I had a wonderful time yesterday and it was such a stimulating class that I am still on a high now. I am learning such a huge amount and totally enjoying every minute of it. If only I could find a practical way to go to the class every week I would do it in a heartbeat.
Again there were only two of us at the start of the class so we got lots of individual attention. A third lady joined us in the afternoon, but she was part way through her coat project and arrived whilst we were cutting out so it meant the tutor could give her one to one attention whilst we cut out our garments.
First we went through the flat measurements to check my work, then she showed me how to tackle the areas I’d been unsure about when working on my own. I got the tissue altered and pressed, and my fabric steamed before being told what seam allowances to add to the various areas of our jackets. These were different throughout the garment so it took me ages to mark out the cutting lines for the pieces. The facings, linings and collar were not cut at this stage.
Again there were only two of us at the start of the class so we got lots of individual attention. A third lady joined us in the afternoon, but she was part way through her coat project and arrived whilst we were cutting out so it meant the tutor could give her one to one attention whilst we cut out our garments.
First we went through the flat measurements to check my work, then she showed me how to tackle the areas I’d been unsure about when working on my own. I got the tissue altered and pressed, and my fabric steamed before being told what seam allowances to add to the various areas of our jackets. These were different throughout the garment so it took me ages to mark out the cutting lines for the pieces. The facings, linings and collar were not cut at this stage.
I just realised that I haven't posted a picture of the jacket I am making, so without further fanfare, here is Marfy 1625.
I decided not to do the patch pockets on my jacket, and it will not have the trim all around the edges. I am going to trim the waist belt inset but this will be hand sewn into place so that it can be changed out each year. As the jacket is plain black, I thought it would be nice to change the trim to that year’s fashionable colour or style, to keep it fresh looking. The pattern has a one piece, seven eighths/bracelet sleeve, but I am using the two piece full length sleeve from Marfy 1444 in place of that and have added a vent to the sleeve so that I can learn how to sew that detail neatly, and to give me an excuse to buy more pretty buttons. I will probably put a flap pocket inserted into the lower seam of the waist belt to replace the patch pocket, but haven’t completely decided on that yet.
The jacket is now cut out and each piece marked with wax chalk (which is magic and disappears when you iron it… I must try and track some down for my sewing room). I have started tacking it together. It has to be tacked together by hand on the marked seamlines then the seam allowances are turned to one side and tacked again from the front, about a quarter inch from the seamline. The shoulders are to be left un-tacked and only one sleeve has to be tacked together but it’s not to be inserted. The waist belt has to be made in calico for the fitting and the peplum pieces attached as well. If I can get all that tacking done by next Monday, and can get to the tutor by 4.30pm, I can have my first fitting and an explanation of the canvas placement, so that I can get a bit more work done on it before my actual class in two weeks.
The tutor also sorted out my Marfy morphed shorts/trousers. It took her fifteen seconds to identify the exact problem, a further twenty seconds to pin it out, and then she explained what she did, why it worked and how to do the alterations in tissue. The legs were too wide, which was causing the loose fabric on the back legs, and the crotch was too long by half an inch, causing the wrinkles under the bum. Here are the trousers before alteration.
The jacket is now cut out and each piece marked with wax chalk (which is magic and disappears when you iron it… I must try and track some down for my sewing room). I have started tacking it together. It has to be tacked together by hand on the marked seamlines then the seam allowances are turned to one side and tacked again from the front, about a quarter inch from the seamline. The shoulders are to be left un-tacked and only one sleeve has to be tacked together but it’s not to be inserted. The waist belt has to be made in calico for the fitting and the peplum pieces attached as well. If I can get all that tacking done by next Monday, and can get to the tutor by 4.30pm, I can have my first fitting and an explanation of the canvas placement, so that I can get a bit more work done on it before my actual class in two weeks.
The tutor also sorted out my Marfy morphed shorts/trousers. It took her fifteen seconds to identify the exact problem, a further twenty seconds to pin it out, and then she explained what she did, why it worked and how to do the alterations in tissue. The legs were too wide, which was causing the loose fabric on the back legs, and the crotch was too long by half an inch, causing the wrinkles under the bum. Here are the trousers before alteration.
And here they are after alteration. I will post the proper photos of the finished trousers later when I’ve done up the hems, put on the waistband closure and when I can get a shot in daylight. However, here is a quick indoor shot. I think the remaining wrinkles are due to the trousers spending the day scrunched in the bottom of a bag and then being unpicked and resewn. The fabric isn’t grey but rather a really lovely black and white tweed which works well with my SWAP so I’ve now got my first SWAP item at long last. I do hope I haven't jinxed these by posting the photos too early and saying they are fixed. Cos you know what happened the last time I said that...
I will make a second pair, in black poly suiting with steel blue and brown pinstripes, using the newly altered tissue, to make sure I got my tissue alterations exactly right and hopefully that will be item two for my SWAP entry.
One of the things I learnt from the course yesterday was that trousers should not be sewn in the order: fronts together, backs together, sew the side seams then sew the inseam from hem, through crotch, to hem. It apparently makes the trousers hang badly. Instead I was told to sew each leg separately, then put one leg inside the other and sew the crotch seam last. Also, she never clips seams. Not even princess seams. Of course I learned this because I had committed both sins on those tweed trousers. When I altered them, I sewed them the way I was told and can assure you it does make a difference, not only to the hang of the trouser but to the comfort of them also. And I can also assure you that the reason for not clipping seams became abundantly clear to me when I struggled to remove black stitching in black and white tweed whose weave pretty closely matched the stitch count on my sewing machine. None of those stitches fell on white threads and in my pulling and poking at the seams I caused a lot of fraying and damage to the seam allowances as its quite a loose woven tweed.
One of the things I learnt from the course yesterday was that trousers should not be sewn in the order: fronts together, backs together, sew the side seams then sew the inseam from hem, through crotch, to hem. It apparently makes the trousers hang badly. Instead I was told to sew each leg separately, then put one leg inside the other and sew the crotch seam last. Also, she never clips seams. Not even princess seams. Of course I learned this because I had committed both sins on those tweed trousers. When I altered them, I sewed them the way I was told and can assure you it does make a difference, not only to the hang of the trouser but to the comfort of them also. And I can also assure you that the reason for not clipping seams became abundantly clear to me when I struggled to remove black stitching in black and white tweed whose weave pretty closely matched the stitch count on my sewing machine. None of those stitches fell on white threads and in my pulling and poking at the seams I caused a lot of fraying and damage to the seam allowances as its quite a loose woven tweed.
4 comments:
Wow! glad she was able to identify the issue. Definitely better on the later ones :-D I am pleased its resolved now.
I like the way that they fit, esp around the waist and hips. I don't like assembling the legs first then sewing them together because that makes it a pain to sew the fly in.
Isn't it fantastic to have access to all that knowledge in a class! I'm so glad she could help with the trouser fitting, they look much better. It would never have occurred to me to sew trousers any other way than one leg at a time and crotch last - I can't remember which teacher told me to, but I've always done it like that - phew, at least it was the right thing ;-)
That way you describe your jacket layout with the wax chalk and the extra SAs and all the basting - brings back memories of my hand tailoring class. I loved it. There was so much a I learned, but so much I couldn't do on my own.
Erm... wax chalk - you forgot to mention it disappears into a piece of waste cotton that you lay over the chalk and iron on top of.
Like the sound of your changeable trim! Nice excuse to go trim shopping once a year somewhere fabulous.
Tack on!
Cheers,
AJ
I am enjoying following along with your tailoring class - I'd love to do something similar and will have to investigate offerings here in Berkshire (or London if it was on a weekend). Is your teacher well known in UK sewing as she sounds really good?
Bye the way your pants look much improved.
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