You asked...and I answered!

Audrey left this comment on my last post:
"I am really interested in what kind of interfacing, if any, you used in this soft sweatery look jacket. I have some similar, loosely woven tweeds that I would like to make into jackets and whether or not to use interfacing on these types of fabrics has me stumped."

I was looking to make a soft, sweatery type jacket.  Something a little more structured than my cardigans but still soft and comfortable like a sweater. To get that effect, I decided NOT to interface the body of the jacket because I didn't want to lose the soft drapability that this fabric offers.  However, I did interface the heck out of the stresspoints.

For example, here is the jacket front:

front with silk organza on the center front

back with fusible knit interfacing

Not only is there interfacing at the raglan sleeves but also at the neckline...and I added a piece of silk organza in the front band to give it a flexible stiffness which will allow me to make firm buttonholes but not alter the hand of the fabric...there is also interfacing at the hemline.

The sleeve is interfaced at all of the stresspoints ~ the hemline, the armholes and the top.

I used 1" or 5/8" strips cut from Pro-Weft Fusible interfacing purchased from Pam at www.FashionSewingSupply.com.  Yes, this involved alot of pressing but I have to tell you that assembling this puppy was a breeze because with everything interfaced, there was no worry about stretching any of the seams out during the construction process.

Here is where the jacket stands now ~ and I would like to thank Lulu for standing in for me:

I'm headed to the garment district this week because I want a really spectacular closing to add some wow to the front of the jacket.  I already have two dresses that will work with this jacket, a pair of pants and a skirt so I don't have to make any accompanying pieces.  Once it's finished it will be ready to be worn...

I have to tell you that if I was attempting to make one of the collarless set-in sleeve jackets that I featured a few posts back, I would have either fuse blocked ALL of the jacket pieces or taken the fabric to be fused in NYC and then cut the pieces out.  To get that look with this particular piece of fabric it would have needed a lot of interfaced support.

Julie C. asked:
"Won't the addition of 2" to the front and back make the neckline too large?"

No the additional inches made the jacket fronts overlap and allowed the back to lay flat.  After measuring, the "too many dislikes" jacket, I realized that I needed to add inches to not only the front but the back of the jacket to give it the look I wanted.  There might have been some challenges if I had added the collar but it was included in the dislike category!

This is where I am now...there is quite a bit of hand sewing that needs to be done and I have to find the "perfect" closures for the jacket. 

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Finally, I wanted to say a very heartfelt thank you for all of the lovely compliments that everyone left on the Birthday Gala Dress.  It is so nice to know that fellow sewists appreciate your work especially when you pour your heart and soul into a garment.  Thanks so much!

...more later!