More on Butterick 4980

I realized that yesterday's post was all about the construction of the jackets and that there were no photos of the finished jackets. So today's post will rectify that...

Green linen jacket alone:

White silk/linen jacket:

A close-up of the piping and button finish on the white jacket:

The white and green jacket together:

The white jacket and striped skirt together:

There were a few questions...

NancyK asked:

How big is your button stash? I have a very small button stash, because I never can make up my mind about how many to buy. Do you buy for a project or rely on stash buttons? If stash, how do you decide how many to buy?

Somewhere buried deep within three years of postings, *smile* is the fact that for many years I worked in the garment district...switched over to the financial industry when I got divorced. My last gig in the garment district was for a button company...hence the accumulation. I worked there for 2.5 years so I rarely buy buttons now. I rumble through my collection until I find something that works...if by chance I don't have anything...and I can't make a covered button...then and only then do I hit the district looking for a button...but I guarantee you that is an extremely rare incidence and I'm a little annoyed that I have to do it!

Now the question of how many buttons to buy is always an intriguing one. Because technically you should buy for the number of buttons you are going to put on your garment plus one. I always add one because in this instance RTW is correct when they sew an additional button into a garment. However, since many of us buy the fabric and/or pattern before we decide upon its use...this can be tricky! Especially if you are out and about and just see a great button but don't know when or how you will use it. If I find myself in that predicament, I usually buy anywhere between 6-10 buttons.

Since my collection was amassed during my button company gig and there we ordered sample buttons by the gross - I probably have a dozen or two of each style...some more than that. But I think a purchase of 6-10 buttons would make an allowance for any type of garment!

Elizabeth asked:

But you didn't tell us how you resolved the closing issue.

Sorry...when I'm writing up these posts I think I'm being methodical and concise and sometimes it's only in my mind! *LOL* To answer your question though, I resolved the issue by adding an additional 2.5" to the front of the jacket, the yokes overlap better allowing me to add a button and buttonhole. And although the jacket front still swings open, there is less space between the jacket fronts...thus giving me a slimmer silhouette.

Finally, thanks for all of your wonderful compliments and comments on the new pieces...and yes, Claudine, I think I have finally stopped sewing like the wind and am concentrating more on the construction details. I believe it's because I finally have a wardrobe that while it still has a few "holes" in it...it can now stand up to almost any occasion that occurs in my life...especially work related! And Joanne M., in your honor I have renamed my collection from the bulky "Sunshine Yellow Dress and Jacket Collection" to the simpler and more refined "Gelato Collection". Thanks for the inspiration!!!

Tomorrow...Butterick 5347!