Sewing Vloggers

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

The felted sweater jacket Vogue 1385

My personal Richard Avedon was not around today. That meant two things. First, I had the day to myself and second, there was no one to take my pics but me. I tried the old backward mirror trick and did not do well. but I have one photo that will give you an idea of how the muslin has worked out. It actually fit rather well  with the issues being in the back. I need to do a swayback adjustment and cut a smaller size for the back  as you can well see in this awful photo taken in my basement with the only full length mirror I own. Please tell me everyone's basement looks like this. 


The front of the jacket fit not too badly . The dress form is my clone. My previous issues with Betzina patterns is in the sleeve shoulder neck area. If I cut the smallest size of her's like I cut everyone else's smallest size and then adjust, well, her patterns are so tight in that area that they are completely unwearable. This size C proves that out as the upper chest area fits quite good on myself. I don't get why. I am very narrow shouldered and this  is her equivalent of a size fourteen, something I have never even come close to in patterns. I have to adjust down those size sixes I get from other pattern companies/designers for my narrow shoulders. This one fit really smoothly in that area (eye roll). But below the black line it is large. The bust is at the apex but the width is too much. So, I will cut the size C in the neck shoulder regions, cut a smaller size for the torso, and I am also going to cut this much shorter, about 8 inches. It looks much better as a short jacket with my proportions. 
                           

Now that the muslin is together I am firming up my other additions to the design. I think I am going to overstitch all the darts with a strip of the felted wool and a triple zigzag stitch to secure it down, all on the outside. The red lines show what I am thinking. Those are all darts. With the fabric being all one color, and no closure, the design really needs some further textural embellishiment and I think this is it. Creating your own look is an ever evolving process and this "strip dart" thing is today's brilliant idea. Tomorrow may be a whole different story. Do you work like that, creating as you go along? I always have a vision but remain totally open to change and my design ideas are ever evolving until a garment is completely finished. 





Isn't this ruffled neckline fabulous? I am also thinking of adding a center back seam to help with the swayback issues and doing the darted strip on the back as well. 


You can really see how large the torso and sleeves are in this pic. I do like those darted sleeve cuffs a lot. I am going to remove a tiny bit of ease from the sleeves but will keep the ruffle for the cuff and I plan on making them a bit shorter, more 3/4 length. 

So that is where we are in the fitting and design process for this garment. 
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And what on earth is this mess above?  Some years back I picked up the perfect light for my sewing room. It was a floor lamp, had three lamps that were adjustable, and was marked "FREE" on someone's curbside. I grabbed it, brought it home, and its been in my sewing room ever since, lighting up my cutting table and photos on demand. 

Today I moved it aside to get a better picture of the garment on my dressform,  No problem. Once done with pictures, I went to move it back and the lamp moved but this busted hunk of concrete stayed behind, making it now unusable. An unplanned trip to town, twenty bucks at KMart, and I am back in business with the same type lamp I just lost. I looked at the OTT lites at Joanns but found they just weren't bright enough compared to these three lamps on a pole with full spectrum bulbs. I am back in business!!!.............Bunny



12 comments:

  1. Thanks for all the info. I have that pattern - am 5/2 and sometimes when I shorten things - I don't get the right look. I'm loving your ideas.
    Marciae from SG

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  2. I need all the light I can get when I sew. I really need to use my tripod and take muslin photos of my next coat project. But, having a photographer has made me so lazy!

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  3. The shoulder info is very interesting. I am going to have to watch that if I make one of her patterns with sleeves as I have very broad shoulders.

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  4. Everyone's basement looks like that ;-)

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  5. My basement looks like a training gym for mma...:( I agree with Ott lights not being bright enough.....I'm going to go shop fora 3 light floor lamp...thanks for the tip. I love your ideas for this top...I have this pattern but have not used it yet.

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    1. Ott lights have such a fan club, but frankly I am not one of them. I do have a small desk one that I bought which I use to focus directly on my sewing machine area but that replaced a cheap bendable desk lamp that broke and I really didn't find it any better. Personally, I think it's about the bulb and I don't think Ott has the market on that. I go to the local electrical supply and get the "full spectum bulbs". They make a huge difference and also are a lot cheaper than the overhyped Otts.

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  6. I think I am going to have to come and get that jacket once it's finished. You know, that IS my color ;) Beautiful Bunny.

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    1. Hopefully you don't mean the muslin, Rhonda. It is a near one armed bandit as I ran out of enough fabric for the second sleeve. I got one whole arm in which is good enough for the moment. Now the real wool jacket, you have to fight me for that one!

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  7. I've made this and like you am narrow shouldered and had the same reaction. The shoulders fit really well but there is way too much stuff in the upper back( I have a narrow back as well!) I too added a center back seam, did a sway back adjustment but also finished the back darts up higher on the back. I do love the jacket , though. That neckline is really pretty.

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    1. That's really helpful, Diana. Greatly appreciate your input.

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  8. I have this pattern so thank you for sharing the info about the shoulders. I look forward to seeing the end result, especially the dart/strip technique. I am sure it will be exquisite.

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