Work in Progress Wednesday 1/20

Jumping right in there with a work post, no hello, welcome to the new year, here’s my catch up and round up post, nothing!  🙂  I’ve been planning one of those, and just putting writing what I’m thinking my sewing will entail this year, but I just haven’t quite got round to finishing that post.  Never mind, here’s something I have finally got back to, the jacket I toiled last year for Daughter No1.

The pattern is jacket 107 from March 2019, the minute I saw it in the magazine I knew it would be good for the girls, and I had just the right fabric in the stash for Daughter No1.  In fact, it had been waiting for this sort of jacket for a rather long time – possibly getting on for 10 years now…  Slow, moi??

I traced and toiled the 36, the smallest size in October on the afternoon she was due home for a weekend visit, along with a number of other pattern, intending to do a mass fitting!  The jacket was met with great approval, most of it was fine, but there were going to be alterations due to the fact that she’s petite and should probably really have the size 34.

So, alterations:

1. Sleeves 4cm too long
2. No pockets…!!!
3. Shoulder length too long, and
4. Sleevehead not fitting where it should.

No massive jobs there, but I found other projects that were more interesting than altering a pattern and got a bit distracted!  If you follow Stephanie at Sea Of Teal, you’ll know that she’s running #SewYourWardrobeBasics this year (more info in another post).  No fancy sews, just those things you really need in a me-made wardrobe that can get overlooked by pretty, flouncy stuff.  This month’s theme is denim, and it was the push I needed to get another pair of jeans made (post still in the works).  But as we’re only halfway through the month, I thought, what else can I make using denim?  That’s when I remembered the jacket.  It’s time.

Today’s task was to do the alterations and get started on a new toile, I want to make sure the fit is right before cutting my denim.  First was to shorten the sleeves, which was quick and easy, just remember when you do this alteration to true the seamlines afterwards.  When adjusting a pattern, I always note the original stitching line, and any ajdustments I do, ie. how far I moved a line, the direction I moved it in, and the date I did the deed.  It helps when you come back to it later.

For the shoulder adjustment, I had to cut the yoke at the shoulder line (it has a dropped front shoulder line) and then do the rest.  I made the adjustment in the centre of the shoulderline and slid the outer section in 1.5cm.  Then I trued up the armhole seamline and raised the underarm by 0.5cm.  I walked the sleeve head along the new armhole lines just to make sure it all still fitted ok, and we seem to be in business.

Next up, pockets.  You do need pockets in a jacket, especially one that’s pretending to be a posh biker jacket.  I’d marked with pins on the toile where she wanted the pocket to be, and how wide the opening was, just needed to work out the pocket bag size.  Simply put, the pockets need to fit a hand (possibly with gloves on) and a phone.  She’d also decreed a welt flap at the opening would look nice, so I now have those pieces all drawn and ready to go.

Now I need to toile and wait until we see her again to check the fit – unless I just post it to her and we do fitting from a distance!  Thank goodness for the internet!

Author: Anne W

I love fabric, and sewing. And I could do nothing else but sew, all day, every day, if I could! View all posts by Anne W