A UFO Finished

Yesterday was my last day off...and after the trip to the hair salon...I finished up the final things that needed to be completed on my UFO. The last time I worked on this jacket was back in February 2008. I really got discouraged about the project and let it hang. But I have decided that I will finish up the UFOs and move on...so this one was first!

Now, I was unable to resolve the problem with the sleeve caps which caused me to let the jacket hang around in the first place...and I have just decided it was a bad pattern draft and that they aren't fantastic, but its wearable. It's not like I would wear this jacket a lot but at least its complete and in the closet. So why didn't I just let it go?

Cause I love the silk charmeuse lining that I put into the jacket and I just didn't want to lose it. I guess I could have pulled it out and saved it for something else. But the jacket wasn't that far from being complete and it works so well with the Micheal Kors knock-off dress...

Please realize that I'm not encouraging you to wear poorly constructed garments especially when you know better *grin* but I know that very few people in my office will notice the sleeve caps. Gosh, the fabric is soooo dark that you can barely make out any of the details...you just get an overall picture!

Some stats:

Fabric:

Jacket:Black/white pin dot tropical wool from Fashion Fabrics Club
Lining:Anna Sui beige silk print from Fabric Mart Fabrics

Pattern:

McCalls 2085 - This thing is going in the garbage! I can only say that I've done that once before but it's OOP, it doesn't serve a purpose...so out it goes!!!

Notions:

~ shoulder pads

~ 4 - 1.25 inch jeweled buttons from some very good friends who purchased these for me during their Chicago jaunt!

You can see more pics in my Flickr Album...I'm not thrilled with it but it's done!

I'm sure you're wondering if this is the project from h*ll! Nope, I created another mess while I was sewing that I was sure was gonna work...that didn't! *LOL* I think I have a solution to fix it and when it's fixed, I will share...because I just can't have another UFO!!!

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!

Remnants

• Thread

I placed a thread order today from Atlanta Thread and Supply. It is not as exhilerating or fun as buying fabric but it is a necessity...no thread...no sew! So 30 spools of 1100 yards each for $2.66 per spool are on their way to my sewing atelier (okay, apartment!) I did stop for a moment and think about purchasing the 5000 yard cone, but the difficulty of making bobbins with my sidewinder and threading my sewing machine stopped me.

• SWAPS

I can't believe that I'm not Swapping this year. Something doesn't seem right with the universe?! I have to admit that after Summerset and Shannon published their storyboards, I began to question my decision, but I just can't SWAP right now. I will have to stand on the sidelines and cheer everyone on!

• Sewing Gifts

These came in the mail yesterday from a dear friend...okay, the buttons are all the way from Panama - purchased by the one and only too-kewl to be real, Cidell!


And don't they go just fabulously with this fabric from Emmaonesock!

• Jacket Progress or lack thereof

As I stated in my previous jacket post, I did not fuse interfacing to the sleeve pieces because I decided that I liked the fused look AFTER I cut my pieces out. However, look how poorly these sleeves are compared to the rest of the jacket!

This terrible look forced me to recut the sleeves from the remaining fabric AFTER block fusing the fabric! Now, I'm praying that I have enough fabric remaining to make the coordinating dress.

• So will she or won't she?

Why sew this weekend or not...I don't actually know. I have some errands to do and I think I am going to have to just give up and spend some quality time at the hairdressers. Oh how I loathe to waste the amount of time I will waste there just to get beautiforius hair! And I need to get a new bookcase - I am really tired of those piles of magazines that are hanging out in my living room! Instead I would rather be working on and finishing up those two "inspired by" pieces...

• Divine Inspiration

Lastly, check out this NY Times article, "The Newly Uptight". Terri K posted this to a folder on Stitchers Guild. It is a really interesting article about how proper, gracious dressing is returning. Personally it sounds like the designers have made the rounds of sewists blogs and have been inspired by us! *LOL*

As always I will keep you updated on what's going on in "Carolyn's World!" Hope you have a wonderful sewing weekend...and whoever has the snow that's suppose to be in the Mid-Atlantic states, would you please send it back?! I NEED a snow day! *LOL*

Why oh Why...can't I make just one?!

I am moving at a glacial pace on my jacket. I don't know if it's 'cause I'm tired and not feeling well or if it's because I have already made quite a few garments for my "Corporate Chic" wardrobe and I just don't need to rush this one.

Or it could be because there is just so many construction aspects to this jacket. I made some samples...yeah, I know this sample making thing is getting out of hand! *LOL* I was considering underlining the fabric with silk organza...however, after I made the samples ~ fashion fabric with the silk organza vs. the fashion fabric with lightweight knit fusible interfacing, I liked the hand of the fabric better with the interfacing...so all of the pieces needed to be fused. Now this is not that big a deal when you are using a press but when you are using a little Rowenta...we are talking major time stealer!

So the shell of the jacket is finished with the sleeves basted in...sorry the picture is so dark but you know how it is photographing black...

The sleeves cut from the lining pieces...

Next up is to cut the body of the jacket from the lining fabric.

Now I know you are wondering about the title, right? Tell me, does this happen to you? As you work with the fabric, cutting it out, sewing it up, etc...does it start to speak to you? Does it tell you what other garments you can make with it? Opening possibilities and making you travel down roads that you hadn't originally seen or planned? Like opening a road map and finding a new highway to a familiar destination...or is that just me?

Because, this fabric is talking loud y'all. It has planned out an accompanying dress which was not in my plans at ALL! I picked this fabric to make this jacket BECAUSE it worked with two dresses I have already made and worn! But noooooo, now because of fabric-speak, I have plans for a black/white dress with an insert that is going to be fabu underneath this jacket. I also have plans for some awesome buttons for the jacket that weren't in the original plan either. So see, I can't make just one piece! *LOL*

Anyway, this is my update...letting you know where I am with the jacket now! I have also updated my "What I'm Sewing Now" sidebar on the blog. I have a few other pieces planned...hopefully things I can get completed before it is time to turn my thoughts to spring/summer sewing.

Things you can learn from a UFO

As I have stated before I have very few UFO's and if there is still one hanging around there is a very good reason for it...

Thus this one...it is from McCalls 2085. I started it at least 7 or 8 years ago. Several times I have thought about tossing it but always at the last minute I have held onto it. Once a few years ago I pulled it out to finish it with the intention of shortening it...but that never happened. I just couldn't take the scissors to it. And now I know why...

Because it matches the S3631 dress perfectly! And because when I tried it on this morning, it fits perfectly...well the shoulders are a little wide for me but nothing I can't live with. I can't find the collar pieces and I may end up doing without them but other than that I understand NOW why I held onto it. It will so work with this dress...can we say beautiful new "Corporate Chic" outfit!

Also since the jacket is unfinished, I can see all of the construction details that I did to the inside of this jacket...the sleeve heads added, the shoulder pads catch-stitched to the jacket and the muslin jacket shields that are inserted. I started this jacket at a weekend sew-in that Colleen Jones sponsored that I attended with my friend Lisa in New Hampshire. I am now inspired to finish it! Well after I make this new version!

This jacket provides the perfect roadmap for the black/white tropical wool that will be my interpretation of the Barrie Pace jacket and dress. From seeing this UFO, I have already altered the front and back shoulder pieces, making the shoulder seams a little shorter...I have definitely decided to add sleeve heads to the jacket (wasn't sure if I was going to do that before) and found another set of those shoulder pads that work so well with the UFO.

So this is where I'm at on the BP Interpretation Jacket - fabric/lining and underlining pretreated, pattern alterations made, and I'm getting ready to cut out my fabric fashion. Just wanted to give you an update 'cause I'm heading back to my sewing area to spend some quality time with these jackets!