Chanel project - 3 - Quilting

After a lot of research and testing, I settled on hand quilting with silk thread. Machine stitching resulted in puckering, the rolling foot, was even worse. Even with hand basting, the cotton thread seemed to "catch" on the wool. I like the control that the hand quilting offered. This also gives me a little "Zen" sewing where I'm one with the fabric. The silk thread has a great deal of luster compared to the wool, so it's important to bury the thread in the wool when quilting.

Hand Quilting Face


Lining view (black is basting stitch, white is silk quilting stitches)


This is from Claire Shaeffer's "Couture Sewing Techniques", the quilting is done by machine, this is the continued lining instruction.

Chanel project - 2 - Lining

I have seen some wonderful examples of silk charmeuse linings, but I didn't have any in my stash, so continued research on Chanel linings to look for a substitute. I've seen, China silk, as well as striped silks, so since this is just my first I settled on a Dupioni silk (since it's in my stash, and I have quite a bit of it). I cut a 2 yard piece, ran the ends through a serger and washed & dried it. It shrank considerably, in length 10", in width not as much. Putting it in the dryer gave the silk a "hammered" effect. I don't mind this, it's still slippery (though not as much as a satin), and for this purpose it is fine.

Roll in original state, bottom has been washed & dried.


Note to self: Put silk charmeuse on the list for next time...

The Chanel Project- 1 - Pattern, Muslin & Fabric Selection

My Chanel jacket is off to a skitzophrenic start, just when I thought I found the perfect pattern, it made me look boxy, then moved onto another style, which fits very well, and is very flattering, so I've borrowed sleeves from vogue 8259 (3 part sleeve) and body from vogue 8369. First I would like to say that, I ended up cutting 2 sizes smaller than what was dictated by my largest measurement, and adding back about an inch around the center back upper back for ease. This is where making a muslin was VERY useful.






Then moving onto the fabric choice, I had some pattern pieces that my mother cut years ago, and I thought I would recut it for this jacket. It's a very unusual fabric with gold mylar, and ribbon interwoven with the wool. Then I got nervous thinking that something bad would happen and that there would be no correcting it. I searched the stash and found a woven plaid, but it is really just too light, almost tropical weight. So Fabric Mart had a sale and for $3.00 a yard after their web discount, I bought 2 yards of wool (not boucle), that I thought would be suitable.

(Fabric Mart wool on left, stash wool on right)


(Precious stash fabric & cut pieces)


Now that I've worked with the Fabric Mart wool, I've decided that it looks more Armani than Chanel.... well it's only $6.00, and I need the practice, so away I go.

Note: Request samples of Linton boucle ("gold standard" for boucles & Chanel jackets)

Make your own patterns - Bias cut camisole

I found this blog last year, it has pattern making instructions for a number of projects (take your time and peruse). I popped in "bias cut" and up popped the instructions for a Bias cut camisole. Even though the blog has closed officially, the projects are still there.

Weekend Designer

How a dress form is made - Wolf

Finding it difficult to sew today... so I'm still on the How Stuff Works website and found a great video on how a dress form is constructed. (there's a 20 second commercial before it starts, mine was Toyota).

Wolf Dress Forms

Animation Loop formation on sewing machines

I found this animation which shows, how loops are formed in a sewing machine. When I first started out, I was always curious how these machines seem to magically form loops. You'll need to scroll down a little to see both animations.

Sewing Machine loop

Chanel jacket 2010

Can you guess? This will meet two of my 2010 sewing goals. Researching Chanel jackets.