A Few Photos

Well I promised pictures so here they are:

Okay my daughter and I were fooling around but I really liked this shot! Just to remind you I used Vogue 8209 for the jacket pattern, my TNT pants pattern with a slight alteration and a grey/black/white seersucker from Fabric Mart.

A front view:

And most importantly a back view:

A few construction details:

I loved the opening on the sleeve and the sleeve seaming. However, the next time I make this jacket, I will draft a facing for the sleeve hemline. With a facing this sleeve hem will have a cleaner finish and could be cuffed. Also since there is a seam in the middle of the sleeve the bicep alteration was really easy to make!

I had started construction on the jacket and serged several of the pieces before I was "inspired" to bind all the seams in the jacket. The pattern does not instruct you to do any special finishing details. And I want to be clear that I added binding to the seams, I did not do a Hong Kong finish. A few weeks ago I purchased about 20 yards of a light beige cotton binding from Daytona Trimmings I used this binding to encase the seams and sewed close to the edge of the binding.

Nancy asked about the alteration to the back leg...first a disclaimer...this is the Carolyn Method and not a TNT sewing book alteration. I measured from my waist to just under the curve of my buttocks. Took that measurement and made a mark on my pants pattern from that point on I folded in a 1/4" on my pattern piece to the hem.

Why??? Because the seersucker had a lot of stretch in it and I was concerned that if I made my typical trouser pant that the butt would stretch out. Taking out a 1/4" on back pattern pieces, gave the pants a closer fit. That definitely took some getting use to when wearing them today.

The other thing that I would change on the jacket is that I would add some closures to the jacket. This a great jacket to pose in! But in everyday actual wearing, it blows open in even a slight breeze. Clutching my jacket as I walk to the subway is not my idea of looking cute so the fall version will definitely have buttons on it. I even have some amazing silver buttons that I am thinking about adding to this jacket.

Otherwise this outfit was easy to wear...comfortable...and while I was in line for the salad bar at lunchtime, a woman came up to me and complimented me on the suit! It is a winner!