The Birthday Jacket – Finished!
Posted: October 5, 2011 Filed under: Jacket a month | Tags: JAM 2011, Vogue 6 CommentsI have spent time this week finishing off the birthday jacket (Vogue 1263) which I love!
Showing what needs to be trimmed from under-collar
On monday I trimmed the under collar so that it would sit properly in the fairly thick fabric I am using (you can see how much difference the ‘turn of cloth’ makes on the photograph) and sewed the lining together so that it resembled the whole jacket made again in lining with just the facing in fabric.
Lining and facing
Hem showing 'wedge'to be trimmed
I installed the lining by the ‘bagging out’ method – machine sewing the sleeve linings to the already hemmed sleeves and sewing the hem in two installments. As I had cut the lining pattern myself I knew that I wanted to sew from the front seams towards the centre of the jacket by machine and close the last little bit by hand. The lining is obviously the hem depth short where it joins the facing but by pinning the lining, level with the hem from the first dart toward the front seam, it is possible to show how much of a wedge needs to be trimmed away to make a neat turn when you reach the facing (which is now sitting at an angle), whilst also allowing it to fold a little with the lining. The last thing to do was to topstitch around the fronts and collar – not so much for decoration in this case but to give it a ‘stiffness’ on the very edge that just finishes the whole thing.
The pattern was described as ‘easy’ and I would agree with that. The only thing that I would change is to put a simple in-seam pocket in place of the one provided. I know I didn’t help by using lining fabric for both pieces, but I feel that it is not lying as well as it could. If you just follow the instructions and dont line this jacket it would be a very quick and easy project – I love it!
I took photographs of the front and back on Bessie as I wasn’t expecting to be able to have a photograph of me wearing the jacket – doesn’t it show! Now I need to decide what to wear with this jacket for our theatre visit.
(Hurrah! I can move my JAM counter on to a whole 2 jackets made for me now – only 8 behind. I have discovered a new enjoyment in sewing for myself again so I think I may have got my mojo back).
The Material Lady 
Lovely!
What a stunning coat! It turned out so beautifully!
Wow, this coat is just beautiful!! Always nice to get one’s sewing mojo back with a fabulous project like this, though I smiled when I read your words on the jacket a month progress… I’m sure 8 more jackets is not too big a task at all 😉
(and thank you for your nice comment on my blog)
I look forward to seeing those next eight jackets. 🙂 After seeing the details on your blog, I like your coat even more! Have a fun evening!!
[…] to a theatre visit with my dear friend ‘L’ for her birthday. I had already finished the Vogue jacket which I wanted to wear – but what to wear with it?(Clearly not the jeans which had been next […]
This is a great jacket on you. I just pulled this from my stash after eliminating two other toppers I had made up in muslin. I am oh so tempted to skip the muslin stage seeing this on you. It looks like snugs up around the neck nicely. I am wondering about the lack of closures. Do you think this pattern would lend itself to a button or two, maybe a big snap? Yours is wonderful!