Friday, November 28, 2014

Make it with Wool 2014, Last Segment and an Amendment

Aside from making the coat collar removable, the only change I made was to the back of the coat.  I laid a pleat on each side of the center back in order to add boning so I could create a lacing detail for back interest.  First, I fused a strip of cotton interfacing inside the line (shown in long, purple tailor tacks) where the pleat was to be folded. (click images for larger views):


I stitched a cotton boning channel along the inside edge of the interfacing into which I inserted 1/2" spiral steel (shown on top of the channel):

Shows the sleeve stiffeners I created using coarse silk net over cotton buckram:

As applied to the seam allowance at the shoulder:


Placing the ice blue silk lining and catch-stitching it over the front coat facing, note pins in place to catch-stitch the sleeve lining in place:

The finished coat with removable collar in (before removing basting stitches):

The finished coat back with lacing detail (how-to is posted below):

Creating lacing channels by stitching the ends of 1" silk double-side satin ribbon together, then turning and pressing:
Placing each channel along the inside of each pleat on either side of the coat center back:
Hand-tacking the channel at intervals between which ribbon will be laced:

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Make it with Wool 2014 - Part 3

Because I opted not to sew this dress as originally prescribed with lapped seams and because I left the sheer bodice front scarf inset un-lined, I under-stitched the side front lining part way where it joins the front-scarf insert.  This was to ensure that no part of the side front lining would roll out underneath the sheer front and cause an undesired line (click images for larger views):

As shown on the inside of the fabric dress, the shoulder seam allowances of the bodice and bodice lining appear diagonally converging into the bodice front scarf inset/side front seam and hand-basting is still in place (far left in photo is the left dart at the back of the neck).  Note the lining is as of yet left free below the square symbol in the bodice side front:

Shows the line of under-stitching as applies to outside of finished dress:





A photo of the final dress at this year's Arizona Make it with Wool.  I took first place (more photos to come):



As for the coat, these first images demonstrate the treatment I gave each seam allowance as you can see in the lower edge of the under sleeve piece, this wool ravels so much!

I went back to the Design Plus trick, but this time using it to dissuade raveling by fusing it over the stitching lines of each coat piece.  The coat front (this and the upper sleeve shot gives a good indication of the translucent open parts of the weave).  White tailor tacks indicate button/loop placement and match points:

The upper sleeve (white tailor tacks indicate match points, red tacks indicate dart meet points.):

Under arm curve of the under sleeve, you get the idea:

Photo gives the effect of having joined seams with the Design Plus tape in the stitching on the wrong side of fabric:

I also used this method in places where the cut edge of a piece lay on an open part of the jacquard weave.  Here, an edge of the front facing getting that reinforcement over a small patch before placing rayon seam binding along the straight edge to keep the facing from drawing up when sewn to the coat:


Next post will cover the assembled coat in which I will insert channels for boning the back pleats for ribbon lacing and creating/inserting sleeve stiffening before the lining is placed.