Once You Obtain Tailoring Skills, It's Hard to Let Them Go!

Good Morning from the iceberg we are calling Chicago!!! Wow, is it ever cold!!! At least the sun is shining, so hopefully some of the iced over sidewalks won't be as treacherous as they are at the moment. 

I just have to brag a bit...Mr. Berkley graduated from level 3 to level 4 in his training. I am so very proud of him. Level 4 will be a little difficult as in this level he will have to demonstrate the ability to just walk past another dog without paying attention to them. Berkley is such a friendly guy, and always wants to say hello to other dogs. So, we have our work cut out for us. My goal was to have him complete level 3 by Thanksgiving. My next goal is to have him complete level 4 by Christmas. The challenge is on!!! :)

I apologize for being so delinquent from the blog. Just a lot on my plate. But, I am happy to say that my husband has healed from his broken leg, and is back to his normal activities. I've also been doing quite a bit of flying. I needed to do some currency work, so that has taken a good bit of my time. On my last flight, as I came in to land, even if I say so myself, it was a beautiful landing, a true greaser. The flight instructor said, "Do you do that just to impress me? Believe me, I'm already impressed!" Made my day :) 

Now, back to a little tailoring.
What I have learned about advancing your skills as a sewist, once you learn how, it's difficult to go back. 

I am putting together the Box Blazer pattern from Pattern Union. It's an unstructured, unlined jacket, but with tailored details.    

Here's the lovely Sarah in her creation.



The jacket was designed to be quick and easy to make, but...

As you can see, I have underlined the pieces with cotton batiste. I love cotton batiste for underlining wool. If you decide to use cotton batiste, be sure it is cotton batiste and not quilting cotton. Cotton batiste is a very fine fabric that works beautifully as an underlining.

Here's my jacket in the early stag of construction. I will be using horsehair interfacing for the collar and lapels, and I will also use the horsehair interfacing in the hem of the jacket and the hem of the sleeves. Using horsehair in the hems makes all the difference in the world as it makes the hems hang so beautifully. I wanted you to see the jacket at his stage as once the horsehair interfacing goes in, you'll really see the difference. 

The jacket was designed to be unlined, but...I need a lining :) I found this beautiful piece of silk charmeuse. How pretty will this be?!!   

The next step will be to do the bound buttonholes, and then the collar and facing will go in. Can't wait to get it finished!

Lots more tailoring will be following!

Have a wonderful day!

Rhonda

Bring Back the Art of Tailoring

A year ago, while I was still president of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago, the board met for our summer planning meeting. For a number of years, the club had been giving scholarships to aspiring designers who were graduating from design school. Sadly, the school that we had partnered with, closed, so we needed a new strategy. Three of our board members had been mentoring 3 high school students who were interested in pursuing a career in fashion. So, rather than try and find another school to partner with, we decided to promote these young ladies. As it turned out, we loved it, and the audience loved it too. 

The young woman (Pearl) who won our top award was also awarded a scholarship to study at the Art Institute's school of fashion design. Such a wonderful opportunity for her. Although, she was lamenting that the sewing aspect of the program was lacking. So, I decided to help her out. Over the upcoming school year, I will be working with her to create a stitch and technique notebook as well as construct a true tailored jacket. I was so fortunate with the school that I attended as there was a very heavy focus on fine sewing skills. While in school, I built an incredible stitch and technique portfolio. Sadly, our basement flooded, and I lost my book. Needless to say, I was devastated. 

Back in June of this year, I taught a class on seam finishes and fabric stabilizing at the Michigan League of Handweavers conference. That gave me the incentive to begin building a new stitch and technique notebook. So, work has begun on mine, and as Pearl and I work together, my notebook will once again come to life :)

As it turned out, the board member who had been mentoring Pearl also wanted to participate in building a stitch/technique book, and make a true tailored jacket. At this point, I have gotten the 2 of them started. Their muslins have been fitted, and we are beginning the work of tailoring. I too will be putting together a tailored jacket so that they can follow along. So...in essence, if you would like, you can virtually be a part of the class as I will be posting each of the steps of my jacket here on the blog.

I have decided to use the vintage Vogue pattern that you see below. I have been wanting to make the jacket for years! A fellow Haute Couture member gave me the pattern as she felt that "it looked like" me :)

I'll be using this fabulous piece of wool. The contrasting collar will be in a solid navy blue wool or velvet. I'll decide that once I get a little closer to adding the collar. 

I just love the instructions. Not something you see in many patterns today. While looking at the pattern, I told Pearl that this was a time when we used the term, investment clothing. 

On the label of the pattern it says;

Straight from Paris to you - the fashion in this envelope. Your Paris Original was selected by Vogue at the dramatic opening of the designer's collection, then flown to America where a line-for-line translation was put into pattern form. 

Each piece that is included in the pattern is quite lovely. 

I am especially excited about this new project. Anytime I get something lovely out of the deal, I'm happy!!! I'm excited also about being able to pass along a little of my knowledge, and hopefully help a new generation who has not had the opportunities that I had (home ec in high school) to advance her skills. And too, I hope that there will be a little something to glean for all of you who stop by the blog :)

Happy Sewing!

Rhonda          

Monday Morning Inspiration/Not Your Grandmother's Tailored Jackets

Sometimes I feel as though my life is an I Love Lucy sitcom ;) 

So, here's what happened... 

I was home alone for the night, and feeling a little lonely, and it occurred to me that I could lock the door between my dressing room and my bedroom. The only entrance into my bedroom is through the dressing room. The lock that is on the door is a skeleton lock, after all the house was built in 1924. I had thought, "What a great idea! I will lock the door and sleep peacefully through the night." Not!!! I locked the door, and the lock jammed! I could not get the door open. I tried and tried, but no luck. I was trapped!!! I didn't sleep the rest of the night as I thinking about how I could get myself out. Finally, I remembered the attic window. Originally, this was the only way into the attic. Since we have had the house, we added a pull down staircase. 

I waited until the next morning, and devised a plan. At first I thought I could just climb up on my headboard as it is rather high, and attached to the wall. But, it was just a little too far for me to hoist myself up into the window. So, I decided to move my bed and then pull the armoire over. I then put a chair on top of the armoire. The problem then was to get myself up on the armoire. I then took another chair and put it on the bed. But, before I climbed up, I realized that the armoire wasn't as secure as it should be, so I moved my bedside table in back of the armoire to keep it from tilting over once I climbed up. Success!!! I was able to climb up and through the window. 

At this point, I'm thinking that the hard part was over. Well, no. Letting the staircase down was another problem that needed to be solved. I couldn't just let the stairs crash to the floor. I had some yarn in the attic, so I pulled off a long length and devised a pulley of sorts that allowed me to let the stairs down gently. Once the stairs were down, and I was on the other side, what a relief. There's more to the story, but enough for now. I took a picture to show my husband. He could not believe it. In the end, he was just grateful that I didn't fall and kill myself. Hey, we do what we need to do :)

I thought you might enjoy the picture of my stacked up furniture :) 

Last Saturday was the first meeting for the Haute Couture Club of Chicago after our summer hiatus. We had such a great meeting. Gregg Fishman of Fishman's Fabrics in Chicago was our guest speaker. He always brings a number of fabulous fabrics for us to purchase if we would like. I bought 2 pieces, a fabulous silk, and a lovely piece of autumn yellow wool. Years ago, I had a jacket made out of a piece of wool in this color and I literally wore it out. I wore it with everything, skirts, jeans, dresses. It was like the perfect piece. So, I was quite happy when I saw this piece in his pile of goodies. Now I am thinking of how I want to make this jacket. Since I'm looking for myself, I thought I would share some of what I found.

I really love this jacket. It's structured and yet soft, and I really like the elongated lapel. 

This jacket is so stunning. I love the pop of color. And I also like the asymmetrical aspect of the collar.

This is a fabulous idea for a plaid. It's structured, it's soft, it has a play on the plaid, and I love the fringed edging. 

This is a great design. The collar is a true lapel collar, but it radiates out of the princess line seam. I rather like the odd little pocket on the seam, too! 

Another play on structured and soft. The lapel that kinda becomes a ruffle, and then the tie belt. Such fun!

This is a basic tailored jacket with a little extra ease that is then pulled in with the side belts. Really pretty.

Rather than having buttons, a side belt. 

The next 2 jackets are all out WOW!!! 

Talk about catch your eye! The braided...I'm not sure what to call them...I think are fabulous!  

This jacket is so, so lovely. Such an amazing design. 

I am so very happy that structure jackets are coming back into vogue. I absolutely love being able to throw a jacket on with whatever I am wearing.

Have a fabulous week, and remember, there's usually a solution to just about any problem. ;)
 Rhonda