Jacket Challenge

I may (or may not) have mentioned that I need to make a jacket. My local sewing guild issued a challenge to all members to make a jacket for the September meeting in honor of national sewing month. It is the end of August and I am still in the muslin stage!
I am making progress toward getting a good pattern, but it is slow!




This is the pattern I tried recently...call it Jacket 2.
*
*
*
*



In the beginning, I wanted the princess seams to be over toward the side of the bust, rather than crossing ON the bust points, so instead of using a PMB Princess draft, I started with the SIDE DARTED BLOCK and created my own princess lines.

*
*
*
*
*

But these seams were too far off the bust to be so 'curvy'.
I wasn't fond of the look.




I didn’t' like that the jacket had 'points of its own' ...but they were NOT 'way up firm and high'! :)





It had boobs to the side of my boobs!
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*
*

Also, I was NOT fond of how wide my bum looks with the
back princess darts set this wide!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

I started again, this time using the PMB princess pattern, as it drafts, for the Front.

This moved the front princess seam toward the center a little bit. MY old pattern is blue; the newpattern is green.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In back, I still created my own princess seam from the basic darted block, but this time I used the medial waist dart postion (instead of the lateral one, as before). That REALLY moved the back princess seam, much more than the front one moved.
*
*
*
*

This is how I created the back pattern:

I used a single waist dart.

I rotated HALF of the shoulder dart to the armhole.

I located the MIDPOINT of each upper dart leg.

Then I drew arcs from the armhole to these new mid-points on the dart legs...the arcs intersected the armhole on each side of the 'opening' created when the shoulder dart was rotated to the ah, so the shoulder dart was basically transfered to that princess seam.

I wasn't sure the single waist dart was the right choice...might be too large...but decided to try.
*
*
*
*

*
*
*
*

THE REASON I created my own princess seam in back, rather than use the PMB ah princess, is because of the back shoulder dart. When PMB does the ah princess, they remove the dart, making the upper back width much narrower. Here is my pattern (red) and the PMB one superimposed:
*
You can see how much narrower the PMB one is through the shoulders and upper back...MY (red) pattern's armhole is farther out than the PMB one, in green and blue.
*
*
*
*

*

*

*
*
*

So this is jacket 3...better, but still too poufy at bust level for the seams to be OFF to the side.
*

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Bad wrinkles and fullness at bust, off to the side!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

*
*
*
*
The back looks better, though, with the seams closer to center.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

So I replaced the side front pieces,

using Dart Override (-.375),

to get a smaller dart which produces a smoother seam.


Better!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

But there was still 'something' bothering me.

*

The Dart Override smooths the seam, but it DOES make the front armhole larger...and I wasn't sure I'd like that or not.*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

I began to wonder if the fit would be helped by more back length. Increasing the CBL (center back length) would change the draft, making the bust dart much smaller (and thus, smoothing the front seam without using D.O.).
*

I decided what the heck, I will try it! So after changing the numbers in the program and comparing the patterns to see what pieces would be impacted, I SLASHED my muslin across the upper back and inserted a piece to increase the back length by 0.5".
*
*
*
*
Whoa Nellie! This is SOOOOoooo much better!
*
*
*
*
This waist position is much lower than recommended by the users guide and my CBL is now 2" longer than my CFL, as opposed to the 1.5" longer that is 'normal'. But it immediately felt 'right'. The upper back feels wider, although no width was added. I think my shoulder blades just needed this!


* Using a CBL that is 2" longer than the CFL makes the bust dart much smaller, so I don't think I'll need to use the D.O. after all...good. That is where I am now...ready to try again.

* I also added some width to the shoulders...even though using 5" bust ease DOES widen the shoulders, I decided that I might like to have them a tiny bit wider still.

* I also decided I had moved the BUST POINT too far toward the side, so tweaked that setting just a little...and will try it in the next muslin.

And FYI, I am actually using septic paper instead of muslin for these test jackets. It sews fast; I can see through it, and it is available in my closet!

But my sewing machine is messed up. :(

I used this machine (Pfaff 7550) to do the quilting on my pictorial trash-bag quilt. I lowered the feed dogs and put on the appropriate foot...etc. This machine has a built-in walking foot and I raised that to disengage it for the quilting. No big deal. When I was finished, I put back on the regular foot and raised the feed dogs and lowered the walking foot. But now, for some reason, the feed dogs and the walking foot are out of time...the feed dog pushes backward as the walking foot moves forward, resulting in no feeding of the fabric! I can sew if I raise/disengage the walking foot, but I will need to have that looked at! Darn it! This has happened before...and that time was also when I had done free-motion work. I might have to consider NOT using this machine for free-motion

Trash Bag Quilting, done

"If you are a perfectionist, this is NOT the class for you," I heard her say. Oh dear. I sucked air between my teeth and several around me looked at me and grinned.

I have done my best to 'loosen up'...

Ok, maybe not my best, as I DID create a landscape, which is certainly not as 'loose' as one might get with this technique. But I tried.

I have now finished the stitching on this and trimmed it around the edges. It is ready to be backed and bound. Yep, that's right...the quilting is done BEFORE the backing is put on. Odd, eh?

I DID use the dragonfly. I agonized over that decision, and actually saved the 'sky' area for last, so I could change my mind if I desired. At one point, I decided definitely NOT to use it...then promptly changed my mind again!

Anyway, it is done. I don't know if you can see the stitching in the picture or not. I'll put some close-ups at the end, so you can see how bad my stitching is! Don't judge me. :)

I started my stitching on the ground areas on the right side using black thread and HATED IT. I changed to a brown thread for the left side...immediate improvement. So I spent the next few HOURS ripping out the black thread. Ok, maybe it wasn't hours, but it seemed like it. When ripping on tulle, one has to be VERY careful!

I had to rip other areas, too. I tried using a zigzag in the treetops, but it pulled up way too much bobbin thread, even with a loosened upper tension, so I had to rip. For the sky, I had chosen a lovely light greenish blue thread, but after stitching a little, it read as white...so I ripped.

Being a perfectionist doesn't mean I get everything perfect...far from it! It just means I agonize over every single little detail!!!

Trash Bag Quilting

Yesterday I attended a class taught by Diane Herbort. In town to give a presentation to our local quilt guild, this talented fiber artist is also teaching two workshops. I signed up for both!



Yesterday's class was on 'trash bag quilting', which is Diane's signature technique. Basically, you lay all your various scraps on a piece of batting in a pleasing arrangement, then embellish by laying on bits of lace, yarns, threads, buttons...whatever...then cover the whole thing with tulle. You use a gazillion pins to pin the heck out of it, then take it to the machine.

THEN the sewing begins!

And THAT is where I am now...ready to begin the sewing! While some in the class finished TWO pieces (Jeanie, I am talking about YOU!), *I* wasn't able to finish even ONE! Yes, I work slowly. But I also, I cut my batting to the size in the directions, while others made theirs smaller (grin) and it takes longer to do a larger piece! But also, I am way too ambitious...instead of just doing a nice abstract piece to learn the technique, I decide to make a landscape.

Crazy!

I don't know why...it was like a personal challenge or something! I just wondered *IF* I could do it, I guess! I dunno...but that is what was in my mind, so that is what I attempted to design with my piece.


In order to bring it home, I had to cover it with the tulle and pin every other inch or so, all over the piece! I had to have help and borrow pins (thanks, Etta!), because it took WAY more pins than I had imagined and I hadn't brought even half as many as needed. Also, my tulle was precut at home, and darn if it wasn't a little too small once I had covered my whole batting with fabric (as opposed to leaving a border around the edges, as I had planned. So in placing my tulle, I had scooted some of the fabric pieces out of position. But it was time to go...I had to pin it down.

Also, standing back and looking at the piece, I was NOT thrilled with the left side. It was too heavy.


So once I got home, I removed all the (thousands of) pins and took off the tulle. I removed the embellishments/yarns/threads from the left side and began replacing some of the background pieces, changing the colors, to bring some 'sky' down to the horizon to be seen through the trees (rather than just have a big blob of landscape that goes from foreground to treetops...a solid blob). This sort of lightened up the left side and allowed the eye to move past the trees, giving more depth. Or, at least, that is my story and I'm sticking to it! I also redefined the shoreline as it apporached the horizon, adding some rock-shaped bits and outcroppings. And I added some darker areas to the top of the sky.

You can see the 'before' and 'after' here:

Although I am still not sure about using that dragonfly...it is quite 'cutesy'!...I decided to leave it there, as I do like having a bug in the sky. I have a frog and lizard in there, too. Originally, they were quite brightly colored, but I put a thin layer of brown paint over them and let them dry while I rearranged the background. Better! Still visible, but not "in your face".

I also added several old metalic buttons and geegaws from my resource center (a.k.a.stash) that I had not had with me at the class.

I cut a new (read: larger) piece of black tulle and again covered the piece, being more careful this time not to dislodge anything underneath. Then I once again began to pin the heck out of it. But this time, I don't have to transport it anywhere....just move it from the cutting table to the sewing table. My home sewing machine is in a table so the sewing surface is flush. The piece will lie flat during the quilting, so it shouldn't require quite so many pins as it would if I were transporting the piece or if I were sewing on a machine with a raised bed (where some of the quilt would hang over the sides, and thus, gravity might dislodge something). To move it, I pulled out a large piece of cardboard and slid it under the piece...this enabled me to easily carry it the 3 feet from table to the machine.

So now I am ready to sew!

Wish me luck...I usually quilt by moving the machine, not the fabric!...so this will be a new experience for me (lower your expectations!).

Frustration with sleeves in PMB

I have been drafting for two days, trying to finalize my settings for a jacket, and getting quite frustrated! It’s those little things that drive me crazy. I determined the appropriate underarm depth (ah depth) and sleeve cap height. Then, I decided to make the sleeve hem wider than the 7” it started with. Well, making the sleeve hem 10” makes the sleeve 1” narrower across the top of the sleeve! A full inch!!! That is just ridiculous! I’ve known it was like that, but it just made me mad! There is no reason that widening the sleeve hem should narrow the top. The underarm seams SHOULD pivot at the underarm point, not several inches lower. PERIOD.

So I messed around with the cap height setting until I returned the top portion of the sleeve to its previous shape and size (as it had been with the 7” hem width). Good. Now I know I can use an ah depth of -.75 and a cap height of -.5 as my 'basic draft (with a 10" wide sleeve).

Then I considered using the SHOULDER PRINCESS style line. Well, that raised the underarm depth .25”!
And--- it changed the sleeve’s cap height, too!
So, once again, I had to mess with armhole depth and cap height settings, just to duplicate the sleeve that drafts with my basic side-darted bodice…the sleeve with a 7” hem!

So basically, I cannot say what underarm depth is good for me, nor what cap height, because that varies with every little setting I choose! And that is just ridiculous!!!

It just shouldn’t be this hard!
Rotating a bust dart should NOT change the armhole or sleeve!
Widening the sleeve hem should NOT change the top of the sleeve!

(Can you tell I am frustrated?)




Sorry.

Ok, so then, I get everything finally decided on and saved. But the jacket design calls for a 2pc sleeve. My PMB 2pc sleeve is awful….the under-sleeve actually curves the wrong way! As if my elbow bends forward…I am not double jointed! :)

So I have spent HOURS trying to figure out how to make a 2pc sleeve for this jacket.

I have an old McCall’s jacket pattern with a 2pc sleeve, so I pulled it out. I figured I would compare the armholes of the Mc jacket pattern to my PMB pattern and if they were similar, I would use that McCall’s sleeve. Well, the armholes were NOT even close!

So I cut out the Mc pattern and pinned the tissue together to try on, thinking maybe I would just try to use that whole pattern instead of my PMB pattern.

What a laugh!

No, I am better off using my PMB pattern, for sure! I would have to severely alter every piece of that McCall’s pattern…and truly, I don’t even know what size to start with! I haven’t used commercial patterns in years, because I have used PMB. The reason I bought PMB in the first place was because the commercial patterns didn’t fit me and I didn’t know what to do to make them fit me…this was 10 years ago, before the internet brought sewists together for sharing such skills! I have never really learned what to do to alter a commercial pattern *for me*. I have depended on PMB. And most of the time, I get a decent fit.

But sleeves continue to be my Achilles heel! I can make sleeveless things in PMB all day, but when it comes to garments with sleeves, I get so frustrated!!! It takes twice as long to create the pattern, because every little variable changes the sleeve…when it just SHOULDN’T be that way!!!

The next version of PMB is in the works…ready for an October release. I hope the sleeves have been stabilized; hope it includes a decent 2pc sleeve!!!

Quietly busy

In spite of the lack of commentation on my blog, I *have* been working on things!

I had LOTS of fabric left over after making the quilt for the Repetitive Consequences challenge. I had collected many different pieces in order to get a large variety...so now I have a large variety of leftovers!

But never fear; these leftovers are not going to waste. I have another 3 quilts in progress, in addition to the little color-story piece that was made BEFORE the challenge! Two of these are assembled and ready to load onto the HandiQuilter for quilting. The other one is still in the piecing stage.

Addtionally, my local sewing guild has issued a JACKET CHALLENGE for September...which means *I* need to have a new jacket completed to bring to that meeting. The deadline is the 2nd Thursday of September, and I have yet to begin!

Today, I have been looking at jacket styles, trying to decide what *I* would like to make and wear. Those are both key...I have to want to MAKE this thing, and when finished, I need to want to WEAR it too! I have spent way too much time making things that I don't want to wear after they are completed...I need to stop that.

My best look is a low V-neck, but I am not crazy about making a 'formal' jacket (like, with a lapel), as I am more of a sporty-type. I dress casually most of the time, so my jacket needs to be somewhat casual, too. Loose...unconstructed? Well, I am busty and kinda boxy...an H shape...so things need to have a more structured shape or I look like Spongebob.

I am thinking a Chanel jacket might be the way to go. I have fabrics that I could use...although I am not sure I have the lining fabrics on hand. I have never done one before, but have often CONSIDERED doinng one. It seems like a good idea.

Then I saw THIS.

Now I am not sure.

Right there in black and white, she shows a Chanel jacket on the the WHAT NOT TO WEAR page for H's!!!

Maybe if I leave off the pockets at waist level that style will be ok on me?