Rainy Day Bridge

SWAP 13 , the bridging garment - a reversible raincoat.

This is what finishing an inside seam on a two piece sleeve looks like. 

I started to mess about with a fancy stitch along the edges of the reversible coat as a finishing technique and it looked pretty good, but after all that forcing through the machine for a clean seam finish the raw edge started to fray a little and it became messy and untidy.

I was lucky enough to have a 3" strip of the black jersey along one selvedge of the fabric without the twill attached, so I cut this off and being jersey it was malleable enough to stretch around curves and points. No need to bias it. This also does not fray but my straight stitching and stitch-in-the-ditch techniques are abysmal so I choose a feather stitch on the machine that was wide enough to catch all the edges in one pass.

Not perfect, but adequate and does finish the coat to a higher standard. Thanks to all of you who suggested the bias strip - it worked! The trim goes all the way around the entire coat; lapels, sleeves and hem. I think I just about made it and fretted that I would run out of the black jersey to complete the job. The gods were smiling on me that day and I had a measly 7" left over.

As for the collar - I attached it as usual on one side - making the assumption that this is the 'right' side. 

On the other side, I slipstitched the seam allowance under to hide the raw edges. Let's hope it holds. the collar is the only bit of this coat that has two layers. I didn't add interfacing as it sits well enough on its own. The twill is fairly stiff and required the use of a jeans needle in the machine to get through it.

All the seams are flat felled and nearly even!

Although I added an extra 20" to the pattern to get a full length coat, it was actually too long. I was aiming for about knee length. So I had to whack off another 4-5".

With the cut off hem I made a black belt for the days when I wear the coat inside out.

I also added a single button closure at the front for the times when I want the coat closed but not belted. My machine was not in good form for making buttonholes and the whole area was frayed and smashed beyond repair. I added a patch to cover the mess and I suppose it's better this way as it reinforces the buttonhole. From the button box came two different buttons to match either side. They are sewn back to back so some days I'll button to the left and other days I'll button to the right. 

And just in case  you thought I am wonder woman to get all this sewing done I'd like to point out that I'm off work on half-term and though I should be marking and prepping, I didn't think a little dedicated sewing time would hurt anyone. Now however, I'll be sitting up 'til 2am on Sunday morning to get ready for Monday!

Rainy Day Welts

I have returned full time sewing time to concentrating on my SWAP '13 and I'm currently tackling the bridging garment - a raincoat/trench. This will keep both Audrey and Katherine protected in inclement weather, but perhaps by the time I have it finished summer will be here.

The fabric is a reversible showerproof and fleece. No, that doesn't quite describe it correctly. On one side is a showerproof taupe twill and on the other side a black jersey. The description on the internet said gold and navy but the navy is so dark that to my eyes, it's black. Regardless, the fabric has been cut to Butterick B4865 (OOP)  and lengthened by 20". I bought this pattern for $1 in the OOP sale around Christmas time. I went for style D with turned back cuffs, revers, no official closures and a belt. All style have raglan sleeves which should make it loads easier inserting the sleeves and easier to finish a straight seam rather than a circular one.

I'm thinking that an unlined jacket will be quick and fairly simple to knock out - in fact Butterick actually wrote the words FAST & EASY on the envelop - well it might be, but a reversible jacket is a whole different ball game. All the seams must be neat and tidy and finished; the collar is proving to be dilemma as I'll seem to have a raw edge somewhere; and how do you hem and finish the raw edges? I can't use interfacing or facing to turn the lapels. There's a lot of thinking to be done on this project yet.

In the meantime, before I tackle all the problems, I made the pockets. Here is a brief tutorial on making welts and covering up the untidy reverse with a patch pocket - same hole, two entries.

I made a tie belt while I ponder the finishing techniques. I don't have an overlocker (serger) and although the fabric doesn't fray an unfinished edge is just a bit too casual for this look. Any ideas?

Curtains

I really didn't intend to make a coat.

My mother has a friend, who has a friend who used to make soft furnishings for hotels until he retired earlier this year. Since then he has been clearing out the warehouse and workshops and every so often a piece of fabric ends up in our house. Most of the curtains we own are the same as those hanging in local 5* hotels.

The latest donation was a single curtain - more like a panel - 60" wide and approx 2m long. No obvious right or wrong side and a fairly heavy and substantial weave. Not too many natural fibres are contained therein but heck, it's free!

After my speedy sewing of the straightforward and simple Pattern Magic pieces, I was in the mood for instant gratification - well I'm like that most of the time really.

Out comes Vogue 1137 - this is fast becoming a favourite. I made a dressier version here.

Ignore all the reversible stuff and just go for a single layer coat with finished inside seams. The pattern is for an evening/opera coat. Doesn't sound too simple does it?

Believe me, this is the easiest and quickest yet most dramatic patterns I've ever sewn. Kimono sleeves so you know what that means - no easing! And I even eliminated the centre back seam this time too by cutting on the fold. I kept the selvedge edge of the fabric at the front opening, so not even a bit of interfacing or facing. Cutting on the fold and using the selvedge edges also meant, no straight of grain measuring either.



One collar, two shoulder seams, two sides seams, two pockets, two added cuffs (with selvedges), three hours sewing and done!





No buttons or zips.

A tiny bit of hand slipstitching the collar in place.

Hardly any scrap leftover.




1, 2, 3 -  Too simple!


It's like a big blanket. Cosy and surprisingly warm. You could put a week's groceries in those pockets.

I think that the Pattern Magic challenge has changed my perception - simple shapes, minimal sewing yet producing shaped and pleasurable clothes. You didn't think of that, Marianna, when you came up with the idea!

Don't get me wrong, you know I love a bit of tailoring and hand padstitching but I'm fast becoming enamoured with the idea of simple pattern shapes and what can be made from them without darts, seams and interfacing. Not necessarily 'easy' patterns, more like 'interesting'.


Do you have 'interesting' patterns?
What is it about them that you like?

The 62 Years Suit

These two were made for each other and there's only 62 years separating them. The skirt from Vogue DK 1324 circa 2012 and the opera coat, also from Vogue vintage 1950. Perhaps the longest 6PAC to complete ever!

I made the skirt previously in leather so I knew what the pitfalls and hazards were,  however, sewing it up in a wool woven was so much easier.

First up, the lining is an integral part of the skirt: it is sewn to the middle waistband and then turned to the inside. I also caught my lining into the back split. I couldn't quite make heads nor tails of the instructions for that part so I just went with what worked.

Trickiest bit - the side waistbands! Yet another of my pet hates and things I'm miserable at - sewing into a point, pivot, and sew. I just cannot do this with a machine so I either resort to hand stitching or working out an alternative construction method. As every seam on the skirt is top stitched (even the darts) I used this as my alternative method - folded in the seam allowances and topstitched to the skirt; similar technique to the Issey Miyake shirt collar but used the machine instead of hand stitching.

The skirt has triangular side panels rather than side seams and these create interest and shape. I find them to be somewhat slimming and flattering but that might just be wishful thinking and my rose tinted glasses.
This is a better picture for the actual colours of the fabric - it is duck-egg blue and taupe in wiggly, zig-zaggy lines.

Next thing to keep your eye on is the invisible zip closure at centre back - match those waistbands on either side as the zip extends all the way to the top. Mine went in twice!

The matching coat is fabulous - not my particular making of - but the style and wearability is just excellent. The pattern is for a reversible coat, patch pockets, 3/4 length kimono sleeves, stand up collar and huge cuffs. I did search for a suitable matching/coordinating fabric with which to make the reverse but came up empty. I couldn't take a chance on internet shopping because of colour matching. I went ahead and made the coat in an unlined version.

The fabric frays like mad and the seams would be on show without a lining, so I flat felled them all, like in a man's shirt. 

The top stitching on the coat now reflects the topstitching on the skirt! The coat is loose and swingy - no buttons or closures - but you could add them. For the front facings I used the interfacing pattern piece and slip stitched the collar over the raw edges.

 I didn't pay attention to how the stripes of the fabric would lie so there is a kind of mixed up pattern thing going on. The pockets are self lined and the big flap is loose and just folds over. I'll be wearing this with jeans and trousers and pyjamas and anything else I can possibly get away with - I love it so much. Big winter blanket comes to mind - but be warned the sleeves are extremely narrow just below the elbow and would need widening with a thicker, chunkier fabric.

Worn above with the wierdo Donna Karan batwing top and worn below with the Issey Miyake shirt. 

 My first attempt at a coordinated, planned (LOL), synchronised sewing set.

If you have been waiting on pics of the leather pants, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. My sewing machine isn't playing so most of the stitching is now being done by hand. If they ever get finished and don't fall apart on first fitting it will be a miracle. Could well be made into a bag yet......

and now for something completely different....

I've been blogging for nearly two months and looking back over the posts I've made in that time has  made me re-evaluate my style. Are the clothes I make boring? (well maybe). But there's nothing in my wardrobe that says extraordinary, avant-garde, designer - WOW - set the world alight! I think what I make is SAFE: conventional clothes.

Leading up to the Christmas period I set to sewing stuff I would never have contemplated before. I rattled up a few things that I would probably never buy as RTW and pushed the comfort zone perhaps into mutton territory. Anyway, it's only you and me and a few close friends who have seen me in this stuff, so no member of the general public was traumatised or harmed in any way........and now for something completely different.......

Full length long haired white fur coat, patterned jersey scoop neck (sleeveless) T-shirt,
(p)leather Clovers.

The Clovers turned out just fine - though more adjustments were needed with a different fabric but not many. I omitted the pockets this time, really to save time but also to go for a smoother finish at the front.

The really good thing about the Clovers is that you can wear boots over them without the ugly and uncomfortable bunching up of fabric around the knees and they look just as good with a pair of shoes.








I avoided the invisible zip on this pair and went for a partially  exposed jeans zip - chunky metal teeth. A bit wiggly at the end because you only get to sew (p)leather once, so mistakes just have to be lived with.

 The problem with (p)leather is when you sew you puncture the fabric and every drop of the needle leaves a hole and no amount of steam pressing is going to take them out. Talking of pressing - use a pressing cloth - the last thing you want is melted (p)leather all over your ironing plate.  When sewing you can take in but never let out without a row of holes showing, so it's crucial that you're happy with the seams before you sew at all. Of course, you can't pin or tack (baste) either except in the seam allowance so trying on is somewhat difficult - bit of guess work really and just hope for the best. Sew large, try on inside out and mark up the take-in with tailor's chalk. One other thing - use a fairly large stitch length, minimum 2.5mm, as this row of puncture holes will act as a perforated edge and your trousers (pants) will just rip apart the first time you sit down!

The other problem is that the (p)leather sticks to the foot and the plate in the machine. You can buy a Teflon foot specifically for the purpose but time and £££ were an issue for me here. The Heath Robinson solution is to sandwich the fabric between two bits of greaseproof paper.  Once sewn, gently pull the paper away.

Try to sew as much as possible with the (p)leather to the inside to avoid this but hemming is the one place it can't be dodged.

I used a jeans needle in the machine too.

The T-shirt is McCalls M6078. Two pieces, front and back, both cut on the fold - wee buns!

It has a scooped neckline and the pattern comes with a variety of finishes and options. My fabric came from Tissu and is a four-way stretch lycra.

Burda 11/2011

The coat pattern is Burda magazine 11/2011 Fur Coat. I downloaded the pattern and printed it out; matched up all the A4 sheets and cut out a 42. With faux fur you want to keep the pattern as simple as possible - this coat has a back, two fronts and one piece sleeves. Each piece has to be cut out on single fabric as the fur was so thick the scissors wouldn't cut through. Also with fur, just cut the backing fabric not the fibres.

I made some alterations to the original - lowered the neckline and added a rolled collar with the intention of attaching fur hooks to the collar as a closure. I also lengthened the coat by 30cm (12") for a more luxurious feel.

The black satin lining is cut from the same pieces.

As most faux furs have a knit fabric as the base there is a little stretch inherent in the fabric. I used this to insert the sleeves before the sides were sewn. No easing of sleeve caps is needed as you sew the sleeve on the flat like a shirt sleeve. Sew the shoulder seams, mark your natural shoulder length on the fabric and match up the centre sleeve with the shoulder seam and pin the armhole edges together. Gently stretch the fronts and backs to fit the arm scythe as you sew. No easing, no wrinkles, no gathers.

The verdict?

When DH saw me in this, and I quote, "You're not going all glamourous are you?" So obviously he prefers the safe-look, or in his words, classic. However, he does like the (p)leather Clovers - as do I - so I think a second pair in tan or light brown might be just around the corner.

The coat is a no-no. It tickles my face and neck and is just too much Yeti for my liking. Added to which, I make a full-length fur coat and the temperatures here are sitting at a balmy 14 degrees Celsius, about 57 F.  Teenage son's friend wants some furry cushions for his bedroom/pad so this is probably where the coat will end up.

The T-shirt is grand - I'll keep it and make many more for summer time.

All in all, two out of three ain't bad.




Thanks for reading. Ruth