Dabbling in Haberdashery

    My husband, Mike has been begging me for months to make him some work clothes and I just finished a complete outfit.  Here is my adventure making a waist coat.  I started with Burda's pattern #3403 and make some alterations on the shoulders based on his dress shirt slopers.  Mike is a child of the 90's and his posture reflects that mellow, laid back era well.  He has sloped shoulders so the pattern was altered to fit them better.   I found that this pattern could easily be used successfully without many alterations.  I do believe the vest runs a bit big for modern styles and I took it in 5/8" on each side. Otherwise the length was perfect, he is 5' 10" and it falls right where is should at the waist.  As with my past experience with Burda patterns the directions leave something to be desired.  This is not the first time that a step was left out but if you read ahead I will be adding in the missing information.

    I chose this green silk taffeta for the lining because it is breathable, which is very important in Florida, has a bit of a stretch and above all it was very inexpensive.  I found it at Walmart- yeah Walmart!  I was on clearance for $1.00 a yard and given the choice I would have gone with a different color, maybe burgundy, but olive green was the only option.  

   


   I started this project with stitching the darts.  I remembered why I hate using commercial patterns vs. slopers with this project.  Using a tracing wheel and tracing paper is tedious and clumsy but it works.

 On to the task of pocket making, which can be a chance to show your personal style. In my opinion there are not many opportunities in menswear to do so but since this was my first attempt using this pattern and making a vest I chose to follow the pattern's detailing.  I interfaced the two welts, pressed them in half and stitched a 1/4'' seam allowance in the two short ends. 

    Then I turned them, being careful to make the corners a fine point- thanks to my point turner, and top stitched the edges.

    My first attempt at positioning the welt on the front was very, very wrong.  I positioned it so that the raw edge was pointing up instead of down.  I then realized my error after almost completing the pocket to the point of turning.  Duh!  Something didn't look right, so away with the trusty seam ripper.  A half hour later and some new scratches in my left thumb nail I positioned it correctly and basted it in place.  

   Then I positioned the pocket facing right side down and pocket lining on the vest front perpendicular to the welt's position.  All pieces were basted in place then finally stitched with a 3/8'' seam allowance with the pocket facing 1/4'' shorter on each end of the stitch than the lining.

    On the wrong side of the fabric I then drew a middle line between the two final stitching lines and made two arrows pointing in.  This will be my cutting line.  This technique I have done previously in making double welt pockets on trousers and on the sleeve placket on dress shirts.  Everything is sewn on to the right side of the garment then slashed allowing for turning with perfectly finished edges.  I start the slash with my rotary cutter. 

   The little triangles can be tricky to control when turning so I broke out the "Stitch Witchery" to hold them on place.  I first discovered this ingenious product when I was making trouser pockets a few months ago and since then I have found a time saving use for it on every project.  It is more sturdy than glue basting and more consistent than trying to pin something tiny.  I'm sure Stitch Witchery will be mentioned again in the near future. 

   After lots of pressing the welt and pocket edge when the facing and lining meet are ready to be edge stitched.  I used black embroidery thread for this and payed close attention to the pocket bag so I didn't catch it in the stitching. 

   Then I pulled the pocket out, pinned the seams together and stitched a 1/4'' seam allowance.  I then trimmed the seam allowances a bit and turned it right side out.  Now the raw edges are inside the pocket.

   Then I edge stitched the pocket bag enclosing the raw edges.  This is a neat trick that I adopted from trouser making.  It was lucky that I had previous experience finishing pocket bags because this step was very vague in the Burda pattern.  

    So here is the finished pocket.  My next vest I am going to play with the design because all though it is fine, I don't care for the large opening.   The edge of the pocket is directly lined up under the edge of the welt and leaves an opening almost as large as the welt itself.  I haven't quite worked out how to make the opening smaller but I will let you know when it has been done. 

 The next step is to sew the shoulder seams. With right sides together I stitched a 5/8'' seam allowance and pressed the seam open.  At this point I took the chance for a fitting. According to men's fashion a waistcoat should fall right above the belt line but not be too short as to expose the shirt fabric in the front. Mike wears a short jacket so the possibility of it being too long was looming in my mind. Luckily it was a perfect length! 

   Then next step in the pattern is to sew the facing to the lining.  This step really could have been done at any time previously and in the future I will do it along with the dart sewing.  This seam requires a bit of easing because you are joining two unmatched pieces. With right sides together they will not lay flat.  I used a 5/8" seam allowance and pressed the raw edges toward the lining.

 This step is where I initially got confused and had to beg Mike to pause Dr. Who so I could have quiet to think.  With right sides together the lining and fronts are stitched together at all seams except for the sides and shoulder seams. Then the seam allowance is trimmed, curves  clipped and the whole thing is turned right side out through the side and shoulder seams.    

   
Why I was confused is because the directions state sew all seams except the side seams.  It didn't mention the shoulder seam so I pinned everything together and tried to turn it realizing everything needed to be pulled through the shoulder seam as well as the side seam. I am glad I didn't follow the pattern blindly or I would have gone after the seam ripper yet again. 

   This next step is where the huge flaw is in this pattern.  It completely leaves out the back lining. So again Dr. Who had to be paused and Mike may have been questioning if his begging for men's wear was really worth it ;p  I stitched a 5/8" seam allowance at all seams except for the side seams and shoulder seams, clipped curves and trimmed seam allowances.  

   Then the fronts were pulled though the shoulder seam and the back was turned through the side seams.  This technique is pretty awesome, leaving all seams except for the shoulder and side completely enclosed.  I will definitely be adding it to my bag of sewing tricks.

Celtic Dress

     Another adventure in traditional bottom weights, this heavy wool, used as a top weight and traditional top weights, this light flannel, as a bottom weight. The wool is from a pair of capris that didn't fit and the flannel I found for $1.40 a yard...what a steal! Oh, and check out my new Born shoes, they cost 10 times more than my entire outfit X_X. My dad did always say to spend the most on shoes and a mattress because you spend half your life in one or the other.

    

    

    I used the book "Little Green Dresses" by Tina Sparkles to make the bodice slopers for this dress. This is a basic neckline that I alter for each style. I find that cutting out the dart makes it super quick and simple for marking.

   The darts are always the first item up for sewing and I press them towards the center. For this dress, since I planned on a modified shirt-dress style, I cut out a left and right bodice and added extra seam allowance in the center.

   The strips for the button facing are 2 1/2 inches wide and to make for easy turning I didn't interface the seam allowance.

   With right sides together I sewed a 1/4 inch seam allowance and pressed open turning the seam allowance into the button placket.

   Lining up the dart placement where I would like them to sit on on my bust I pin the right bodice piece to my bra and tape off where I desire the new neckline to be. This probably isn't the most orthodox way of altering a neckline but I find it simple and a good way to make sure your bra straps won't be exposed.

   With right sides together I stitch the lining to the bodice with a 1/4 inch seam allowance then press open.

   I press and pin the button placket in place to prepare for the lining.

   The placket is edge stitched- a scant 1/8 inch with black embroidery thread.

    I lined up the button plackets to make an even "v" at the opening then zig-zagged the bottom 1/8 inch. The zig-zagging stopped the two bodice pieces from shifting once the placket was aligned.

   I made five button holes with black embroidery thread 2 inches apart from the center of each button. My machine has a automatic button foot which makes very easy, quick work of button holes. To be sure on the placement I made a test button hole on a scrap piece of fabric and measured it from end to end, then factored that into my button placement.

    I then used a crow's foot stitch to hand sew on the buttons. I prefer to do this on my thigh, vs. a flat surface. I feel this helps eliminate that weird pulling or pocketing that can occur in the fabric between buttons.

    This sloper for the back bodice also has a basic neck line that I alter with the same technique as previously described for the front.

    With right sides together I sewed the lining to the bodice, pressed open and edge stitched in place. I was debating understiching instead of edge stitching but I thought the ruggedness of the edge stitch would be a good fit for this heavy wool.

    I zig-zagged a 1/8 inch seam allowance. I find that zig-zagging each piece prior to stitching together is not only easier but especially important when working with wool which likes to lose it's shape.

    With right sides together I basted the left and right back bodice pieces together. The basting makes easy work of putting in the zipper but I do back stitch at the ends so they don't pull apart while I am attaching the bodice to the skirt.

   Instead of leaving the raw edges of the top pieces of the bodice exposed I press the lining under on the front bodice then slip stitch in place.

Completed bodice back view

Completed bodice front view