Tailoring Archives

Converting Darts to a Princess Seam for the Jasika Blazer

3 May 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hello all! Celine here. I am the in-house pattern maker for Closet Core Patterns and I am here to share a pattern-making tutorial with you. We spent a lot of time in the studio discussing how to make our Jasika Blazer work for larger busts, and while we do have C & D cup options for the pattern, princess seams are one of the best ways to fit a large bust. You might also choose to add princess seams for purely aesthetic reasons - either way, I'm going to walk you through it in this tutorial.

If you think you want a more fitted Jasika Blazer (or any other jacket for that matter), or if you need more shaping around the bust, using the existing darts to draft a princess seam is a good way to go. Waist darts ending in the pocket is a pattern staple for tailored jackets and what’s been done for ages to give a little shaping to an otherwise pretty boxy garment. Tailored jackets in the early days of tailoring were drafted for men exclusively. When tailoring came into fashion for women, designers emphasized the waist and bust a lot, creating an hourglass shape and adding a lot of seams everywhere to make it snug. That’s when the famous princess seams that Dior utilized for blazers became iconic. Later on, menswear became trendy for women as well and boxy made a big come back!

Our Jasika blazer is a good combination of both, with true tailored blazer style and a semi-fitted shape (since the waist dart is relatively small) with a decent amount of shaping. But the good news is, you can shape it and style it some more! Switching from darts to adding a seam to a bodice is actually not that hard and requires just a few steps. Then again if you don’t need more shaping but just want to change the style lines you can do that with a princess seam -- you’re the designer here! I’m going to show you how to add a princess seam to the Jasika regular front, but also on the FBA C cup and the FBA D Cup (with two darts) in the armhole and shoulder.

DESIGN AWAY AND TRACE A LINES ON THE FRONT

How to Convert a Dart to Princess Seam // Closet Core Patterns

First you have to determine your bust point location. There is a reference point on the pattern already, but you might want to do a quick muslin of the Front to check on yourself if it is really at the apex. Then draw where you want your princess line to be: it can be anywhere in the armhole to the shoulder, as long as it goes through or very near the bust point.

ADD NOTCHES AND CUT ALONG YOUR DRAFT LINES

You want to have a smooth curve at the bust so make sure your lines are not making any weird shapes. I would recommend getting rid of the bustpocket here as you want to see the nice curved shape of your princess seam.

ADD SEAM ALLOWANCES AND GRAINLINES

When your pieces are cut, draw your seam allowance (we are using a 5/8” seam allowance) and transfer your notches. At that point you can walk your seams or measure them making sure they all match. If you have a bit of excess on your side panel curve it is no big deal, you can smooth it when sewing and pressing. Decide if you want your princess seam to go all the way down or stop at the pocket. I've shown it both ways here; on the right side I cut the bottom from the center front piece and merged it with the side panel. When your pattern pieces are taped together, check the seams are matching well and add a grainline perpendicular to the pocket opening.

MAKE A MUSLIN

How to Convert a Dart to Princess Seam // Closet Core Patterns

Make a muslin of the front with your new princess seam! For the example drawn here, the overall shape of the blazer is the exact same, so it should fit the same. If you want to adjust the fit you can do it on your muslin, pinching the extra fabric along the seam and then transderring those adjustments on the pattern.

PRINCESS SEAM IN SHOULDER ON A JASIKA C CUP FRONT

For a seam ending in the shoulder, the drafting is pretty much the same. To have a consistent line from shoulder to hem you can draw your line a bit off the bust point and adjust your curves: the amount you take on one side should be added to the other side. In this example, I drew my line 1/4” toward center front and so curved the side panel also 1/4” out. Again, if you want the jacket to be snugger, you can leave a small gap between your drafting lines and adjust later with your muslin. With the princess seam in the shoulder, you could also keep the bust pocket. You may find you need to smooth or adjust the side panel curves to get a closer fit.

PRINCESS SEAM IN SHOULDER ON A JASIKA D CUP FRONT (WITH TWO BUST DARTS)

Follow the same steps as for the princess seam in armhole, however, we will also have the option to remove the bust dart. Here's how to do that:

On your new side panel, before adding your seam allowances, draw your dart so the dart tip touches the seam. Close the dart, folding your paper or cutting one dart leg and taping it to the other dart leg. Your seam is now crooked so you need to smooth it and make it a nice curve, checking the measurement are still matching along the center front panel.

Add seams allowances and adjust.

For more help with making these adjustments, we wrote a fitting tutorial/ebook on princess seams for the Fiona Sundress. The principles are the same for a jacket so if you are having fitting issues, this should help you out.

And there you have it! The challenge with drafting off book is trusting your instincts and enjoying the process. The more you learn how fabric reacts to your adjustments the easier you will be able to troubleshoot and adapt patterns to your own fitting needs. Allow yourself to try things without a perfectionist approach! Make a muslin! Have FUN!

Talking Tailoring with Patrick Grant from the Great British Sewing Bee

10 April 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

When we first cooked up the idea of the #BlazerofGlory challenge for our Jasika Blazer Heather mentioned that we should interview some actual real-life tailors to get everyone inspired. I believe the next words out of my mouth were, "CAN IT BE PATRICK GRANT??!!" You see, over the Christmas season I had gotten all caught up with the GBSB (The Great British Sewing Bee) and came back from vacation with a whole new set of skills, an appreciation for the full panoply of British accents, and maybe, just a wee crush on the judge Patrick Grant. Beyond his great taste and impeccably cut wardrobe, THE MAN KNOWS TAILORING.

Patrick started his career in fashion by purchasing an ailing Savile Row business called Norton & Sons and completely revitalizing it in a matter of years. Later he relaunched the defunct Norton subsidiary E. Tautz as a ready to wear brand, winning the Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2010. In years since, he has relaunched another Norton sub-brand, Hammond & Co, and made impressive strides in the British clothing manufacturing sector with Cookson and Clegg and Community Clothing. We're really not sure when he ever has time to sleep.

We figured he'd have some encouraging nuggets for any of you screaming at welt pockets at the moment; he did not disappoint. Read Heather's interview with Patrick to get a peek into the rarefied world of Savile Road, bespoke tailoring, and clothes that double as family heirlooms.

Patrick Grant (follow him on Instagram!)

As a commercial interior designer turned pattern designer, I really identified with your own shift from engineering to fashion. How do you think your experience in a more technical field has informed your relationship to tailoring and fashion?

Everything I learned as an engineer I apply to designing clothes, whether its for E. Tautz, Hammond & Co or Community Clothing. At the heart of my design process is excellence in materials, excellence in function and excellence in execution. I design clothes I hope will be a joy to wear, but also that will last, and will improve with age.

Interview with Patrick Grant's Clothing Lines — E. Tautz // Hammond and Co. // Community Clothing

Obviously, you've become well known in the sewing community as a result of your involvement with the Great British Sewing Bee. Home sewing is seeing a massive upswing in recent years as people rediscover the art of craft and making and it's an exciting time to be a part of that movement. What are your thoughts on the sewing movement at large?

Home sewing is incredibly important in a really broad context. We need to change the way we think about clothes, we need to see them as items of great value, we need to cherish them, and the materials they are made from, and we need to know how to give them the longest life possible. That is at the core of sustainability in clothing and fashion. Home sewers are changing the world of clothes for the better.

What is your own experience with sewing & tailoring? You have a large team of skilled tailors and craftspeople, but have you ever had a hand in the actual construction process of a tailored jacket? What do you enjoy about the process?

I learned to do everything when I started work at Nortons, from trimming, marking out and striking to tailoring and shirtmaking. But being a bespoke tailor on Savile Row requires years of dedicated training, 40 hours a week for four or more years to be a coat maker. So yes, I leave it to the experts, but I loved the years when I was working in the workroom. Being involved in making something so beautiful is a pleasure, and when I do sew today, bits of alteration, or the odd new garment, I love the process, especially hand sewing. I find it very meditative.

Interview with Patrick Grant // Closet Core Patterns — Suits and a cutter at Norton and Sons

Who or what inspires your personal style and fashion collections?

Everything and anything. It’s one of the joys of designing clothes. This season I’m looking at the west African textiles in the work of the brilliant Lubaina Himid, but in past seasons I’ve taken inspiration from huge variety of sources; the Terry Street poems of Douglas Dunn, Attenborough’s Life of Birds, ‘The North’ by John Bulmer, The Hebrideans by Gus Wylie, the banners of the Lancastrian textile workers. Really, it can come from anywhere.

What do you consider the hallmarks of a perfectly tailored jacket? Are there any materials or design details you turn to again and again?

Effortless fit, beautiful natural fabrics, and beautiful hand tailoring and finishing. Style is personal, and it changes with time. I currently enjoy wearing much softer, much more draped jackets, usually in more interesting vivid patterns (sadly most of which strobed on camera so couldn’t be worn on Sewing Bee).

Do you have any tailoring tips or skills you would to share with the ambitious home tailor?

Really there are no shortcuts, you need to learn from an experienced tailor, and you need to do a lot of it. Not that long ago on Savile Row you would spend 6 months just learning to put in sleeves.

The bespoke tailoring industry has an illustrious history but may be difficult to break into. Do you have any professional advice for aspiring tailors?

It is difficult to get into on Savile Row, we get probably 100 applications for every apprenticeship place on Savile Row. But we are crying out for people who want to be garment sewing machinists at our Cookson & Clegg factory in Blackburn. We look to take on apprentices who have great sewing skills, a fantastic work ethic, and a cheerful personality.

****

The Great British Sewing Bee is in its 5th season on the BBC and the finale just aired! Get all caught up here. Thanks Patrick!

Bespoke Tailoring Details for the Jasika Blazer

29 March 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hey guys, Amy here. One of the greatest joys of sewing (in my opinion) is the endless customization, personalization, and tiny details you can obsess over while the rest of the RTW world has to TAKE WHAT THEY GET. From beginning to end, sewing is a series of little choices that add up to a totally, 100%, one of a kind, article of clothing. In a tailoring context, this is even more enviable. To have a custom suit jacket made on Savile Row is beyond most people's budgets. And even then, you would probably have to settle on just one. With the Jasika Blazer pattern we are bringing those bespoke, tailoring details to your finger tips! Our hope is, as you become comfortable with the techniques you feel free to add all those little custom touches that truly elevate clothing to the next level.

Today we're sharing some details you can apply to your very own Jasika. Obviously, these are mostly menswear images; it is only fairly recently the tailored jacket even entered the sphere of women's wear. But we are used to stealing from the boys! So don't let the man hands throw you off, in the right context all these dandyish details can be applied to a natty lady jacket. So get inspired! Let's take a look.

COLLARS & LAPELS

Bespoke Tailoring Details // Closet Core Patterns — one //two // three // four // five// six //seven // eight

Customizing your collar is a great way to add instant personality to your blazer. Think about materials - what about switching the top collar or under collar fabric to something with texture or colour? Adding ribbon or trim can help define the shape, and adding a secret embroidered message under the collar is about as bespoke as it gets.

PRETTY GUTS

We love the idea of making the insides just as pretty at the outsides (Heather has been known to sing the song Pretty Guts to the tune of Adelweiss around the office). Adding piping or flat trim to your lining is one way; adding a secret breast pocket or hidden label is another. Thankfully we have tutorials for both these ideas coming your way shortly.

BUTTONS & BUTTONHOLES

Bespoke Tailoring Details for the Jasika Blazer // Closet Core Patterns — one // two // three // four // five // six // seven //eight //nine

Just because something is functional doesn't mean it can't be bee-yoo-tee-ful. Buttons and buttonholes are an area where you can really express yourself. Experimenting with thread colour, buttonhole shape or even making a gorgeous bound buttonhole will all add instant personality to your jacket.

POCKETS (WITH A TWIST)

Our Jasika has two classic pocket styles; an angled breast welt and double welt pocket with our without a flap. Don't let this hold you back though! You can add stacked pockets, change the shape or angle of your welts, add patch pockets or personalize further with topstitching and piped details. The world is your pocket oyster.

Hope you find these details as inspiring as we do!

Interview with a Tailor: Wisdom from Maimu

27 March 2019 by Amy Leave a Comment

I've been really lucky over the years to find some incredible pattern testers. Pattern making and development happens in a sort of bubble, so it's wonderful to be able to get another set of eyes on our designs, especially if our testers are as skilled and knowledgable as Maimu. She's been pattern testing for us for a few years, and I always love getting feedback from her; it's always filled with insightful suggestions and constructive criticism. Maimu is a trained tailor and all around sewing genius and she was invaluable while we were working on the Jasika Blazer. Today we're sharing some of her wisdom with you. If you'd like to keep in touch, you can follow her blog here and her instagram here.

Interview with a Tailor // Closet Core Patterns — Kalle Shirtdress (TOPSTITCHING ON POINT)

Where did you go to school and what did you study?

First, I studied fashion in a school that no longer exists. I lasted for two years. Then I studied tailoring at Tallinn Industrial Education Center. Since the start, I made it clear to my two very lovely teachers, that I wanted to focus mainly on menswear and outerwear. The two year course covered both women's and menswear, everything from shirt and dress making to tailoring suits and outerwear. I graduated in 2006 as tailor/cutter; meaning that besides tailoring I had also learnt the skill of cutting. In bespoke tailoring, a cutter may measure the client, advise them on style choices and eventually cuts out the actual garment. After learning my trade, I worked for few years both as a menswear tailor and in RTW manufacturing and in (God knows what year) I decided to go to Tallinn College of Engineering and learn Technical Design of Apparel and Manufacturing.

How long have you been tailoring?

On and off since 2006. Nowadays, it's really more a hobby of mine. Living in a small town doesn't help either since there aren’t that many clients who are interested in bespoke garments.

What is your favourite part of the tailoring process?

Removing all the basting stitches at the end. So satisfactory.

What fabrics do you especially like to work with?

Anything thick and heavy really, but especially melton. I absolutely love coat making.

What skills should people try to master when tailoring blazers?

Sewing straight is always a must. But, get those pockets right! They should be at equal height, equal in length and width. So, before you cut your pocket open, measure everything from the left side to be sure. You don't have to dive right in, sew a few pockets as a practice run first. Secondly, how to press and shape a garment. Pressing is something that people fear, since one can very easily ruin a garment. Again - test first. Some fabrics do bruise more easily, some don't like a lot of moisture. It's also very important to let the garment parts set and dry after the pressing.

Do you have any designers or instagram accounts you like to follow for inspiration?

For style inspiration:

Blazer style inspo // Closet Core Patterns — Clockwise from L: Guillaume Bo, Alexis Foreman, Tracey Lea Sayer, Shuhei Nishiguchi

For all the basting thread glory :

Do you have any fitting advice?

First, get to know your body and posture. Maybe your one shoulder is lower than the other one? Maybe one of your arms is longer than the other one. Do you slouch? Knowing that in advance will help your fitting go a bit smoother. During the fitting, try to keep your posture as natural as possible, standing erect during the fitting will result in an ill fitting garment. Secondly, get the balance right. Make sure that the bottom hem and the waistline are parallel to the ground. And thirdly, don't over do it! You have to be able to move comfortably in your clothes.

Any other other tips, tricks or insight you'd like to share?

PRESS. YOUR. SLEEVES. Those tubular trunk-like things really bother me. (Heather here: There is a special pad tailors use to shape and mold sleeves to the natural shape of the arm. Maimu explained how to do this and I demonstrate in our online tailoring workshop). Also, facings on any coat that goes past your knees should be attached to the main body. Same goes for double breasted coats, and coats or jackets without a closure. Those facings will start to roll out at some point, and that is just...a no. Oh, and clip your threads!

Thank you Maimu! We love you!

Bagging a Coat Lining // Clare Coat Sewalong

18 December 2015 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

Can you believe it? This is the very last post in the Clare Coat sewalong and after today you will have a fully lined coat to call your own.

Traditionally, tailored coats are lined using a lot of hand stitching but who has time for that? Today we'll be bagging the lining, a commercial technique which lets us machine stitch almost the entire thing. Bagging a lining feels like magic the first time you do it; it almost doesn't make sense that it will work, but I promise you, it does!

You should have your coat shell and lining/facing completely assembled and ready to go. Before we sew anything together, fold up your coat hem up 2" and press (there are notches along the hem indicating the fold line). You will notice that part of the hem is a little bit narrower; this is to reduce bulk. The hem at this narrower part should be 5/8"/16mm wide.

Press the sleeve hems up 1 3/4" as well.

You'll notice in my beige sample that I added additional interfacing where I intended to sew on my closures, and along the seams of the coat. This step is optional, but if you'd like to make sure the edges of your coat don't stretch over time, sewing in a little stay tape or applying extra interfacing or fusible stay tape to the seams isn't a bad idea.

Onto assembly: lay your coat lining on top of your coat body with right sides together. Pin together around the perimeter of the coat. The facing will line up with the corner of the coat body where the hem gets narrower. Start sewing at the circle mark indicated on the inside corner of the facing. If you want nice corners, use a short stitch length and sew a little 45 degree angle right at the corner for 2 or 3 stitches before turning the coat all the way around (a great tip from Jen at Grainline).

View B: Sew all around the perimeter of the coat, and stop sewing at the circle mark on the facing on the other side.

View A: switch to a zipper foot. Sew directly on top of the stitching from when you installed your zipper and placket so that everything stays nice and even. Stop sewing a few inches above the hem on the side with the zipper placket.

All views: to sew the hem, line up the corner of the lining with the corner of the coat. Match the side seams of lining and coat body. Pin into place and sew along the bottom hem, on both sides, but leave an 8" gap around the center of the coat. This is where we will pull everything right side out later (bagging a lining is generally done through the sleeve but I find it easier to do this way).

The corner around the facing is a little awkward but will look like this. The lining is a little shorter than the coat so it is pulling the hem forward. This will be resolved later when we press in the lining pleat.

The corner around the zipper placket on View A will look like this. Again, this little weird fabric pulling situation will be resolved later when the hem is pressed up and the lining is pressed into a pleat.

It was hard to photograph the entire coat, but it will essentially look like this once you've sewn around the perimeter.

View A:

View B:

Now to deal with that janky corner around the facing. Right now your facing should be sewn to your coat front, and the lining sewn to the coat hem with this weird little area in between where nothing quite matches up.

In order to get this to turn neatly in on itself in a moment, you need to clip along the facing and coat, starting at the corner where the hem widens, to the circle mark where you started sewing. Do not cut into your stitch line.

Now trim all the corners down and grade your seams. Remember, grade the seams that are not laying against the body of the coat.

Before we turn the coat inside out, we need to attach the coat sleeve to the lining sleeve. This is the part that feels weird, but trust me, it will flip inside out like magic if you get it right.

Lay your coat down so that the coat sleeve and its corresponding sleeve lining are facing you.

We want to join these two sleeves together. Unfold your coat hem and fold up your lining hem. Line them up so that the top and bottom sleeve seams match up. Make sure your sleeves aren't twisted!

Slide the coat sleeve over the folded-up hem of the lining and pin into place, again making sure that the correct seams are matching up.

At your machine, sew the lining and coat sleeve opening together. Repeat on the other side. It looks a little crazy, but trust me, you're about to see some magic.

Your coat and lining sleeves should now be holding hands.

View B:

View A:

Here comes the fun part! From the opening we left along the back hem, reach inside the coat and start pulling it outside the opening.

It doesn't feel like it should work, but if you've sewn your sleeves together properly, everything should sort of unfold in an immensely satisfying way.

Once it's entirely pulled out, reach inside with your point turner and make sure all your corners are in place.

Before we press it into place, we need to do a little more work. Reach inside and pull out the seam allowances of your collar. We need to sew the facing and coat body together along the collar seam so that the collar stays in place.

It's a little fiddly so don't worry about sewing along the seam allowance, you basically just want to tack the facing and coat together here so it doesn't shift on you later.

You may also want to tack your coat and lining together under the armpit using a thread chain. I didn't bother on my coats because flannel-backed lining "clings" to wool and doesn't slip, but if you're using bemberg or silk, this will help anchor your lining into place. Here is a great tutorial from Susan Khalje on how to make a thread chain. Sew this chain at the armscye seam of lining and coat so they're linked together.

To keep your hem crisp and prevent it from falling down, it helps to tack your coat hem down on the inside. To do this, pull the hem out of your opening. Match up the coat hem seam allowance and the side seam allowances.

Now hand tack the seam allowances together; this will anchor your hem in place.

Pull everything right side out again. Now it's time to give everything a very thorough pressing. Take your time with your press cloth and go over all of your seams, making sure your corners are straight and even. The collar for View A needs a little love and tenderness. Press it into shape along a tailor's ham.

With the hem flipped up, you will now have a little extra length on the lining around the hems. Press this into a pleat.

You will notice a weird little area where the facing and hem meet. If your fabric is not super thick, you can tuck the seam allowance of the facing under and then press the lining pleat into place. If your wool is quite thick, you may find it helpful to trim off a little wedge of the seam allowance along the hem (top right). Once you've tucked and prodded this corner into place, hand stitch it down and press (bottom right).

The corner along the zipper placket of View A is a little different but the principle is the same. Simply tuck and fold the seam allowance of the hem up and under the folded pleat of the hem. Press and handstitch into place.

If you're making View B, topstitch 1/4" from the edge around the sides and collar of the coat in one continuous line.

View A does not require any topstitching. Simply make sure it is pressed well at all the corners.

If you're making View B, now is the time to sew on your closures. I prefer the concealed sew-in snaps. It is possible to sew them in without going through both layers of coat, and you can reach inside your coat if necessary to pull your needle through. You can also add regular buttons and buttonholes at this stage.

Once you are sure everything has been tacked down on the inside, the facing corners have been handstitched and the corners are crisp and pressed, its time to stitch the lining closed. Press the lining hem under so that it matches the pleat on the sewn portion of the hem, and slipstitch into place.

And.... You're done! I hope you've enjoyed making your coats and I CAN'T WAIT to see them! Feel free to leave me links below of your finished projects and I'll do big round up in January!

And let me know if any step is unclear... we covered a lot of ground today!

Assembling Body (View A) // Clare Coat Sewalong

2 December 2015 by Heather Lou 6 Comments

Whoop! Time to start putting these Clare Coats together. Today we will be focusing on assembling the front panel of View A, and I'll be back tomorrow with instructions for View B. For today, make sure you have all your pieces cut and interfaced. Today we'll be sewing the darts and installing the welt pockets.

Quick disclaimer: I shot the sewalong using two pink wool coat samples. One was interlined with a polka dot flannel so you'll see a mix of both coats in this post; hopefully you won't be confused. My camera also spazzed out trying to find a good white balance with these colours so please pardon me if the pink shifts a little from image to image.

To get started, let's sew up those bust darts. If you have a hard time sewing them straight, pin the dart into place and then use a ruler and a marking tool to draw a line from the start to the tip of the dart.

Sew the darts on each side of the front bodice, starting from the outside and ending at the bust point. Tie off your loose ends at the bust point by hand so they don't unravel - it's not a good idea to back stitch on a dart for accuracy's sake.

If your fabric is reasonably thin, you can press the dart down. However, coating fabrics tend to be quite thick. It's better to snip them open as much as possible and then press them flat. The little bit you can't snip open can just be pressed down.

To get a nicely shaped dart, press it from the right side on top of a tailors ham (use a press cloth). This will blend the dart tip into the body fabric.

Once both darts have been sewn, it's time to move on to our welt pockets. If you haven't already, carefully mark the location of your welts by drawing a rectangle around the circle markings indicated on your pattern piece. Then draw a line down the centre of the rectangle. Each corner should end in a little triangle wedge around 3/4" long. These center lines will be cut later to make room for our pocket opening. If you have some chalk carbon paper, the easiest way to transfer the markings is with a tracing wheel.

Time to assemble your pocket welts. They should both be interfaced. Fold them wrong sides together and then sew each short end at 5/8"/19mm.

Trim the edges down to around 1/4"/10mm and snip off the corners at a 45 degree angle. Flip right side out, use a point turner to square the corners and press. You can also baste 1/4" along the raw edge.

Next up, let's sew our pocket linings. Place the pocket facing and pocket lining right sides together (you want the pocket lining that looks like a half moon). Sew along the length.

Grade the lining seam and press the seam towards the lining. Topstitch along the lining to secure it to the facing seam and trim off any odd corners peeping out. Press flat.

Pin both welts to your coat front so that the raw edge is lined up against the center line you marked earlier. Sew along the entire length of each welt. Backstitch at beginning and end.

Place the pockets facing face down on the right side of the coat with the raw edge butting up against the welt raw edge. Center the facing edge with the welt. Pin into place.

Sew the facing to the coat, 1/4"/6mm away from the edge. Do not sew past the length of the welt or the pocket opening you marked on the coat fabric below. Backstitch at the beginning and end. Repeat for both sides.

Right now the welt and pocket facing are attached to the coat, but we also need to sew down the other half of the pocket lining. Lay it face down on top of the welt so that its edges line up with the pocket facing. Sew it along the length of the welt, 1/4"/6mm from the edge, basically sewing on top of the stitching you made to fasten the welt to the coat.

Your stitch lines should be about 1/2" apart. Cut along the center line you marked earlier to create the pocket opening in the coat front. As you snip the triangular lines going to the corners, make sure you cut right to the very edge of your stitching. This is what it will look like on the back side of the coat:

You can now flip the pockets inside the coat and the welt should fold over to the other side. You should have a nice, neat rectangular opening from the opening you cut. Ensure you have snipped far enough to the welt corner so that you get a perfect rectangular opening with no buckling. Everything should lay nice and flat.

On the wrong side it should look something like this. Pull your little triangles open and press them flat.

You can now fold the pocket facing over to line up with the pocket lining.

Pin your pockets together around the perimeter.

Make sure that little triangle wedge is lying flat and pin it into place.

Sew the pocket facing and lining together while also catching that little triangle wedge. To do this, switch to a zipper foot and place the pocket facing side down on your machine. Start at the outside edge and sew the facing and lining together, catching the triangle wedge as you sew as close to the edge of it as possible.

Sew around the perimeter of the pocket with a 5/8" seam allowance. For extra pocket strength, sew the entire pocket closed a second time about 1/8" away from the first line of stitching.

On the right side of the coat, press the welt pockets over and up.

Since these pockets will be under stress, it is important to tack the welts down securely so they won't come undone as you stick your hands in them over the years. From the wrong side of the coat, hand sew the welts down using a sturdy "X stitch" by sewing all the way through the back and then catching the underside of the welt pocket with your needle. Some stitches will be sewn through your pocket facing. You must secure the entire length of each welt edge.

Make sure you can't see those stitches from the outside!

I haven't done this yet but one of my testers suggested using a chain stitch to sew the pocket linings together. Knock yourself out if you feel like it!

That's it for today; we'll sew up our side seams later this week!

Coat Making Supplies & Tailoring Interfacing // Clare Coat Sewalong

26 November 2015 by Heather Lou 33 Comments

In addition to the coating fabrics and lining we discussed yesterday, you'll need to gather a few additional supplies to make your Clare Coat. I'm hoping most of this will be available at your local shop, but I'm also providing as many online resources as possible.

INTERFACING

While Clare doesn't demand the kind of elabourate interfacing applications of more tailored jackets (think roll lines, pad stitching etc) it is imperative that you stabilize key areas, especially around the shoulders, seams and hems. Interfacing adds a little body to your fabric, and prevents fabric from stretching over time. Do not skip this step!

WEFT INTERFACING

Weft fusible is my preferred interfacing for Clare; it is a classic tailor's supply, and adds fluid drape and structure to coating fabrics. If you are making Clare with a fabric that can't be pressed (I'm thinking about velvet or faux fur) you may also substitute it for sew-in fabric interfacing. It is woven, not the solid sheets you might be used to, and has a little stretch or give to it, but not quite so much as interfacing designed specifically for knits. It generally comes in wide widths, but I also include quantities for the narrower 20" kind if that's what you're using. Unless you're sewing a very light coloured fabric, black should be fine; I find it is more commonly available. You should be able to find this in the interfacing section of your fabric store.

If you're lucky, your fabric will come pre-interfaced. This is generally more common with end lots from manufacturers, but it will save you some prep time. If your fabric is not as beefy as you'd like, you can also block fuse all of your fabric to add a little body everywhere. Both of my Clare samples are completely interfaced and it creates a nice crisp coat, especially with wools.

Online sources: I've heard great things about the Pro-Weft at Fashion Sewing Supplies. You can also get the Pellon brand at Fabric.com. Also: Vogue Fabrics.

HORSEHAIR CANVAS

If you're making View A, I also suggest you pick up a 1/2" yard of horsehair interfacing. In a pinch you can use a sturdy fabric like regular cotton canvas, but horsehair provides strong but flexible structure to your collar. You can buy sew-in or fusible. I used regular sew-in but I think the fusible would be a better choice if you're not going to pad-stitch it into place.

Online Sources: Fashion sewing supply, Fabric.com, Nancy's Notions

TWILL STAY TAPE

You'll also need to pick up around 3 yards of cotton twill stay tape. We'll be sewing this along our raglan and collar seams to prevent them from stretching out. You should be able to find it at your local fabric store by the yard, but you can also buy it in readymade packs like this.

INTERLINING

Is it colder than a withering glare from Judy Dench where you live? Consider adding a layer of interlining for warmth. Not to be confused with underlining (which means adding a layer of fabric for additional structure/body), interlining simply means sewing a double layer of something like cotton flannel or lambswool to your body fabric. You would cut all of your main pieces (sleeves, front, back and sides) from the same pattern pieces, baste them together and then treat the whole thing as one layer. For even more warmth, you can use something like 3M thinsulate, which is what commercial manufacturers often use in wool coats. Rather than sewing it to your fashion fabric, you baste it to your lining pieces to help reduce bulk. You can get it at Vogue Fabrics. I think Seattle Fabrics carries it as well but their website is a little confusing; you may have to call and ask.

CLOSURES

Depending on what version of Clare you make, you'll need to source either zippers or button closures. I've called for zippers that are 30-32" long in length; you should be able to find them at your local big box sewing store, or anywhere that has a decent selection of notions. Just make sure you get the separating kind; I custom ordered a Riri zipper, sewed it into an early sample and realized it didn't open at the bottom. Major bummer.

You can also trim your zippers if you find one you like that is too long. My main piece of advice is to go with a metal zipper if you can find them; they look better exposed and are less likely to melt on you during the pressing stage. If you want to splurge, I absolutely LOVE fancy schmancy Riri zippers. You can get them in any length, in every colour of the rainbow, along with gold, silver, bronze or rose coloured teeth, and your chance of zipper pulls. The only place I know of to get them is Pacific Trimming; make sure you specify the 6mm teeth. You can try Zipperstop for YKK zippers; they have a huge selection and will trim your zipper to the correct length. Wawak also has a decent selection of zippers in multiple colors, but you'll need to trim them yourself.

If you're making View B, you'll need buttons or concealed snaps. Again, I got my giant snap buttons from Pacific Trimming - they take some time to sew in but I love them.

ADDITIONAL COAT MAKING SUPPLIES

The key to coat-making is thorough pressing; it's worth it to spring for a tailor's ham or seam roll if you can afford it since you'll end up using it all the time anyway (you can always DIY them following this tutorial on Tilly & the Buttons). Finally, a sharp pair of shears or a rotary cutter, matching thread and a marking pen, and a clapper for those crisps seams I was raving about yesterday (any piece of hardwood will do the trick).

And that's it! Tomorrow I'll be covering some common alterations, and we'll get started on constructed on Monday. Questions? I'll answer below!