Sunday, October 3, 2010

Life got in the way …

It has been a while!  In the last several weeks I’ve coped with deadlines at work and a minor plumbing disaster on the home front, all the while continuing with the annual work to organize the Fabric Flea Market.  More on that in a post to come; but if anyone reading this is planning to be in Ottawa on October 16, get yourself to the Glebe Community Centre for 10AM.  It will look something like this:DSCN2290 Yup, that’s a room full of fabric, patterns, notions, yarn, books and supplies of all kinds for sewers, knitters, needleworkers, weavers, and followers of other fiberly pursuits.   We had 1,500 people through the doors last year in 4 hours and everybody leaves the sale happy!
Anyhow, all this real life stuff got in the way of my blogging, but more importantly it also got in the way of my sewing!  This is why it has taken me weeks to complete the unlined shirt-jacket which I’ll now tell you about.
I'm really going to enjoy wearing it!  It's made of a very fluid wool crepe, purchased at Tissus Couture-Elle in Montreal during PR Weekend in May (it already seems like half a lifetime ago...).   TIM11556The apparent colour is a dark-ish khaki; the fabric is actually a twist of black and a mossy green. 
This is one of my 3 ghostly garments –probably  the one that looked the least interesting to you.  I was just checking for armscye depth – this is a Burda pattern from the 1990s.  Sure enough, it turns out the armscyes were too low; I couldn’t raise my arm without the body of the jacket coming along for the ride.  So I fixed that, and now I have a shirt-jacket I really like. 
TIM11509 First, here’s the proof that I needed the alteration to make the armscye smaller and higher, to increase my mobility. 


The solution is super-simple.  I added approximately 2.5cm (1”) DSCN3241as you can see here. 

This was done on the front, back and both sides of the sleeve (it’s a one piece shirt-style sleeve).  No other adjustments were needed.  The sleeve cap and shoulder remain the same. 



Let’s see; what else to tell you…



  Burda 3093 EnvelopeHere’s the pattern I used.  It’s long out of print.  I made it when it was new and wore the jacket (along with the matching trousers and skirt) practically to death.  It is pretty straightforward – fronts with side-seam bust darts; back is perfectly plain; side slits; shirt-style collar and cuffs; concealed button closure.  I had modified the collar so it has a partial stand and just made it up the same again.








I did a Hong Kong finish on all inner seams and edges.  What a great way to make an unlined garment look as good on the inside as it does on the outside! 

DSCN3248
To the left you can see the completed armscye and side seam, both bound with bias strips of lining fabric.  At the top is the shoulder pad which is covered with the same fabric. 


 DSCN3245The next photo shows the concealed button closure.  I used a decorative button at the top, and plain ones where they are hidden. 







DSCN3246
Then there is the most prominent feature:  the pockets.  These are bellows pockets with flaps.  I’ll say I didn’t interface the flaps because I wanted to keep the jacket very soft; the reality is that … um … I just forgot.  I applied the patch pockets by hand.  The grey thread I used is completely invisible on the inside. 


DSCN3243
Here’s a close up of the decorative button – they are sort of like wire spaghetti.  

15 comments:

  1. REALLY nice-looking jacket, Kay!! Especially ON!! Sew good of you to share making a muslin and "special" features... Makes for an "Expert" sewer, eh ;)
    Rhonda in Montreal (PR)

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  2. I'm loving the jacket! It is a wonderful example of how to wear the safari style in the fall and winter!

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  3. Exquisite, beautiful on you. Longing to make an unlined jacket as well, nice to see your finishign too.

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  4. There is real craft in the making of this jacket. I love the simplicity of the design, the pockets and the decorative button.

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  5. I love a safari jacket. Yours is fantastic.

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  6. I know I'm repeating myself, but you do beautiful work!

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  7. I love your jacket. It looks so comfortable.

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  8. Though this pattern is now OOP, its safari style is very of-the-moment. I really like it. Great detailing. You're inspiring me!

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  9. I am going to repeat myself too. Thank you thank you thank you for taking the time to explain the how and why of fitting this jacket. I am smarter now for reading this post.

    And I have mad love for it; the style, the color, the length, everything about it. You have nailed another winner.

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  10. Lovely little number, Kay. I like the fabric very much.

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  11. Totally fab jacket. I'd love to feature you in my Sewing Space series. Email if you are interested. I hope you are!

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  12. I just say this link on Tanit-Isis' blog. I think I have this problem and never knew what the issue was. Thanks for the post!

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