Or I read the muslin wrong. Or I did something wrong. The jacket fits badly and is what my mother describes, somewhat carefully, as “not the best thing you have ever done”. This followed by the damning phrase …. “But I am SURE no one will actually notice when you wear it” . Which I suspect means “I do hope no one is rude enough to tell her what a dog’s breakfast this is.”
The upper back had various wrinkles and puckers but also a section was standing away from my body so that in profile I looked like I was growing a hump.
After all the alterations I put the sleeves in. One went in really nicely, the other took five attempts. One is still a bit twisted but I couldn’t take it out again and still have seam allowance left to sew it in with. As it was I had to set them in by guess work because the fabric had frayed so much there was no sign of any notches on either jacket or sleeves. Indeed, all the seam allowances are frayed beyond recognition which I suspect will present a challenge when inserting the lining. In addition, the plastron fell out on both sides of the jacket, its got no back stay at all (I can’t remember at what stage I ripped that out) and some of the interfacing has had to be slashed open inside because it got bubbly and puckered at some stage and I suspected it of contributing to the puckers and wrinkles. I haven’t done a sleeve wrap or sleeve head yet.
So here is the jacket so far. Sorry about the poor quality of the back photo. Not sure what happened there. I am actually embarrassed to post these. I am not sure if it is possible for a camera to make a garment look worse, I like to think maybe it is, because I don't remember it looking this horrible when I looked in the mirror. Looking at these photos it is worse than I remembered it being yesterday. I think maybe it shouldn't be worn out of the house. What do you think?
The upper back had various wrinkles and puckers but also a section was standing away from my body so that in profile I looked like I was growing a hump.
The shoulder seams curved toward the back. There was excess fabric in the upper bodice at the front. To add insult to injury, the sleeves wouldn’t go in without twisting. If I hadn’t covered it up, shut the door on it, and left it alone for a while I would almost certainly have taken the sewing shears to it and cut it into tiny pieces.
A week of ignoring it was as long as I lasted. I am not one of these people that can put down a project and forget about it whilst I do something else. I have to pick at it, and pick at it until I’ve got it as right as I think it will get. Then, if its not perfect, I have to go round again, making changes to the muslin, making another version, until it is right. This one is never going to meet my standards, so a second version is now inevitable. Sunday was spent making various alterations and now I am going to make the lining, finish it, and hope its going to be wearable enough to pass for a while to see how comfortable it is.
The alterations:
Took in the front princess seam above the bust line.
Took in the back princess seams tapering to nothing about five inches above the peplum.
Took in the side front seams tapering to nothing at the peplum attachment seam.
Took off the peplum at the back from centre back to just short of the side seams, shortened the bodice, sewed it up, found that didn’t work, and put it back the way it was originally.
Whilst altering the shoulder princess seam I had to unpick most of the shoulder seam and took the opportunity to rip out the shoulder stay. This made the shoulder seam lie in a better position and stopped it curving backwards. Sewing a shoulder seam in a jacket that features a completely constructed notched collar is a difficult and frustrating exercise and it was very hard to get the shoulder seam sewn back up straight due to having to sew right up to the bulk of the collar.
To try and reduce the horrible humped section, I took part of the collar off, and pulled up some of the excess fabric into the collar area, then re-sewed the collar. This was a reckless undertaking that I really wished I hadn’t embarked upon. Once I had all the bits cut apart, I discovered I couldn’t sew accurately amongst all those layers of fabric. Here is the horrible humped section. I don't actually recall if this is before or after the alteration. Looking at that cockeyed shoulder seam, I suspect it is after it. Looking at it now, I am ashamed to post it.
A week of ignoring it was as long as I lasted. I am not one of these people that can put down a project and forget about it whilst I do something else. I have to pick at it, and pick at it until I’ve got it as right as I think it will get. Then, if its not perfect, I have to go round again, making changes to the muslin, making another version, until it is right. This one is never going to meet my standards, so a second version is now inevitable. Sunday was spent making various alterations and now I am going to make the lining, finish it, and hope its going to be wearable enough to pass for a while to see how comfortable it is.
The alterations:
Took in the front princess seam above the bust line.
Took in the back princess seams tapering to nothing about five inches above the peplum.
Took in the side front seams tapering to nothing at the peplum attachment seam.
Took off the peplum at the back from centre back to just short of the side seams, shortened the bodice, sewed it up, found that didn’t work, and put it back the way it was originally.
Whilst altering the shoulder princess seam I had to unpick most of the shoulder seam and took the opportunity to rip out the shoulder stay. This made the shoulder seam lie in a better position and stopped it curving backwards. Sewing a shoulder seam in a jacket that features a completely constructed notched collar is a difficult and frustrating exercise and it was very hard to get the shoulder seam sewn back up straight due to having to sew right up to the bulk of the collar.
To try and reduce the horrible humped section, I took part of the collar off, and pulled up some of the excess fabric into the collar area, then re-sewed the collar. This was a reckless undertaking that I really wished I hadn’t embarked upon. Once I had all the bits cut apart, I discovered I couldn’t sew accurately amongst all those layers of fabric. Here is the horrible humped section. I don't actually recall if this is before or after the alteration. Looking at that cockeyed shoulder seam, I suspect it is after it. Looking at it now, I am ashamed to post it.
After all the alterations I put the sleeves in. One went in really nicely, the other took five attempts. One is still a bit twisted but I couldn’t take it out again and still have seam allowance left to sew it in with. As it was I had to set them in by guess work because the fabric had frayed so much there was no sign of any notches on either jacket or sleeves. Indeed, all the seam allowances are frayed beyond recognition which I suspect will present a challenge when inserting the lining. In addition, the plastron fell out on both sides of the jacket, its got no back stay at all (I can’t remember at what stage I ripped that out) and some of the interfacing has had to be slashed open inside because it got bubbly and puckered at some stage and I suspected it of contributing to the puckers and wrinkles. I haven’t done a sleeve wrap or sleeve head yet.
So here is the jacket so far. Sorry about the poor quality of the back photo. Not sure what happened there. I am actually embarrassed to post these. I am not sure if it is possible for a camera to make a garment look worse, I like to think maybe it is, because I don't remember it looking this horrible when I looked in the mirror. Looking at these photos it is worse than I remembered it being yesterday. I think maybe it shouldn't be worn out of the house. What do you think?
7 comments:
Oh nooooo. I feel your pain. After all your hard work. It's the fabric. It's got to be, stretching with the loose weave and generally being all gremliny. Oh dear. I mean I could say all kinds of nice things, but it's how you feel about it. It has to be said... it's a lovely colour and there are plenty of people running about in expensive rtw that looks as bad if not worse, but for someone who doesn't usually look like a House of Fraser shopper... Well it depends how much you love the colour whether you wear it out the house. I don't think anyone who doesn't sew would notice.
Or as my teacher at college used to say "a blind man running for a bus wouldn't notice".
Another reason I've not been doing grown up sewing this last while - I don't think I have the emotional fortitude for the inevitable (I'm rusty, very, very rusty) disappointment!
Major kudos for getting this far without hurling it out a window. The next version WILL be better. Guaranteed. Murphy can't be allowed to get away with these things!!
What is your most stable go-to fabric? The one you've used a gazillion times and never regretted it? Use that. If it's the wrong weight for the season you can wear it next time around, but stick with easy!
With Sympathy.
I feel your pain too. You sound so frustrated! I had the same fitting problems with this pattern, I am just too ashamed to post. I figured that is was me who was misshapen.
I think it is fixable, at least from the pictures that I can see. If I were you I would take out enough of the shoulder seam to get to those princess seams, then take them in.
Don't make me dig out my muslin and show you, I am up to my sewing scissors in Vogue 1126.
Don't give up on this, it is definitely savable, and wearable. If you dont think so, send it to me and I will wear it. LOL, I am about 3 sizes bigger than you.
I'm so sorry this has given you so much grief.
You have already got great advice and with your determination you will get there.
Oh Jenni, how frustrating. Bad jacket!
I also have seen people wearing jackets that fit worse (in fact makes me question some of my RTW). The fabric is gorgeous and I'm hoping its salvageable, though I don't have any really helpful suggestions, only a big cyber hug.
Oh, how terrible when that happens. You sound so frustrated and sad. I hope you can manage to make it work. And ofcourse, you see every little twist and turn, every little mistake, every seam that isn't perfect. And indeed, someone else probably wouldn't notice at all. But that's not helpful to you, is it?
I wish you all the best with this. The fabric really is gorgeous. I hope you can make it work!
Oh what a horrible experience. I feel your pain and frustration and have done many of those same frustrated desperate attempts at fixing. I am thinking it has to be at least partly the fabric and a slew of things that have built up. I am so sorry that this has proven so difficult and frustrating for you.
I truly admire you for sticking with this so long. The next version will be much better because of all you have learned on this jacket. I know your fabulous will power will drive you to achieve a perfect jacket.
I must add that the camera Does make every little wrinkle and every little thing look more exaggerated. It's why it's a great fitting tool but a LOUSY friend when it comes to the finished article. So, I'm sure it's not all as bad as it may seem in the pics.
In any event, I feel your pain too. You're amazing for having kept on with this project, as frustrating as it's been.
Post a Comment