so I have a ton of photos to edit and upload for that blog post which I will start on this week. I loved making that - you know tailored jackets are my favorite thing to sew and combine that with gorgeous wool from Britex, ❤️💜❤️. I made version one of this jacket for her back in December, and here's the blog post on all the details for that, which is McCalls 6172, a pattern I highly recommend. Also I posted a lot of in-progress pictures in my Instagram stories and then saved it to a Highlight titled "wool blazer" so you can see sewing details there. But a blog post soon.

Here's a little sneak peek.



So that's some of the latest sewing. I finished a silk charmeuse shirt for myself, and then while waiting for Heather to come by for a final fitting (she caught that respiratory bug that hit so many people) I sewed up another version of the Pauline Alice Saler Jacket for myself. I tell ya, jacket sewing I can't resist. So lots of things to blog.




Happy winter sewing, 
Beth

today's garden photo, yes we have daffodils. And tulips on the way.

Silk version of BurdaStyle 04-2018-105 shirt with dart details

While I'm currently working on a raspberry color silk charmeuse shirt, today's post is my recently completed silk crepe de chine shirt, a pattern repeat that I'm not sure was the optimal choice for this fabric. I decided to use a Burda magazine pattern I previously sewed up in in a print cotton, as the details didn't show on the first version.

The darts look a bit bumpy in this picture - I have subsequently pressed the shirt front again after I saw these dress form photos and the front is smoother. However I think the pattern is a tiny bit problematic just across the upper chest - I found that it needed about 1/4" more fabric at the center where the button band meets the shirt front, which would eliminate a tiny bit of pulling. Although it is not as noticeable when worn - the shape of a dress form never really mimics the curves that a person has. Also in a crisper fabric this pattern definitely works better.



Also while I like that blank wall for taking pictures - eek the color of it is...not good. I am even thinking of painting a white square on that section of my house for optimal sewing project photos. Crazy or dedicated?  My house is a pale sage green color - nice for houses but a bit glum for photo backgrounds.




On the topic of silk, I posted an in-progress photo on my IG of the silk charmeuse and received a comment asking about how I dealt with the static when wearing silk. What? I've never had this issue. Perhaps it has to do with the climate where you are.  We have a fairly consistent humidity and temperature and I never hear people mention a problem with static - in fact it is kind of an unusual occurrence. I think it happens more in cold dry air? So I have no advice on this one.

Again - disclaimer on my embarrassing lack of pressing here:)  or in fact bad pressing to add wrinkles where none should be!
However you can see the seaming on this shirt - it has the interesting sleeves which have a seam at the elbow, lining up with the seam at the waist back and front.



I bought this fabric at Mood Fabrics in NY back in October 2016. It does coordinate with the wool I bought, which I sewed up into a jacket. Here's the post on that jacket and another silk blouse. Why I bought two similar silks I'm not sure.




The other day I did a big closet clean out (along with everyone else in the world, right?) and found these jeans which are kind of a cross between boot-cut and wide leg. They are definitely not skinny jeans, and maybe 7 years old? Anyway I kind of like them again and think they will go back into the jeans rotation.



The sleeve doesn't appear as full in this silk version as it did in the cotton version, I suppose due to the drape of the fabric.

Sewing detail:  I didn't take any photos as I sewed, except for this one. When I do a button front shirt I like to finish the buttonholes, sew on the buttons and then hem the shirt. I've found this is the best way for me to get the center front right, and not have the underneath peek out at the bottom.



Which involves a bit of extra work. I hemmed the shirt bottom, lining up the two sides and then finalized the bottom of the button band.




I quite like the length of this shirt - longish in the back but not too long. I'll have to remember that when I hem my next shirt.



Here's the illustration from the magazine. April 2018. I have searched for other versions of this shirt online, not found many.  I think Burda suffers in that it it's a bit difficult to tag the various specific patterns on Instagram so it makes finding inspiration or comparison difficult.

So that's the latest on my blue silk blouse. I find it a bit funny as I used to dislike navy blue and dark blue in general and now I have quite a few things including 3 shirts in dark blue. Oh well, it's nice to explore the color wheel. Although brown/rust/beige - not going there!

With apologies to everyone in the polar vortex - we have daffodils blooming and yesterday afternoon I was out in the front yard pulling weeds and planting some new succulents. In a t-shirt! Saying hi to people out walking their dogs wearing shorts! It's not really shorts weather although some people do seem to wear shorts all the time. Oh California - so smug until the big quake comes and knocks us into the ocean 😎 Hopefully not in our lifetimes (or anyone's).




Happy winter sewing, and stay warm everybody,
Beth

Today's garden photo - a pink camellia. They are messy shrubs and seem to be all over in the older suburban neighborhoods. I think because they stay green all year round and don't need much to keep blooming. The flowers don't last long but they are pretty and bloom in January when we need some color.

Random Threads # 34: buttons, 30 wears, and can you be too dressed up?

Time for another Random Threads post, it's been a while. The last one was in October and as usual I have a number of topics jotted down on a page in my notebook. Also as usual I have a couple of cryptic notes that probably made sense at the time but today have no meaning. Here's one "measuring suits". I wonder what I meant by that? Yes I resolved to write out my thoughts more clearly so weeks later I could remember - didn't happen:). We shall never know what that topic idea would lead to.

But the rest of my notes make sense so let's dive in.

30 wears:  I've seen this idea around for a while - the challenge to think about whether you will wear something at least 30 times before you purchase. It's a good contrast to fast fashion and the disposability of a lot of ready-to-wear, and takes a more sustainable view of our wardrobes. But what about if you make your clothes? I bet I have a lot of things I made that will never achieve 30 wears, and yet I have a lot of garments that I have kept and worn for upwards of 10 years, worn possibly hundreds of times. Do the two balance out? I'm not contributing to the landfill as so much of my handmade wardrobe is still in my closets, mostly because I can't bear to part with most of the things I've made. I've said before that I think something you wear to a special occasion or a party is almost like a costume - I'm not interested in perfect insides and want to sew those items up fast. And perhaps even pass them on to a friend so they can wear to a party with a different group of people. Coats and jackets - they get the long term treatment, sewn as well as I can, linings that will last, true investment pieces. I think the 30 wears idea is smart, particularly when it comes to shoes, belts, bags - those should be useful and I find the items that I buy thoughtfully and think about future wearings stand the test of time.

Spare buttons:  When you buy a shirt it often has a spare button, which I would snip off and stick in the button jar. And people so often give me the remainder from their closet clean out, which means I have a lot of orphan buttons. But what about when you sew a shirt. Think about all those aforementioned silk blouses and other shirts I'm wearing. Do you set aside an extra button in case you lose one. I'm starting to think I should. New idea is to make a card and attach 1 button each time I make a shirt with a short notation as to which shirt it goes to. For coats and jackets I always buy one extra button - often they are $ 5 buttons and if I lose one I want to be able to replace and not have to invest in a whole new set!




Dressy vs. casual style:  Do you find yourself sewing up things that are slightly too fancy for your day to day life but you want to wear them anyway? and then people ask the very annoying question "why are you so dressed up?"  I wonder if this is a distinctly American question or does it happen everywhere? I dress as my mood takes me, so sometimes I might be a little too dressed up for the occasion - but as stitchers we know the feeling when you've just finished an item and you want to wear it - whether or not the time is ideal. Lately I've been liking the feeling of silk blouses, and decided that I would wear them anytime - regardless of my day's activities. Perhaps this happens more in the winter - the very nature of summer clothes is more casual. And then there is that word fancy. I think this is a word that Americans can understand in the context - we would say things like "come over to eat on Sat, nothing fancy" or "the party was really fancy" or I want to look good but not too fancy" Am I overthinking this word? chime in and tell me if you know just what I mean. I've asked friends from around the world and I find it hard to make an exact translation - in England does fancy mean a costume occasion, and/or a desire?  And my Italian friends offer "elegante". I do love all things linguistic, whether word origin, usage or languages so maybe I just pay more attention that is warranted to this one.

Fashion and Politics intersecting perfectly to me: I happened to see the new Instagram ExcellentCoatsonIrritatedWomen the week that it started, and wow, this has given me a lot of glee over the last month. The profile pic kind of says it all (Nancy P in that fab Max Mara coat) but who knew there were so many great photos of inspiring women wearing great coats. Check it out.

Stuff not yet blogged:  It sounds so trite to say that time is flying by but eek, where do the days go? And I really want to blog just about everything I sew, if only I could sit down and do it. In particular I'm really satisfied at the response to my posts on items I've sewn for my friend Heather. As I say in my sewing classes, everyone probably needs some adjustments on a sewing pattern and I think showing how I get a nice fit on a variety of styles for her is useful. By the way - if I haven't mentioned it before, she is about 5'2" tall. I would love to know how tall people are when I read their blogs or pattern reviews, it really shows how patterns look on various figures and heights. Anyway - here's a silk blouse I made for her in November, we didn't have a chance to take a photo of it on her but perhaps I should blog it - I think the pattern envelope is not really very inspiring but it has very nice lines and sewed up well. Vogue 9086. Plus plenty of options via the seaming for fit adjustments, always a bonus! And a built in hidden-buttonhole front closure which is a great way to learn how to do that clever technique.




Pants pattern poses: I love to see all the different variations on a pattern, on different body shapes, different fabrics etc. Thanks, Internet! But there are certain patterns that people rave about but to me they look slightly awkward in the photos - like they don't quite fit and if you stand a certain way it might disguise the fit issues. For the most part it's pants patterns where I notice this - I might as well get specific, it's those Persophene pants. A lot of what I can call a superman pose - hands on hips, feet apart. These pants have no side seam right? so not much shaping. Does it even matter? if the person likes how they feel that is the important thing. But it is interesting how the fashion pendulum swings from ankle squeezing skinny jeans to wide leg pants. Kind of fun to think what it might be 10 years from now, any predictions?

Coat muslin out of felt:  I happened to see a post recently where someone made their test garment for a coat pattern in felt. Genius! I think they sell cheap 60" wide felt at Joann's, so a low investment and it would behave more like a wool coat than thin muslin ever could. I might have to try this next time I'm doing a coat pattern.

Classes at Hello Stitch Studio: This spring will be two years since I started teaching classes at Hello Stitch - that went by fast as well. We have a bunch of great classes coming up, however I am sorry/not sorry to say that most of the classes in Feb are sold out! It must be something in the air for 2019, I think lots of people finally resolved to learn to sew their own clothes, with more inquiries than ever before. We are doing a Level 1: Learn to Sew Series, the February sessions are full but it will repeat starting in April. and we will also have a Level 2: Learn to Sew series which will be a bit more advanced, and include some work on pattern fitting, plus zippers. We're working on a class series that will focus on Sleeves - how to adjust for fit, tips and tricks for  how to sew in a beautiful sleeve, etc. So if you are interested in that let me know as we haven't finalized it on the schedule yet.
A lot of our classes now are based on a specific sewing pattern, which is a good way to focus on some specific techniques. Spring is approaching and we have spots open in the Wrap dress class in late March, and the Bondi dress in April. But I would say if you are interested in a class - it's better to sign up as soon as you can, we do a waitlist if they are full but no guarantee a spot will open up.

Still available: this upcoming weekend I'm doing the Ash jeans weekend workshop - there are some spots still open in this class. The pattern has really impressed me and I'm looking forward to seeing how it fits on a variety of people. Stone Mountain has the pattern and they have all kinds of great denim and kits if you want to buy everything you need at once. This is a 2-day class, with lunches included. So indulge yourself in a sewing weekend!  By the way - you can use any jeans pattern so if you already own a jeans pattern feel free to use that.



Up next - a slight sewing palate cleanser, as the wool blazer jacket for Heather is just about finished but waiting for a final try on from her, so in the meanwhile I started in on something from the December 2018 Burda magazine. That magazine taunts me - so many things in it I'd like to sew. (well that could apply to so many tempting things, reading blogs, looking at IG, talking with friends, they all make me want to sew something new and different)



This dress will have long sleeves and I'm not convinced on the zipper - will have to get the back attached and see if it's needed. Now I want a teal colored coat. See...always something trying to get on the to-sew list.

Stay warm everybody - sometimes I'm asked if I can even wear a coat here in California as it doesn't really get cold (not my words) anyway this morning at 8:00 am it was about 37℉ so to me that's cold. But by this afternoon it should be in the mid 60's ℉ so I guess I will shut up about the chilly weather. Eek, New England and the Great lakes - how do you survive???   Hang in there - spring is coming, soon I hope.

Happy January Sewing, Beth

Today's garden photo - reaching back to September when I had all kinds of dahlias blooming. 

McCalls 6172 Blazer jacket, including fit adjustment details

Is it just something I notice because I like them, or are blazer jackets everywhere right now? Particularly when I see features on fashion-y websites with the title of "Is it really fall if you're not wearing a (plaid) blazer?" Sounds good to me, and plaid, even better. For some reason sewing a piece that includes a collar and lapel is my happy sewing place. So back in October I had a jacket class on the schedule at Hello Stitch, and also I had a pattern that I thought would work for Heather. So to combine 2 projects in one, I decided to test out this pattern and adjust it to fit her, and then sew up the jacket in my weekend class to demonstrate all kinds of techniques like welt pockets, pressing, interfacing choices etc.

Which meant I wanted to make it wearable - but not invest a lot into it. Also I would be toting it back and forth to the studio so I didn't want to use some precious fabric and have to treat it carefully. Enter the stash sale find. I bought a big piece of mystery fabric (like 5 yards of 60"wide) at the ASG stash sale in early October. It's navy blue, most likely some wool content, but slightly thinner and lighter than I would ordinarily use for a jacket. However it pressed really well, didn't wrinkle and ended up making a not too bad lightweight blazer jacket.

So here is the finished jacket.  By the way - keep reading to see the exact pattern piece adjustments for fit.



I almost felt like this was a proof of concept jacket for Heather - as I just wanted to get the fit right, and see how the length looked, the size of the pockets etc. All in all it turned out well enough to continue ahead with some wool fabric we bought at Britex, for considerably more than I spent at the stash sale (I think $ 6 for the big piece).

Here's the pattern envelope, it's McCalls 6172 which might still be available, or you can find a copy on eBay. It's one of the Palmer and Pletsch patterns which has all the info on fit adjustments, as well as the lines pre-marked on the pattern pieces to do a full bust adjustment, swayback etc. I have found these patterns to be really easy to use and I think if you were trying to get a grip on pattern fit they are a really good place to start. Manju in the UK has used this pattern and wrote "I think I have found my perfect blazer pattern"and hers fits really well.



When it comes to blazer patterns for myself I have an older Vogue one that I've made I think 4 or 5 times, so when you find a nice one with the classic details it pays to get it to fit perfectly and then sew in different fabrics which change the look entirely.

The photos on Heather are not my best, it was late afternoon and I didn't take into account difficulty of photographing dark garment on sunny day, all the details are lost but you can see the fit and proportion are good. She's wearing it over her silk wrap dress and it became an unintentional yet feminine business look. I actually think she will get more wear out of this jacket with a t-shirt or casual cotton top, plus jeans and flats for running around town.




Ok, here's the info many of you are interested in.  I did a full bust adjustment on the jacket front, which gave more circumference as well as added length.
To start I usually trace the pattern piece that I'm altering in case it goes awry and I can start again or have it as reference for measurements. This is particularly helpful if you make adjustments on top of initial adjustments, you need to get the pattern pieces to join together and if you've chopped it up a lot  it starts to get very confusing.

On the left, original jacket front. Note that this is an armhole princess seam jacket, so it has a center front, side front, and then side back and center back.
I wanted to add about 1" at the bust, and the pattern has the lines for doing both a standard FBA as well as the "Y" FBA, which you can see is what I did. Either way you end up with a small dart (I think called a Dior dart) in the princess seam which actually gives some nice shaping. So note that there is a bit more room above the bust due to the FBA, and then more length down the center front (the red lines indicated between the marked buttonholes. I also moved the vertical dart over, or at least left the dart leg closer to the side as it was and just moved the other side nearer it. I remarked the end of the pocket as well (since this adjustment added across the front but the pocket doesn't need to grow).




Here's a close up view on the pockets - always the most stressful part of any jacket! and you can see this isn't the most luxurious fabric, but it was fine for this test version.




I put lining on the inside of the pocket flap, I just like them to be a bit thinner than two layers of the wool fabric. Every little ridge and bump can show with this type of fabric, particularly as it is a solid color. My next version is a shetland wool with many different color wool fibers and it hides everything :)

Gratuitous inside construction shot!  With some white basting thread on the back princess seams as the fit was still being worked out there. For you serger maniacs - note the serger will never touch anything I make that is fully lined - oh no - I think it just makes extra lumps of thread on the seam allowances and is totally unnecessary. A few unravelly bits - learn to deal!




Another quirk of my jacket making - I never use the lining pieces. Too much trouble to get those out of the pattern pieces, I just use the jacket pieces and adapt as needed.

So for the front lining, I overlay the front Facing on the adjusted jacket front, which shows me where the lining would join to the front facing, and then trace a lining piece. Which includes our nice little fitting dart for the win.



In the interest of speed and also it seems to match a classic blue blazer, I did keyhole buttons on my old Singer sewing machine. (Singer 401 if you're interested, the very best buttonholes). Up close and personal here with the attachment, I think I went around two more times and used a wider stitch for a more substantial buttonhole. That's what I like about this attachment, you can go around multiple times in the exact same place to build up the stitches for a really nice buttonhole.






And then I posted the above image on my Instagram and whew - quite the interest in this gadget. Which I call a button sewing gizmo for lack of a better name. You can see it kind of holds the button in place and raises it up various heights so you can achieve the thread shank which is so necessary on outerwear.

When I first started blogging I did a lot more posts with sewing and fit details. Lately with everything on my plate I find it a bit difficult to take all the photos as I sew and then sit down and write a lengthy post. In the interest of documenting the 2nd version of this pattern I decided to do an Instagram story along each step of the 2nd version I am currently making. And then saving each story to create one long Highlight on my Instagram profile page. It has basically turned it into a somewhat dry movie/slide show that will only appeal to serious sewing nerds - my people! So if you don't do Instagram or have a humongous IG feed and haven't seen any of this but are craving more jacket sewing details, including some of my late night narrations you can see the whole thing. (eek, does anyone like to hear themselves recorded?) The jacket isn't quite finished but it's getting near the home stretch.
I hope I won't regret putting this here - there are some serious weirdos that follow on IG - which for the most part I block.  Anyway, go to my home page on IG, it's the Wool jacket highlight.

Forgot about this one - back view. I used the mid-length view on the pattern and didn't change the length at all. I did take it in a bit at the waist in the side back princess seams, probably the same about as I added in the front for the FBA, which then retained the waist shaping.





I might have to try this pattern for myself!

In other sewing news - this upcoming weekend is my Copy Your Garment class - I love this one, where you make a pattern from an existing garment, without taking it apart. Or as Stacey at the studio says "clone your clothes". I think there are just a couple of spots available.
The following weekend is Make Your Own Jeans - 1 pattern/4 styles. I am really impressed with this Megan Nielsen jeans pattern, which I showed in my previous post. 
And then lots of other classes in Feb and March - all listed on the Hello Stitch Studio website. Then I need to think about Frocktails in Feb. with Bay Area Sewists. Because I need something to wear, ha ha. Might have to do a deep closet dive to find something that hasn't had many outings.

it's a very rainy here all week so ideal for staying in and finishing up so many projects.
Happy Sewing,
Beth

summer throwback - is it spring yet? I see a few of these petunias in my yard that are surviving and may live to bloom another summer.