Garment a Month Planning – January
Posted: January 2, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Garment a Month, Jackets 14 CommentsThis month is an easy choice – I have had this waiting in a little heap to make a start almost since I bought the pattern on my trip to Stratford in June last year (details here). I admired the Sewaholic Minoru in multiple blogs and couldn’t wait to make my own. Only I did.
The main fabric is 100% Polyamide and is slightly showerproof. Because of this I thought it would probably be worth washing in a bit more waterproofing (hence the NIKWAX sachet) and it is in the machine as I type. The lining is a silky polyester inherited from an old lady who used to sew and couldn’t take all of her stash into a residential home. Could this be my future? Anyway, the pattern was one that I would never have worn as a main garment fabric but it will make a brilliant lining. I have ordered the Thinsulate I intend to use as a warm interlining today – hopefully that will make the whole jacket much more useful. I already have a (potentially cold!) weekend away that I hope to have this jacket finished for.
I am making only minor changes to the basic pattern – I really need pockets on the main body – where would you find the wonderful treasures you find on a walk? Also, I will be lining the hood, which after a quick scan of the pattern appears to be left unlined. I have no good reason other than I would like to.
I managed to cut the lining pieces out whilst I was waiting for the Management to get home from work so I hope to be able to get this started very soon. Sadly I do have to get on with some client work tomorrow. Darn.
The Material Lady 
I was not familiar with this pattern so I had to look it up. When I saw the soft gathers at the waist, I got excited that maybe I had finally found a nice cooler weather jacket pattern. Then I saw the funnel neck and realize I would get buried in that. I am not sure that I am good enough to adjust that neck without ruining the line of the garment. Aging has reduced the length of my neck (way too much). I can hardly wait to see this on, so I can see how the neck looks on someone. Good luck! (PS: I have a feeling we will all leave fabric we “can’t take with us” someday. I have already made sure that my friends know to get into my apartment and get what they want when my time is up. Happy New Year!
I’m no swan these days so I will let you know if I reduce the neck height as I go.
Most of my friends have monster stashs too so I don’t know where mine would go 😦
Isn’t it awful what the years can do to us? I would like to figure out why the sleeve seam on long-sleeved garments wants to twist towards the inside of my wrist. I think it is because of my sloped shoulders and slightly rounded back but am not sure. It seems if I were to put the sleeve cap more forward in the armhole, that it might fix the problem. I just listed about half my quilting fabric stash on Etsy but have kept all my garment sewing stash, unless it was a synthetic purchased before monster hot flashes had taken over my life. My one friend, whose husband can no longer work, supplements her salary from the IRS by sewing for American Girl dolls and doing shows whenever she can, so she knows to come in and get anything suited to doll clothes. I guess eventually I will “pick” someone among the sewing blogs to “will” my stash of silk suitings to, should the good Lord call me home. I live in a senior/disabled complex so I have left notations about all of this in my folder in the main office. Most of my dolls will go to a friend in Maine. I have tons of sewing and quilting books and have no idea what will happen to them. Living alone can be the absolute pits. I guess I am thinking along these lines because one of the ladies on my floor was found dead in her apartment this AM. She was a little “slow”, but so sweet and always had a smile for everyone. She was stone deaf despite hearing aids, and was beginning to lose her vision. However, recently she was diagnosed with an eroding trachea. I spent my whole working lilfe in the medical field and never heard of this. I have heard of espophageal erosion, but not tracheal. It seems hard to believe that this could have caused her demise within one month of diagnosis. She was about 87 and we will all miss her sunny disposition.
Didn’t know you could waterproof things – how clever is that?!
I’ll let you know how it has worked!
Ok, this waterproofing fabrics is sounding fabulous! I got confused tho- the print is on the inside? You just arent as gaudy as me!
It is that or get used to walking 5 paces behind ‘The Management’. He has asked if some of my garments come with a volume control in the past. Beast.
Gracious! I just assumed all men were color blind, huh.
Oh well, I am pretty sure my stash is going to the second hand stores when my day comes. That is where my mother’s friend’s stash went when she passed. There is always someone else out there who can use it though! Then again, maybe I will have to just use it all up myself! There’s an idea!
Sounds like you have a great plan for a great coat there. I didn’t know that there was such a thing as waterproofing for home made items!
I keep looking at this pattern and then rejecting it.I even ventured to Stratford with the intent of buying it but once it was in my hands I had a ‘Oooh I don’t know’ moment and didn’t buy it. Somehow the top of the jacket isn’t my style and so puts me off – I’ll be really interested to see how you find it.
And I’d have the patterned fabric on the outside and the plain for the lining!!
Your fabric choices are wonderful. I always enjoy a surprise lining!
I like the pattern….make sure it covers your bum….can you make welt pockts? (Nothing is impossible for the sewist not doing it…. 🙂
Looking forwardto seeing the completed garment…………..Laura Casey aka MzSweetpea on RTW Fasters 2014
Washing in extra waterproofing? I’ve never heard of such a thing! Do let us know how well it works.
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