I finally had a day to spend in the sewing room, and I made some headway on the jacket project. One thing I had to do was to buy two yards of fabric. I didn’t have enough of the pretty blue, purple and black fabrics to make the whole jacket. Looking around my local shops, nothing went well with them. The black is a deep, rich black, and the other black fabrics just didn’t have that depth. So, on to the internet, and I found one yard at two spots, and bought both. I want to be able to wash the jacket without a lot of shrinkage, so I washed the yardages I had. I used the technique of fan folding and pinning on the selvedges that I showed on my post A Brilliant Tip. Here the fabrics are ready for the washer.
I wash as usual in the washing machine on a normal cycle, then throw into the dryer. They come out wrinkle free with little to no raveling on the cut edges. The black and gold print was in my stash, and will be the backing / lining for the jacket. I washed the fat quarters in the sink, then threw them into the dryer as well.
While the washing was going on, I dug around for a fabric to make my sample. I found this older print and cut out the simpler pattern. This print was my bedroom decor in the 70s! It was my bedspread, pillow shams, and curtains. I think this is the only print I’ve ever seen that hasn’t been discontinued, as I found new fabric with it at the big box fabric store just a couple of years ago.
Sewing the shoulder seams, side seams and setting in the sleeves, I could check the fit. It is coming out a bit boxier than I’d like, and it is a bit too short. I want to add at least one and maybe two inches to the jacket length. The sleeves are too long, so I need to take about 2 inches off the bottom of the sleeve. I will be binding the edges, so I don’t need hem allowances. In addition, I need to make it a full size larger than I usually wear, to accommodate the thicker quilted fabric. I need to make a few adjustments to the pattern, so I’ll hopefully get that done this weekend so I can begin the jacket construction next week. This fabric won’t be wasted, I can cut the jacket sample apart and use the fabrics in scrap quilts.
On my wool house project, I took the elements, my pattern and a bunch of wool scraps to a friend’s house on Tuesday for a sew day, and it was an epic fail. I tried several configurations, adding and subtracting elements, piddling with it for a couple of hours, and I just didn’t like any of them. The proportions and perspective are still wrong, and I just cannot get them right. The patterns from other designers are just so much better than anything I can come up with. So, that project is on the back burner for now.
What are you sewing this week? Have you chosen a jacket pattern yet?
From My Carolina Home 
Love the fabrics you chose, Carole. The prints and colors are wonderful together.
Beautiful fabric, Carole! I use that method as well when I pre-wash fabrics. It works great. I just returned from your area visiting my brother and also met Gary’s family in Lake Lure and had dinner one night. So now I have to get busy and get my July Island Batik project quilted. It’s on the frame ready to go! After my coffee IV, I plan to start that today!! LOL
I had a lot of that fabric. I have used your pinning tip many times, no twisting!
Loving this jacket. Looks like you are having a lot of fun with it, glad you could make the changes ahead of time. I cheat a little when washing the fabric and do a really loose zigzag that’s easy to take out and layer several fabrics together. Except red – I have too many bleeding issues with red fabric. I’m repairing a quilt that that I haven’t even quilted yet – I miss cut the backing and cut off 6 inches!!! Not a problem just really annoying! Thanks,
I’ll enjoy watching your progress on the quilted jacket, but not sewing along this time. There are lots of other things in my sewing room to work on! I finished piecing a backing for my Autumn Jubilee top, so it’s now next in line for quilting!
Glad you got some sewing time in. So smart to do a test run. I read where people use muslin to do that, but smart to use what is on hand. I’m not a “garment sewer” and will watch from afar as you make your jacket. In my sewing room I am still playing with my sashing around my crumb blocks.
Some times our plains just don’t work out. You will come up with something that does…you always do. Me…I’m still digging out the daylilies and hoping for a new “cut flower bed” by Spring. The crocosmias have just taken over . So far I have two 5gal buckets of those little round bulbs to dispose of. Turns out not many day lilies any way. They will be replanted. No time to sew …figs need to cook.
I have some of your sample jacket also. I think it is all pieces by now and come across it when I’m going thru my scraps.
You’re so smart to make a sample and then figure out how to improve it to get what you want.
Thanks for the hints on washing yardage. I’d never heard that technique before, and I’ll be sure to use it next time.
All sounds to hard for me…… Goodluck
Met a new friend and her Mom off Nextdoor. She was looking for fidget items and she sent me samples I can use for my Korean War Vets. Beth sent me pics and asked if I needed to change anything? I told her they were great and asked if she would like to help me go through my stash of odds and ends. I sent her home with yarn, fabric, one quilt top, buttons, gloves, lace, binding, zippers and buttons. I told them I will be going through my stash again and let them know when I will be ready. All total in fabric I gave away 10 yards. Two boxes and a large bag. I’ll be giving about 8 fidget blankets out and gave them ideas of where to contact companies who will help them get additional supplies.
I have chosen a jacket pattern- Simplicity 9287. From the 90’s, it is now out of print. Your jacket is looking really good. I also need to buy some more sample muslin. In college I majored in theatre costuming, and we always made mock-ups (samples) first.
I so admire people who can alter patterns to fit a body. It’s a skill I don’t have.
Your fabrics are beautiful. I especially like the black that will be your lining.
I’m sorry your wool house pattern didn’t work out. I hope it won’t stay on the back burner too long….
You are making good progress, Carole, it sounds like your alterations will be straight forward. I love your fabrics!
I have been too busy for sewing lately because of working at our county fair all last week. Now this week my husband is having eye surgery. But I do have plans to finish a patchwork quilted jacket that I started a few years ago. That is my plan for later this week.
I’ve never mastered garment making so I’ll be watching from the sidelines. I’m prepping the Positivity 2022 quilt for quilting and already have my Autumn Jubilee 2021 prepped. First up will be Pos2022 then the very next will be AuJu2021. Looking forward to seeing what you’ve got up your sleeve this year!