Posted by dravon in LiveJournal, Project Review | 1 Comment
PatternMaking II Final Project
In the PatternMaking class, our final project was a double-breasted suit jacket with lining. This is a “Stash Piece”, using material already in the stash so I didn’t have to buy anything.
As far as the pattern goes, I think it came together perfectly. The only part I screwed up was mis-interpretting the notches when I was sewing it together. Another thing I decided to do for this one, because it was looking REALLY boring, was to put some embroidery on the already cut-out lapel pieces. This was my chance to practice placement, and I think it came down pretty darn well.
One problem area was the interfacing that I used. It’s WAAAAAY too stiff for the job at hand and the lapels came out more like cardboard than something wearable. Yuck. Need to get a variety of interfacings and just play with them, making myself a little swatch book similar to what I did with the embroidery fabric/stabilizer combos. Another problem was getting the seams to lay down correctly, since the interfacing was so heavy. This where I learned that if you over iron something, the material gets all shiny. Oops! I also learned this when the good seamstress employs a stay seam. I am not a good seamstress…
Overall, for a piece designed flat on the paper and then transferred to material, I think it came out very well. Anyone need a size 8 gaberdine suit jacket with cardboard lapels? heh
I like the look of the suit, especially the embroidery panels on the lapels.
Well, I was going to suggest that you might want to check out Connie Crawford’s site,
http://www.fashionpatterns.com
as she offers lighter weight interfacings than is normally available, stuff that is normally offered to the trade. But I see she only offers five types right now, when she had more in her workshop that I took. Maybe she is only carrying the most popular types for dresses and blouses.
Her comments on interfacing stuck with me, as I also tend to heavier interfacings than is really needed – since that’s pretty much what the local stores carry. She said that interfacing should be lighter than the fabric it goes on, and that if you do fusible, to use a wide press machine, like the kind dry cleaners use to press shirts. It helps the fusing at high heat and even pressure.
I am sure someplace like B.Black & Sons or Greenberg & Hammer might have a better selection of tailoring interfacings. I like to use hair cloth in certain places, but I’ve yet to tackle the big tailored jacket just yet… just doublets.