Part Five, Finish and Reflect
I finished the red jacket today - all that I had to do was to stitch the sleeve lining hems in place and stitch the opening shut on the jacket.
I'm very happy with the jacket, except for the wrinkles at each shoulder circled below. I noticed this in the muslin stage and thought it was just the fabric and would go away, but obviously it hasn't. I've had this problem with other jackets in the past and taking fabric out of that side front section just creates other problems. I'm going to dig out the fitting books tonight and see if I can figure out a solution. I can still easily get back into the inside for any fixes. If you've got any ideas, let me know. If this isn't a problem and I'm just crazy, let me know that, too.
The directions indicate to leave part of a side seam open in the lining for turning the jacket, but I left part of the back hem open. I felt I would have more space that way to do inside finishing work. The jacket is lined all the way to the hem, so the lining choice will show. I chose plain red lining partly for this reason. You can actually see a little lining in the back shot, below.
Now that the jacket is done, I think I need something to wear with it, or more accurately, under it. To complete this ensemble, I will be making a sheath dress of this fabric:
I'll be using this Patrones model from a recent magazine with some adjustments, obviously length is one of them. 
Just to due to my shape and the shape of the dress, a muslin is a wise choice. I hope to get that traced tomorrow and a muslin made on Monday.Parting Shot: Not Mine. It isn't Wellington's' either, although he did try to climb into the box to sleep on the fabric. Isn't this a great shade of rayon jersey? I ordered this up from Gorgeous Fabrics for a client and it is so much nicer in real life than the pictures shown on Gorgeous Fabrics. I also had on hand some cheaper rayon jersey from a local chain craft/fabric establishment so that I could show the client the difference in quality and what you're really paying for.
32 comments:
The peplum is awesome!! I LOVE peplums!!!!!
Good luck figuring out that area in the front. I haven't worked up my courage to make a jacket yet!
Beautiful jacket.
Beautiful! The accompanying fabric is going to look lovely with the jacket. I hope that you find a solution to the fitting issue.
El
Beautiful jacket, sheath will be great, too.
What a cute jacket and it will look great with the sheath.
I'm just learning about fitting myself, but do you have sloping shoulders? Could that be the problem? I do, and I notice those types of lines if I don't make the adjustment. Even with the wrinkles the jacket is beautiful!
Beautiful jacket. The peplum looks great on you.
I'm betting the side front pattern piece curves outward slightly in the "problem" area, giving you too much fabric across the front. Try straightening the stitching line on that piece or curving it slightly inward to remove just a little of the fullness there.
Jacket looks fab! Great style for your cute figure!
I love the peplum on the jacket. Would you mind listing what fitting books you like to use? I am in search of some good references to help me out with my current muslins.
You're blog is a great pick-me-up! Always such lovely workmanship.
I love peplums, and I love red. Your jacket is fabulous.
Do you think that putting in a shoulder/chest piece, as they do in men's tailored jackets to fill out the hollow between the shoulder and the chest would work?
I just recently had the same problem. So I would love to see how you solve it. I did put in shoulder pad which helped a little bit, but the "fold" is still there.
The jacket looks great! Even with this minor fitting problem.
My first thought was the same as Rebeccas, might you have sloping shoulders?
Another reason, just from looking at the pic, might be the collar. If you turn the revers more to the outside, will that give enough room, that the folds can stretch out towards the middle of your body? (Hm... not sure whether that is understandable...?)
I have a similar problem only my wrinkles are a bit more towards the centerfront. I had the possbility to discuss that with a fitting expert of BWOF (Ms Tengler) and she told me that this is in my case due to a small chest with C-Cups. So I am kind of "hollow" above the chest. So either I could sew darts somewhere to emphasize that (no, thank you) or just live with it.
I tried then making a placket (is that the same word in English) for the front as in mens tailoring and that helps. (As Toby Wollin suggests.) Usually it doesn't have to be as strong as in men's tailoring, on light fabrics even silk organza can be enough. Just depending on the fabric.
Good look in solving this tiny problem! And if not... no one except you will ever notice on that awesome jacket!
Your jacket is beautiful. I'm guessing that the vertical wrinkles means that the jacket is a little wider than you are in that area, but you know where I am in expertise in fitting, lol, so you best be listening to someone else! The sheath dress in that gorgeous fabric will complete a lovely ensemble.
Gorgeous!
That fold is a common problem in plus-sized clothing that resolves with one of two alterations. I'm not sure if the same thing happens with petite clothing or not. Sometimes it's caused because the armscye is more than an inch below the armpit, other times because the pattern didn't account for sloping shoulders. Both are fixed by adjusting the shoulder seams. The armscye issue is a straight lift, and the sloping shoulders requires a diagonal seam that tapers to the collar. Sometimes a different set of shoulder pads will resolve the issue more easily, too.
Summerset, I have this exact same problem. I have remedied it a couple of ways, one based on what an experienced dressmaker told me to do. Way #1 is to have heavier interfacing in the chest piece area. Also scoop out between an 1/8 and a 1/4 inch from the shoulder seam down the front armscye to about and inch or two from the side seam on the armscye. Way #2 is to cut and L shaped line from center shoulder seam down to about an inche below the armscye and then turn left with the line, so an "L". Move this over toward the CF the required amount. If you need to add more at the very top for the shoulder seam width you can but this method basically gives you that same "scoop out" that the that Way #1 does. Hope this helps. I had these wrinkles for years before someone showed me this info. My upper chest measurement is VERY narrow and I am expecting that yours is too. Good luck with your fix and let us know how it turns out.
Back again! I am definitely betting this is a narrow upper chest issue as I just looked at the back of your jacket and it is doing a less visible wrinkling indicating the same issue. I also do the same to the back of my patterns as well. I think it goes without saying you have a nice shoulder pad in there. JM2¢
I have no fitting advice - it seems tha you've received several good suggestions already! I just wanted to tell you that I love the jacket and the addition of the red/white fabric as a sheath dress is going to make this an awesome combination!
Summerset .- jacket looks fantastic. The problem, well, maybe next time you can solve by placing a reinforcement of interlining, or subtract a little shoulder length. In general, it is a very original and beautiful model.
Loveley jacket! I echo all of the compliments above, and add that I would try changing shoulder pads first. If that doesn't work, I would simply leave it alone, because it is gorgeous anyway!
I had this problem in a jacket recently. In my case it was solved by underlining the fronts as although I had interfaced the front, the weight of the lapels was too much for the body of the jacket. I read somewhere that this was a common occurence when the fabric was too light (sorry I can't recall which book I read it in), so I took it apart and added underlining in a light cotton poplin. It seems to have worked for my jacket. My only other suggestion would be a small chest piece as others have already mentioned. Nonetheless, the jacket is lovely and I really like the fabric you have chosen for your dress.
I am with Bunny that it looks like it is too wide up at the shoulders - even a little bit at the back but more so in the front. When I did my sloper from saran wrap I noticed that I had to scoop out heaps at the front armscye. Maybe all the time at the computer! Anyway I really like Bunny's L shape adjustment. For the back you need to dart or ease it in if the back shoulder length is longer than the front. On the other hand, if you want a wider shoulder look, then you need thicker (non moveable) chest shield interfacting. Gorgeous btw, and I wouldn't bother adjusting for this one...just the next. The dress is going to be stunning too. Great pattern and fabric. :)
I think that this is a couple of problems, one of them being a narrow upper chest. I also think that your shoulders could be a tad narrower. The back issue makes me think that you need a slight rounded shoulder adjustment.
As we get older a lot of women get narrower across the front upper chest and at the same time the shoulder tends to get a bit rounder. With my just completed jacket I looked through my fitting books until I found the same wrinkles.
Now for the good stuff. It is a lovely jacket in your favorite color. It's perfect for your petite frame. Of course the sewing is perfection.
My first thought was that the shoulder pads were just the wrong size/shape for the jacket/you.
You have gotten lots of great ideas here, including changing the pads, so I won't go any further.
I am curious, though: What do you use for shoulder pads?
Even though I've been sewing for 40 years, I know very little about tailoring and fitting. My solution of choice would be a Wonderbra. :)
Gorgeous jacket, Summerset. I love the peplum - and the colour, of course!
Looking forward to seeing your creation of the matching dress.
oh, the jacket!
it's beautiful!!!! to be honest - i wouldn't care about wrinkles, it's stunning as it is.
the "buerzel" is great! ^-^
and the fabric you plan to use for the dress will make it absolutely adorable. *sigh*
ah, i'm envious!
you did a wonderful job AGAIN! :)
Lovely jacket!
I smiled to myself when I read about you finding just the right color fabric in you stash to use for the bound buttonhole, and then also a vintage button. Although I love red also, I never have the same kind of luck. I also really like the fabric you have planned for the sheath. It almost looks like beaded fabric on my monitor.
I wouldn't even attempt any fitting advice -- definitely my weak point.
Traditional tailoring techniques often require a "chest piece" in a jacket, especially if made from a lightweight fabric. Kenneth King's book "Cool Couture" provides really good info on how to build one and I hope you'll invest in this book because you would certainly LOVE it. And yes, you might consider a narrow shoulder adjustment on your nest jacket. This one could legitimately be considered fine the way it is as photos often exaggerate problems in fit. Only you know how "bad" it is. I like how you've raised the waist line a bit and am tickled that you didn't fall victim to the "press those folds" treatment of the back peplum. I also love the dress fabric to go with it. Enjoy!!!
Love the jacket, the color is so you. I'm curious in which way you're going to solve the tiny problem, as I have a similar problem in my Chanel style jacket, which was made of a fluid fabric. I only partly solved it by taking in the seam and was expecting that a chest piece would be better, though I left it as it was.
Very pretty jacket. About the little fitting issue--are you choosing your pattern size by your upper bust measurement? You will get a closer fit through the shoulders, unless the pattern has been drafted to have extended shoulders,. Palmer and Pletsch fitting book explains. Or, if you like the look of what you have more interfacing and padding should do the trick.
The jacket is very lovely and pretty on you. I love all the time and detail you have shared with us as well. I think it is not a big problem and am intrigued by all the good-sounding advice you have gotten. I need to come read again as this has sometimes happened to me. I hope you share your solution with us.
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