Well I've completed my first jacket ever and oh boy I've learned a lot from the process. I need to go to Newtown to find buttons at my favourite button place http://www.allbuttons.com.au/
Plain black but modern, so that the jacket doesn't look too matronly.
So far I'm reasonably happy with the finished product, there are a few flaws that I know will bug me. This jacket proved to be a nightmare to complete because the pattern lining pieces are cut differently from the jacket and didn't seem to fit the outer garment correctly.
So lesson number 1: If you haven't made the pattern before make a muslin for the lining too, not just the outer shell.
Lesson number 2: Topstitching will accentuate rather than fix a construction flaw. I tried to 'stitch down' the outer to make it sit better but this just made it look puckered and horrible. End result, I unpicked about 1000 topstitches and wasted half a roll of good quality topstitching thread.
These pictures are of my garden. Sydney weather is very tropical at present. Such as contrast to the pictures of snowfilled gardens and streets that many of you Northerners are posting at present.
I'm going to start working on the skirt soon. Meanwhile I've become obsessed by a top made by the indomitable Erica Bunker http://www.flickr.com/photos/hookcouture/2852831072/ I think I will make it in some pale grey and cream silk that I have in my stash. I will wear the jacket with my black trousers and a black singlet underneath. The three-quarter sleeves are great for Sydney evenings at present, but a little too warm for day wear.
Finally, a question for those of you with design flair. I am looking for pattern suggestions for some stretch knit that I have. It have a red background with a fine white strip. I'd like a top that can be worn casually with jeans or an active wear jacket. Let me know what you think.
Hello. I go to Laura's blog quite often and noticed she has followers. So, I quicked on your link and just added myself to be a follower--and now, I am going to add your blog to my list.
ReplyDeleteI have a similar story--I started sewing as a teen and now after over 30 years of being away, I became re-interested about 5 months ago.
I started a blog then (Oct 08). Like you, I knew nothing about blogging (my first time ever) and now, I have so much support.
I did it to keep myself motivated to get back into sewing. There's so much out there with books and the internet--it can be overwhelming. So, I'm trying to take one day at a time. I enrolled in a Beginning class (started last week and runs for 6 weeks). We're doing a purse first, then PJ's next. On my own, (late Jan), I purchased a KWIK SEW pillow pattern.
Looking forward to interacting with you. :-) Thanks for your blog.
PS: It's me again. You mention that you're amatuer. :-) I think you're being too modest..I'm the ametuer. No where near ready to sew any garments. That garment pictured looks like one has to have intermediate skills at least. :-)
ReplyDeleteI sewed quite a bite between the ages of 13-15 because I took Home Ec and learned in school, but also learned through Singer (they had a store not too far from where I live--many years ago).