Another Impressive jacket Snoop Shopping

The giveaway is extended to June 1st, I think a lot of people were away for the holidays, and I want to give everyone a chance.  So just leave your comments here on the giveaway post.

I went snoop shopping again, it's as much fun as I can have without spending money, and it's educational to boot.  This was an outing to explore what other designers do for jacket trim.  This would have totally worked for the pink jacket but I wanted to try the fringe, so this will go in my fashion folder.  There was a lot to like about this jacket, the cut is really interesting and the details were executed really well.

The braid on this jacket is readily available, I think they may even have it at Joann's.  The tulle or netting is probably cotton, so that is a bit of a specialty item, but you could probably substitute a sheer fabric or something else in it's place.

The jacket is fitted but not crushing, the darker peplum is good for those of us who want to camouflage a wider bottom.  The braid and buttons can be easily obtained.  I love the silk charmeuse lining, bias binding on the facing. the inside pocket, and the grosgrain button closure detail (although functional it is cumbersome to operate).  The fabric was very stiff, so I am assuming that it is fused to interlining, not a big fan of that.  In contrast to the other jacket I snoop shopped last week, I like that this one is impeccably finished on the inside. Here is the matching skirt, with the same details.  While this is not my style, I really enjoyed seeing fine workmanship.

Close up of seam and trim.

Annoyances Sewing and other stuff

I started reading, yet another motivational book, they can be useful if you have a goal in mind and need a jump start.  This book started with getting rid of petty annoyances, they suggest you start with a list.  Here's my list.  They suggested that you start with 100 items.... I excelled coming up with 140, and I add to it as I remember new things.  You may not realize how many little (and big) things you put up with in a day.  It was slow starting but once I got going it snowballed.  So this will be on my to do list for the rest of the year.

The reason for listing them, is so that you can take action on them, I had to start a column in the center to group annoyances that were related.  Some of them are long term, others can be taken care of in a day.  Some pleasurable (manicure, pedicure), some not so much (unclogging the drain in the guest bedroom, cleaning out the refrigerator, washing the floors, laundry, ironing).  So every time you find yourself looking at something and thinking, I need to get to that, and don't do anything about it, it's like clutter in your brain, and it will start to slow you down.

So let me help you get started....
- sew on that button on those pants you never wear because they have no button
- Final touches on a garment that is 98% finished
- Empty out garbage bins
- Hemming
- Clean the bathrooms
- Shave
- Pluck stray hairs
- Practice buttonholes

You can assign yourself 1 a day  or just power through the list as you banish those annoyances.  If you can group them and give yourself a deadline.  It's a fun exercise and can jump start motivation.  Also don't forget to treat yourself when you've tackled some of these items.  A walk in a park, or the beach, a vanilla ice cream cone dipped in chocolate, a soak in the tub, 10 minutes a night reading a book, try out some of those body products you've been hoarding, make yourself a cup of tea and have it in that fancy china you never use, go to a high end store and snoop shop (don't forget to take your camera and post pics).

 

 This coincided with my reading the Singer Sewing Book by Mary Brooks Picken first printed in 1949.  She was the Martha Stewart of sewing in her time.  Now why would I link these two books together?   The second chapter To Sew Successfully, with subsections Mentally - Physically - Materially - Plan For Sewing Time.

Specifically she addresses how all of these areas affect our sewing, and that some of the tasks are tedious and annoying (who has ever had to rip out yards and yards of stitching).  Her recommendation is that you practice those tasks, over and over again, until you no longer find them tedious or annoying.  It's good advice, I'm sure there are a few techniques that I do my darndest to  avoid, that I should be practicing.  Before I can get to that though, I have to clean off the dining room table so I can continue working on my jacket.

So what's on your list of annoyances?

Chanel jacket Shaping rounded corners

Progress has been slow, but finally the pockets have been formed, now they need some interfacing, lining and they'll be ready to be attached.  So I thought I'd show you how to shape rounded patch pockets.  This pocket is not the original included with the pattern, these I draped on the jacket.

Up to this point, the pockets have been cut, they have been thread traced.

The next step is to run two parallel lines of stitching at the rounded corners.

Here is a close up, where you can see the thread tracing and the double rows of stitching. One row of stitching on the stitching line, and another 1/4" into the seam allowance.

The next step is to pull up the threads, and distribute the gathers to the corners.  You don't want the gathering to continue to the straight parts of the pockets, we are just trying to tame the curve.

It's also important to note, that you will pull the thread on the stitching line a little, just to start the curve.  Distribute the gathers just at the corner.

The row of stitching that is in the seam allowance will be the one that pulls the seam allowance around to the back, this will be pulled a little more.

Here you see it from the right side (doesn't look like much), but this is where the work is done.

You'll know when you've got it, when the corners start to pull back, below the seam allowance has been trimmed from the curve to reduce bulk.

Here the seam allowance is basted back, with the fold on the stitching line.

The pockets still need interfacing along the top edge to reinforce it, but I'm still experimenting with the size and placement, so the pockets are held in place with a few pins.

Lanvin DIY the Tweed pearl necklace

It's only $775, it looks pretty cute with the red shorts and white silk shirt.  I think it's a lovely use of tweed scrap and with the good stuff going for $50 a yard and upwards, why not make yourself a coordinating necklace.  I will have to make one to match my some day boucle.

Another Giveaway!! Patterns

Clearing out my pattern stash once again!!  This will run to Midnight Wednesday May 30th.

Leave a comment with the item number you are interested in, winners will be picked at random!

1) Vogue 8620 Marci Tilton Jacket 16-22

2) Vogue 8470 Vogue Easy Options 8-16

3) Vogue 1091 Tom and Linda Platt 18-24

4) Vogue 1227 Rebecca Taylor 12-18

5) Butterick 6582 18-22

6) New Look 6557 8-18

7) Vogue 1189 Rebecca Taylor 16-22

Chanel jacket progress Trim

We are getting closer to the end, the sleeve trim has to be stitched. The buttonholes are something to consider since this is just the test garment, so I want hand stitched buttonholes or do we want to try the "hand stitched" setting on my vintage buttonholer and see what that looks like.

The next major operation will be the pockets. If you remember, the original jacket had rectangular pockets oriented in landscape, so that the longer edge was at the top and bottom. I've experimented with another shape and placement ideas. Then there will the matter of trim to consider whether the fringe and braid will be carried on to the pocket, and whether to include buttons.

The pocket placement above is towards the side seams and below, they are brought in towards the center a bit more.  They look a bit small compared to the pattern envelope, but I like the shape, it repeats the soft curve at the center front.

The next major operation will be the pockets. If you remember, the original jacket had rectangular pockets oriented in landscape, so that the longer edge was at the top and bottom. I've experimented with another shape and placement ideas. Then there will the matter of trim to consider whether the fringe and braid will be carried on to the pocket, and whether to include buttons. If you're a Prada fan, you have to watch this video (aprox 3 minutes) "A Therapy"

What do you get for $1,041 ? Snoop Shopping

I went snoop shopping at an outlet, and found a jacket for $1,041 (marked down from $2,900, a steal, a bargain) from a famous designer label.  I can't find a photo of it on the web to date it, so let's say it's from a few seasons ago.  Yes entirely too small for me, but I thought cute.



 Now when I say cute, I did not warm up to the print (which reminded me of my grandmother's curtains), but the fabric itself was soft and very snuggle worthy. I also liked the chunky lace, especially since I have so much lace in my stash, I'm always looking for ways to use it. Here's where the fun begins. Construction details.






There are exactly two darts at the back neck.

There may be some shaping hidden at the lace insert seams, but it's very slight.

The sleeves are two piece with an overarm seam.  I really liked the sleeves.

The collar piece is finished with the overcast and lapped over the neckline. (Very interesting)

Seam allowances are finished with an overcast stitch as well as other raw edges around the insert area, but they didn't stop there, the center front edge as well as the sleeve edge, pocket edge & flap and collar have the same treatment.

There are self facings turned up at the hem.

Separate facings at the neck, center front, and sleeve.

Center front and collar are interfaced with what might be organza or a lightweight satin.

The front closing consists of 4 large snaps.

So I say dust off those sergers and get working on jacket.

Textile envy....

Do you ever look at some of runway garments and think, well yeah that's a simple little frock but look at the fabric there is no way I can ever make that.  That's what I was thinking when I saw this.  Now I would pick other colors but, these designers have textile firms print up their colors and designs for them.

Look at how cute it is under a jacket. 

Here's the back.  

 I mean how hard can it be? I could never make it though.... because I'd spend all my efforts online shopping for it and never find a suitable stripe, or decent fiber content, but why stop now, why not take an even closer look to torture myself some more

.

Hey wait a minute, do you see what I see? This puppy is pieced, you can make it out of anything you'd like.
Victory!!


This top is by Chloe on net-a-porter.com.
I figured since I can't sew again for a while, I'd do some snoop shopping.

Fit issue - upper bust shoulder area

Did you ever have this problem?

Part one of this issue is that the dress form has no arms so it doesn't fill out the sleeve cap, but once you put the jacket on it's more apparent.  You can almost see the excess on the dress form, so it's giving you a hint.

 The issues are corrected on the opposite side. That collapsing area is excess fabric vertically, which means that the shoulder should be taken in (or up). Here is the original shoulder (I had made an adjustment to the pattern as my shoulders have a squared angle vs  the pattern's).

Original

  To correct the excess fabric, the front shoulder was shortened. The back shoulder remained untouched as it was smooth from the back, and needed no adjustments. This adjustment affects the sleeve cap and will give you more fullness in the cap. 

 

Corrected

 I don't mind the fullness so it will be left in.

 Of course this will need further adjusting if the shoulder pad is taken out.  It's interesting to note that this is only a 1/2" difference to the front cap.  Since most of us struggle with the excess ease in the big 4 patterns this is good to note.  I feel a sleeve cap ease tutorial coming on.