The finished product

This is the finished jacket. I'm actually rather happy with it :)

The fabric is still lovely, and I adore the waistband. The collar turned out nice, too.

I've been wearing it for the last couple of days, but the snaps have been moved around a bit. That's one of the challenges of changing the pattern and making it up as you go...

Sorry about the blurry picture, I think I need some practice in the self-portrait department. Or possibly get an assistant.




This is a detailed photo of the waistband. I love the fabric, don't you? I still have some left (it was a scarf in its previous life, and I made ribbons from it), and it will be used in a secret christmas project :)

So for those of you who are expecting presents, I will not reveal more ;)

I have started crocheting, and finished a slightly modified hat yesterday. Tonight I will start on Guro's hat, if I manage to buy some yarn. Pictures will come.

Jacket Obsession

The jacket is now very close to be finished. I had to take the sleeves off, it turned out that the problem was the angle of the sleeve and the body. Stupid pattern.

Or rather, stupid me for not considering that a sewing book made in the seventies will have patterns that are not excactly the season's haute coutoure... The problem with this book is that all the clothes are rather bulky. Having experienced this before, I picked a size too small. The shoulder seam was still far off the shoulder, so I narrowed the width from neck to shoulder. If I had stopped to think, I would have realised that this would affect the way the sleeve hangs, but I didn't.

The sleeves had to come off (extremely carefylly), and I had to make new ones which allowed for a more contemporary look (i.e. not made supposing the wearer to be two metres wide standing with their arms straight out...). I didn't have enough fabric, so I'll have to buy more for the last sleeve before I can finish it off. And there's still the lining to do. But otherwise, I am done :) Can't wait...

Seal of Approval

I have to admit that both the pun and the image came from Cute Overload. But this li'l fella is so cute, I had to post him.

I plan to make a softie in brown velvet that looks like him, as soon as I have finished the jacket. How cute would that be, if I could give it to a baby as a present? Unfortunately, none of my friends are pregnant. Hm. Better start a campaign :)

It can't be that hard, can it?

The jacket is progressing. I made the lining, both fabrics, and it turned out really well. Except for the fact that it is a little tight under the arms. I think I'll insert a little bit of the thinnest lining fabric to make it a little bit wider.

The outer layer is also progressing nicely. I need to make an adjustment for the boobs, one of the joys of being female... Unfortunately, I followed the instructions without thinking, and just attatched the sleeves to the body. I don't want to separate them again, as the outer fabric frays really easily. But if I make the adjustment a little lower than I normally would, and angle it upwards, it will be in line with the sleeve seam, and the sleeve needs to be taken in a bit, too. I hope it will turn out the way I planned!

The next step will be to finish off the jacket. I am going to cut up a scarf from the wonderful shop NOA NOA, and make an empire-inspired ribbon as well as edging om the sleeves and, possibly, a pocket. The collar needs adjustment, and then it's just the hemline and edges that remains. I hope to finish it during the weekend! (perhaps a little optimistically)

Exam time rushes closer as well. I take one class each semester, mainly for the student discount on trains and buses, but also for fun. This semester, it's a course in basic latin and its influence on European languages. Sounds incredibly dull, but in fact it is really interesting. Of course, I'm far behind now, what with an exhausting autumn etc, and in two weeks, I must turn in a qualifying paper in order to take the exam. Agh!

Ah well. It will turn out all right, I guess. I do it for fun, not for education. And if the two can be combined, what could be better?

New challenges

Ahahahahahaaha! I managed the collar! New problems arise, however. This is the fun part of sewing. Seriously.




Now, it turns out that the pattern expects me to have rather wider shoulders than I have. It is not the first time with this book, they seem to make the clothes very roomy... Ah well. Taking in is hardly a problem. You can barely see the pin where the seam is supposed to go - I will probably need to trim off about 7 cm.




This is what it looks like at the moment. No sleeves yet, no lining, and not yet sewn in the sides. But definitely showing promise, don't you think?




I love making things. It gives such a feeling of accomplishment. I am already full of plans of what to make next - when I am finished with the jacket.

Work in Progress

This is beginning to get interesting. Why is it that the challenges always pop up in unexpected places?

Alle the main pieces are cut now. In three layers. The velvet outer fabric, the woolen lining and the inner lining. Phew. I’ve started to assemble the outer layer, and met an interesting challenge: How to make the collar. I intended something like a wide chinese collar, or a high, wraparound turtleneck, and I didn’t imagine it would be difficult. At least not that part.

Well, it is. And as this is the part where I have no pattern, I’m stuck at the moment. Until I figure out how to make it, or possibly, give up and try a different collar. Ah well. I will post a picture of the wonky collar tomorrow, and hopefully someone will understand just what I did wrong…

You see, that’s part of the problem. I don’t know why it is wrong. It is fairly obvious that it is wrong, but I’m not sure why it didn’t turn out the way I planned… hmmmm. We’ll see.

Autumn Projects

It’s been a long time now. I have been busy with work (of course) and too many obligations privately. Luckily, I was able to change my Thursday dance class to a Friday pilates class, so, now I might be able to actually go to the two classes I’ve paid for.

Sailing season is finally over, after an autumn longer than usual. I will miss it over the winter, but it is enjoyable to have Wednesday evenings off for a change.

Instead of sailing, I will start my autumn project: sewing a winter jacket / coat. I’ve got a lovely velvet fabric, deep petrol green, and I plan on sewing a chinese-style jacket, about mid-thigh in length, with a wide, standing collar and wrapover closing. It is a large project, I’ve never made a jacket before!* I’m very excited, and also a bit nervous… I am very lucky to have inherited a sewing book with patterns from the 70s from my mother. The designs are inspiring, and the book is incredibly illustrated. Usually, the paterns need a little alteration to make them look more contemporary, but this is not so difficult as it sounds. I’ll just have to be patient.

I will keep record of my progress (and maybe even take a few pictures…), so stay tuned, as they say.

*Later, I realized this was a lie. I actually have made a jacket, a simple kimono-style woolen one, but as it is really simple and have no lining, fitting or anything else, I don't think it counts as a jacket.