Let's Do it Again!

When I was at the Vogue Fashion Fabrics booth at The Expo in Pullayap, I was deliberately looking for fabrics to make a couple of spring suits.

I bought this midweight textured rayon suiting and the coordinating navy/white cotton houndstooth to make a jacket/dress/skirt combo. Since the Vogue 8209 pattern was still laying on the cutting table, I decided to use it again, especially since I knew how I wanted to improve the sleeves.

However, the rayon suiting while textured did need some stability to help it keep from stretching out. I decided to add a layer of black silk organza to the pieces to provide the needed support. So the body pieces were constructed of three layers...

The fashion fabric and silk organza was marked and the darts stitched through both pieces ~

Then the bemberg lining was basted to that piece and serged together.

The rayon fashion fabric was very ravelly and needed the clean finishing. Lastly the rayon seam binding was stitched to the edges.

Front Pattern Alteration and Construction:
For this version I decided to copy the jacket front pattern onto pattern paper, separating the facing from the jacket front and adding a 1/2 inch to the center front prior to adding the 5/8 inch seam allowance.

Why did I do this? Because the jacket fronts needed an additional inch so that the fronts would close better. Now the original jacket pattern doesn't call for button closures - it's a hook and eye closing. And when I originally made this pattern, there were no closures, but there is enough space in the abdomen area now to close the jacket. So I'm taking advantage of this extra space to add buttons & buttonholes.

Other than the techniques mentioned above, the jacket construction will be the same as the last jacket. I'm knee deep into construction and will have photography shots when all three pieces have been completed.

Conclusion:
May I take a moment here to say that I'm going to spend the next 11 days sewing for me. There may be an alteration or two of a "reclaimed" dress from the closet. That will probably happen during the end of the time because it's a sewcation designed to add some variety to my wardrobe. I just can't stand it anymore ~ I'm going to start sewing new things and donate the rest.

When I look back at some of the garments I've sewn, I want that feeling of creative freedom that I once had. It's missing now. I've become a captive of my weight loss and not in a good way. So there will be some new patterns and some of my revised TNT patterns sewn. I'm going in and I'm not coming out until I have new garments to wear and of course share here with you!  

...as always more later!