A New Jacket in time for Christmas

Living in Somerset and being so far away, if I sew for my sister it's ages before she gets the finished garment. We started this jacket back in the summer. Toiles and fittings take a long time as we only get chance to meet up every few months.  But finally the jacket is done, and I think she really likes it.

I've chosen couture techniques to construct this garment.  The fabric is a woollen tweed which has been quilted to the lining to give it structure, but at the same time keep it soft.   I used the edges of the fabric to made a trim to finish the edge of the jacket and then I stitched a velvet ribbon over the top of the trim to finish it off.

The fabric frayed a lot when I was working with it, so I added extra seam allowances when I cut it out, and tacked around the outline of the pattern  before removing it from the fabric. Then I checked it again and re tacked once the quilting was done. This allowed me to keep the pattern sizing correct.  Then I stitched the jacket together with the help of the tacked lines,  it was a lot of work, but I believe it was worth it.

She made the trousers  she is wearing herself, I drafted the pattern for her last year, then she made up her own trousers.  I just need to encourage her to have a go a tailoring now and she can have her new outfits quicker!!

Lots of Pies for the Christmas Party

Last Tuesday I was in the kitchen all morning baking. We were having a family gathering and I needed to contribute to the 'party' food. The hens have been laying lots of eggs, so I settled for making quiche.

Feta and Spinach, and Salmon and Asparagus.  I did some bite size mini ones too for my Aunties Boxing Day party, she is not well and I thought I would help out and make something to save her the trouble.  They will be fine in the freezer until Wednesday.  I hope she improves soon so she can enjoy the Christmas holiday.

I heard my Uncle loves Apple Pie, so I made him one as a treat, the two pies on the left are my special 'Christmas Apple Pies', an almond pastry base, with apples, raisins and cinnamon filling, and an almond crumble topping.  The second one I made for dinner, it's all gone of course!

Curtains and Coats

The curtains I made my nephew in September turned out well, this is the first pair of curtains I've done in years. They were heavy and it was a huge amount of fabric to work with, but I was pleased with the end result. I received this photograph the other day, they look good now they are up, even if I say so myself.

My Gent's Tailoring class has finished for the Christmas holiday, I have had a really good term and enjoyed every minute, the ladies on the course are so friendly, we not only sew, but chat about all kinds of things and share ideas and experiences. I can't wait for the next term to start.

I thought it was time to put some pictures on to show how the jacket is progressing, I've done the pockets and the pad stitching on the lapels.

I'm really pleased with the pockets, since doing my City and Guilds this year, I have gained much more confidence when I do pockets, I hated them before!

I have my holiday homework too.  Finish the collar and front facings.  Then I need to put the lining together and start on the inside pockets!!  More pockets, practise makes perfect.

Moody Blues and Parallel Lines

I needed a theme for my design brief for the clothes I was making to submit for assessment of my City and Guilds work that I've just spent this year doing. I love the colour blue so that was the inspiration for Moody Blues. The walk I took around the city of Birmingham looking at the lines in the architecture gave me another idea for the Parallel Lines part of my theme.



 

I had to make a jacket and waistcoat and then either a pair of trousers or a skirt. The waistcoat came first. I used a patchwork method to piece together segments of the waistcoat.  The fabric came from The African Fabric Shop who sell hand-dyed, hand printed, fabrics, they have a wonderful selection on their web site www.africanfabrics.co.uk  Once the waistcoat was tested out in calico, I drew on the calico where I wanted to add the patchwork panels; made a new pattern and then cut out the fabric. It was a challenge getting it all on!! I used four different fabrics in the design.

I wanted to do some top stitching, bound buttonholes and cover buttons in the design to give it a unique finish. I hope it will pass the test.

 

 

 

My jacket came next, the criteria for the City and Guilds states a jacket with a two piece sleeve and a revere collar, my pattern cutting skills are OK, but not up to a jacket yet. I found it difficult to find a modern pattern, that would fit this criteria so I ended up using an old pattern that I'd had for a while, the peplum is back in fashion, so this could be a hit.

 

 

 

I used Linton Tweed for this jacket, (www.lintondirect.co.uk) it's beautiful fabric but not easy to work with,  it can be a challenge.  Linton have a wonderful range of colours and textures I can't resist buying from them at the sewing shows.  I found  matching all of the lines made my eyes dance when I was working on it, but I am very pleased with the end result.  I even managed to get my theme into the lining, can you see the lines?

And finally the trousers, these I made using a Wool fabric with elastine they fit perfectly. I had made the pattern myself and have already made some trousers this year using this pattern.  Because I needed to perfect it before making these. I did want to add turn-ups, but the fabric was a bit narrow and it was difficult to get the trousers out of the length I had bought.  I had to compromise here, never mind they look and feel great, so I'm not too upset. 



I'm just pleased now that it's all done.

It's done, I've completed all my Tailoring City and Guilds work

Back in January when I started this course I never dreamt it would pass so quickly, but here we are at the beginning of December and I've finished it's all packed up, it's labelled and ready to hand in. 

 What shall I do now?

 

My first jacket and skirt, made from some tweed I'd bought a few years ago from a textile mill in Northumberland.  I can't wait to wear them now. I used a speed tailoring method to complete the jacket and applied applique leaves to both jacket and skirt.

This waistcoat is trimmed with a contrasting grey piping and grey pockets, I used the grey fabric to make a pair of trousers to match. When I went shopping in town I found more of the waistcoat fabric in another shop. I bought a second piece to made a new handbag, it's time I had a new handbag.  A project for this month perhaps!


I've learnt a lot of new things this year, studying for this course, and completed files on art and design, fibres and fabrics, techniques and much more, it was not easy there was a lot to do and it was very time consuming.  Anyone about to start this course I would strongly recommend you pace yourself throughout the year, work at it regularly and steadily and you will complete it on time.

Next time, more picture of the other garments, all from my 'Moody Blue and Parallel Lines' theme.