Thursday, April 2, 2009

Everything but the jacket

So I've been working on the 3/09 #114 trench jacket, and it's been going along well so far.

Actually, I can't say I've been working on the jacket. I've constructed the facings and lining, to test the fit - straight 38, I love it when nothing needs tweaking - and I've done most of the fiddly bits, pockets and collar and gun flap and belt loops and sleeve tabs, but I haven't actually cut out any of the jacket itself yet except for the two back pieces.

Which I actually cut out twice, because I put the back pattern piece on the wrong side of the table and picked it up and cut it out again. (This is what comes of cutting after 10 p.m., we all know better!) So since I had those 2 extra pieces, rather than waste them, I used them to cut out all the small pieces that I've now finished.

Hopefully later tonight (though not late), I will be able to cut out the fronts and sleeves, and maybe even get the pockets sewn on.

Did I mention I like the pockets? Interesting pockets (gathered, pleated or folded) have become somewhat of a trademark for BWOF, and I really like these, even though they messed with me at first and refused to fold in the direction they were supposed to. It was like origami gone wrong. I walked away for a few minutes, came back and they cooperated just fine. So I suppose it was my mind that wasn't folding in the right direction.

The fabric I'm using for the trench jacket is interesting to work with. It's not really fabric - the right side has a good texture and sews well, but the back is gray and rubberish, and tends to get sticky when worked for too long (and tends to stick to the underside of my presser foot, which has necessitated sewing seams over strips of tissue paper and then ripping it off). On the plus side, it buttonholes like a dream and the right side has no objection to being ironed.

I interfaced the facings with woven fusible, but I don't really like the hand they've given the fabric. I may add a layer of cotton or batiste, whatever's on hand, as an interlining, just to give the facings a litle more body without adding stiffness. Learning what a new fabric will and won't tolerate is always interesting.

3 comments:

Lori said...

Those are very neat pockets, good luck finishing your jacket.

Gretchen the Household Deity said...

I'm sort of the opposite on the jacket I have in progress--body is cut out and fused, main seams sewn. I am procrastinating putting in the flapped welt pocket and I haven't even cut out the lining.

gwensews said...

Great pockets. I love the color of this mysterious fabric. It's going to make a gorgeous trench.