Sunday, February 03, 2008

My Barrie Pace Jacket

This is an excerpt from an email that I sent to Marji earlier today:

"I am slowly sewing. This pattern may be a TNT but now after replacing the sleeves 3x, I know why I stopped using the pattern. The sleeve pattern is drafted poorly which makes it terrible to work with...they are in but not great and I am just not taking them out again. This is one of those times when I wish I did know how to draft patterns because I would just make another one...

This will be an amazing jacket when it's finished and will work so well with garments that are already in my closet as well as the coordinating dress I want to make...but the work of it is beating me down. I don't have much joy in the process...I understand how people stop sewing. If I didn't realize that I had skills I would toss it and walk away from sewing...so I am sewing in fits and starts.

Also the other jacket has all of these issues resolved and I did not write down anywhere how I solved them...that's what happens when you go to finish a 7 year old UFO...and probably why the shoulder seams were left a little wide...I am sure that I was disgusted with the sleeve issue and couldn't handle any more. I was a lot less patient with my sewing back then than I am now...


I have the buttons and the piping trim for the UFO jacket...have decided to just omit the collar, it will make a huge difference between the two jackets...but I need lining. Any way all of this is making me sad and slow which in turn is making me crazy because sewing is suppose to be my escape from my job and this is turning into work! I am really slogging to get this jacket finished. You would think that I would just move onto something else but I am truly afraid that if I put it down, it will be another 7 years before it is finished. So I gotta make this work!

Sometime today, I will cut out the lining fabric and sew it together and begin the job of inserting it into the jacket. Again, something I'm not looking forward to because I feel that lining jackets well is not my strong suit and I'm worried that it won't look good."

That was earlier today...here is the lining basted in before adding the collar...


This is why you haven't heard from me or seen a completed garment...there is no joy in Carolyn's Sewing World! This pattern is truly kickin' my behind! After these last two jackets it will get relegated to the "Never Use Again!" pattern pile!

Now to answer a few questions...

Vicki asked:
Couldn't you have just undone the sleeves and interfaced them?
Nah...the interfacing would have shrunk the fabric just enough to make the sleeves too tight for my bodacious biceps! I have to fuse the interfacing to the fabric prior to cutting it out. So I had to cut out new sleeves and start again!

Is this the same thread that Gutermann sells on those 110 yds spools?
Yes, it is. Now Atlanta Thread has a sliding scale...1-29 spools is $2.80 per spool; 30 or more is $2.66 per spool and 50 or more is $2.49 per spool. I have a thread chart that I purchased from ATS and I pick colors from the chart. I am trying to own a spool of thread in every color they own. However, I buy basics first and then add additional colors.

Sheila asked:
The Emmaonesock fabric is gorgeous, maybe I missed a post, what will you make with the fabric...?
I bought that a few weeks ago and never posted about it. I flipped into the EOS site one day at work (more stress buying - but I only got one 3-yard piece) saw it and bought it...just enough to make a cardigan...which I will get to sometime! *LOL*

So that's my update! Go Giants!


9 comments:

  1. Carolyn, I completely empathize with you. I'm running into the same thing with a blouse I'm making. I'm frustrated with it and it's work. I'm sewing it in fits and spurts and I want to be sewing something else fun. Oddly enough, it's sleeve issues (well, armscye) for me, too. Hope you make it through it well. I know you'll turn out a beautiful garment in the end. And then you can move on to something fun again.

    Jodi

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  2. What a shame you are having so much trouble. If you just keep sloggin away it will soon be over, and hopefully you will forget all the pain!

    PS, thanks for the info on the thread.

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  3. Sorry your jacket is bringing you down. Hope you manage to win the war and get it done. g

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  4. Carolyn, I feel your pain and frustration. I hope joy returns to your sewing world soon.
    Have you seen the jacket-bagging tutorial on Fashion Incubator? Could it help with your lining woes?

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  5. Sorry this project is not going as well as you would like - But I'm sure in the end when it's all done and totally perfect in every way -it will be a treasure :)

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  6. This happens to all of us, every once in a while... Just keep your chin up and finish it! When this one is over you'll feel like a bird!

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  7. ok, I left a comment here yesterday, and today it is gone...ARGH

    The lining is looking awesome in this black, and the jacket will be wonderful. Meanwhile, do not throw the pattern away. You know what to do.

    oh, and I publicly posted (on my blog) those choices we talked about yesterday. Guess I'm going public looking for input.

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  8. Well, it sounds like you persevered through a trying pattern. The end result really is lovely though!

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  9. I love it! The lining is so much more exciting than RTW.

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