Lansing Clippers Sew

  The Jacket – Construction Begins All the fabrics are cut and I am ready to start construction.   I have re-read the pattern instructions and gone over the tailoring step from my book (Sewing for Men and Boys – Simplicity 1973) and watched the YouTube from Bias Bespoke.   I made one major change to the original design and that is to have a full lining in the jacket.   The Vogue design has a partial lining in the front, short lining in the back and full sleeve linings.   As a result, the pattern instructions have the patch pockets attached to the jacket as the last step.   With a full lining, I need to attach the pocket first.   So, off to make pockets. But first, some comments on hand sewing.   Hand sewing is a major component of making a tailored jacket – at least using this more or less traditional method.   I found a couple of things that helped.   Needles – good quality, new needles make a difference.   I use John James needles.   For the catch stitches and slip stitches, I us

The Jacket – Getting Started To begin, I took the time to press the fabric, lining, interfacings and pattern pieces.   Over the years, I stopped doing those initial steps – didn’t seem necessary.   What I noticed was that my fabrics were easier to handle and the salvages easier to align.   The pattern pieces also laid out nicely with no turned under edges or corners.   So, there is something to be said for 8 th grade home economics sewing lessons.   Following those long-ago lessons, I carefully measured the distance from the salvage to the straight grain line on each pattern piece.   I am pretty good at eyeballing the straight grain but this time I didn’t want to be off I had forgotten how nice it is to work with good wool.   It felt good to the hand and it stays in place!   I had new pins from last year’s retreat which I had not used and decided to give them a try.   For the wool, I used Taylor Seville Magic Pins quilting pins (regular 1 ¾ inch, blue).   These have a softer plast

  The Jacket – Getting Started A new year and the start of a new BIG project.  My husband asked for a new double-breasted blazer.  I made three jackets back in the last millennium but it’s been years and a refresh seemed like a good idea.  I started by looking for a new pattern but the best I could find, I already owned – Vogue 2257 American Designer – Calvin Klein from 1979.  Ok, but there must be new books.  Nope, the recommended book is still Simplicity Sewing for Men and Boys from 1973.  I had used this as my guide with good results, so ok.  In 2022, however, there are multiple YouTube videos on tailoring.  The ones I like a lot and found very informative are from Bias Bespoke which is a tailoring group in New York City.  They also sell everything (and I do mean everything) needed to tailor a jacket ( http://www.biasbespoke.com/ ). We found the outer fabric at Fabrications last summer – 2.5 yards of 100% wool suiting in dark gray and tan heather which has been sitting in the ba