European Knit Jacket

 

 

 This is the muslin for the Trudy Jansen European Knit Jacket (pattern number 318) which I constructed today. 

 

The fabric is a mystery knit from Abhakhan Fabrics in Preston and seems to have a fair bit of wool in it, to judge from the odour emanating from it when pressed.   This pattern is designed specifically for heavy knits, particularly boiled wool or fleece and the fit is quite snug.  The seams are designed to be on the outside and, for boiled wool, cut down to a narrow seam allowance.  For fleece etc, the recommendation is to serge the seams.  I feel you could also do a fake fell seam very easily, or make it with seams to the inside if you wished.   But definitely this should be made in a knit.  Its a lovely snug fit but would be too tight in a non-stretch fabric I think.  Although this is not boiled wool, I chose to cut my seams close.  My fabric doesn't ravel and I wanted to see if I liked the look.  Turns out, I don't but that's fine.  Its a muslin.  That's what they are for.  The sleeves end with three sewn on bands.  Again, I don't personally like the look of these bands now I've put them on, but that's such an easy thing to fix. 

 

The pattern has you tack the garment together and then judge the fit, before taking out the sleeves, sewing the body sections up, and reinserting the sleeves.  Which I did.  I was happy with the fit and the comfort level at that stage so I sewed it up and cut the seam allowances.   But at that stage the collar wasn't on.  Now that its finished, I've got to admit, I'm a bit ambivalent about this jacket.  I like the fit below the shoulders very much but I am not entirely sure that I have got the fit right on the shoulders and neckline.  I do have quite an odd shoulder conformance and a very wide back for my size.  All of which have conspired to cause the shoulder seam/central arm seam, to fall some one and a half inches back from my proper shoulder line.  I think that it should be re-fitted and altered to make the shoulders fit correctly, not least because the collar actually stands away from my neck as a result of the problems with the shoulder fit.  However, I am not entirely sure that I know how to alter a raglan style like this to make it fit my odd conformance.  I'm concerned that fiddling with this will make it worse.      

 

I think I'll leave it on the dressform for a day or two, then maybe wear it in the house for a day or two to see if I can work out whether its OK to be seen in public as is.  I can be something of a perfectionist and a good friend pointed out this evening that sometimes the effort you need to make to get something to fit (and the number of yards of fabric you expend trying to get a decent fit) isn't always worth it.  I think I'm being somewhat influenced by the fact that this jacket was supposed to be made next in the green boiled wool that I fell in love with last weekend.  However, that boiled wool was most definitely in the price category of "only use this if you are TOTALLY certain your pattern is a perfect fit".

 

What would you do if your jacket wasn't quite right but was nearly right?  Would you make multiple tracings/muslins until it was right?  Would you only use the pattern for fabrics that weren't super expensive?  Would you make another one, tack it together and concentrate more carefully on the fit next time?  Would you cut your losses and give up?  Or would you make it up in mid range cost fabric and wear it with confidence, knowing most people wouldn't recognise poor fit if it bit them on the bum?