A Skirt For My Hasbeens!

Hello!












Has it ever happened to you that you believe in the utter need of possessing some pair of shoes, as if they were ABSOLUTELY necessary in your wardrobe (the more expensive, the more necessary they are) and when you get them, you don't know what to wear them with???






















I am kind of familiar with the experience! And that is precisely the case with my winter Swedish Hasbeens (it also happened to me in the summer). I saw them online, and they were a PRIORITY in my life. At least I found them cheaper in the US, even if that meant involving my friend living there to receive them, try them on, show them to me via Skype, and send them to me. But they were more the 50% cheaper! I was extasic when I got them for Christmas.
Then I could only wear them with one dress (or with jeans and black), so I started to look for clothes to go with them, and I found this light maroon wool, perfect for them.














I used my long skirt pattern, making it shorter and dividing it in two pieces. Then, I added some pleats in the center front and back to give it  more moevement and grace. I applied fusible interfacing in the upper parts and lined all of it. 
It matches my shoes to perfection!

The skirt has a marked fold after sitting all day at school with it. And being pure wool, I cannot wash it...

Aren't they beautiful??? I am in LOVE with this shoes, man!

Jacket a la Chanel

It's been a long time since I posted a finished project, because this was a long one. I enjoy the well done pieces, and this is the quintessential slow sewing project.
Many years ago, back in the 80s when I was very young I sew a "Chanel style" suit, green with black trims. It was very successful, but I would like to have a closer look now to see how I've learnt since then, and be proud at myself.
So, a Chanel jacket... or a couture jacket, as C. Shaeffer likes to call it. I bought this book from The Book Depository (great place!)
 Although it is a beautiful book and a learnt a lot with it, it has some omissions, like for instance, collars, facings, and trimmings applied in between, to name some examples.

I followed most the techniques suggested in the book, although I omitted or changes some.
For example, I used my own pattern. I drew it from the tailored jacket with a two-pieces sleeve. The fit was very good, but I had to modify some important parts (and I was disappointed at that). For example, it has too much ease all around, the sleeves were too full in their heads, and the shoulders were too big. I needed somebody to help me fitting the toile (thanks my auntie Marité, an expert seamstress). I definitely need a mannequin if I want some autonomy, specially with sleeves. I now see my clothes form years past and I cannot believe I was able to accept such horrible sleeve fitting.
I've made some pictures of the process, wanna have a look?

Basting the jacket pieces together, after having quilted the lining to every piece. This proves a gruesome task, ironing the pieces together having the lining there in the middle, but the result is worth it, The quilted lining gives structure and support to the soft wool fabric.

Although it was not mentioned in Shaeffer's book, I decided to sew some cotton strips into the shoulder seam to prevent it from sagging. Seen now, maybe it is not necessary, since the jacket is held in place but the quilted lining. Notice the fusible interfacing in the front panel. This is a more practical choice, and the results are excellent, I love fusible interfacing. I applied it to the sleeves and jacket hems as well, as suggested in the book.

Sewing the lining together by hand, avoiding to sew it into the fabric. Of the two techniques suggested in the boo, the "kissing" is easier to do, the lapped more beautiful, in my opinion.

The sleeve is basted and rebasted after a couple of fittings, and finally sewn by hand with backstitches. I loved this! It is easier to control the ease and to shape it.

 Previously, we must give shape to the sleeve head with the iron, also a wonderful technique with excellent results. I marvel at this technique of easing with steam.

Here I am sewing the lining at the sleeve. At this point I felt so happy, seeing the end was near.

 After much testing I decided to make my own double fringe and then apply a navy trim in the middle sewn it by hand, as Shaeffer suggested. But then my auntie told me it would have been better with the machine to keep it from unraveling (too late). Well...

Preparing the lining edges with pins...

...and sewing the lining very close to the edge with fell stitches (my favourite hand stitch)

I decided to use zippers in the front closing and in the sleeves, I see it more modern and less formal (and avoid the hand sewn buttonholes, jeje...)

Finally I made two small pockets without trim. For their practicality.

Coco Chanel liked to make coordinated blouses and since she is my inspiration I made this top to go with the jacket, in a lovely indigo jersey. It is my eternal universal T-shirt pattern, always perfect.

After finishing this project, having studied some of Chanel's jacket designs, I can only state my admiration. I know she had more than 300 employees, a couture jacket or suit cost thousands, she owned millinery and notions factories and had access to the best fabrics, but still, she started out of nowhere, and she was brave enough to change fashion for women in a radical sense. Her imagination in embellishment, the extense use of different techniques, the originalitly of her designs... are amazing.

Cowgirl Shirt Dress

Hello! This is my last creation. I had been wanting a long shirt for some time now. It might seem an absurdity, but I like it! I decided to use a commercial pattern this time. It is a Burda pattern for a normal length shirt, which I simply made longer. Where I live, in Catalonia, we buy "pattern magazines," which can have 15 to 20 patterns in multiple sizes, for a total price of 4 or 5 euros. It is a good deal if you only use one of the patterns of the magazine, and then save it for future projects. Sometimes, I buy a magazine only for one pattern, and then when I am looking for some dress or blouse or whatever I want to make, I look at all my magazine collection and select a few suitable patterns, until I choose the one I like best. We buy a magazine almost every month, and just collect them. We have Patrones, Spanish, and Burda, from Germany.

 

As I have explained in previous projects, I prefer to draw my own patterns now that I know how to do it. They are far better than commercial ones, specially for tight clothes. But in this case, which required a lot of ease, I decided to use a model from Burda. It was perfect at first fitting, I did not have to modify anything. And of course, this is faster than drawing the block, all the special details, like neck, cuffs, yoke, etc.

In general, Burda has great patterns. You can observe how sleeves fit perfectly.

As I always do with shirts, I made all the seams encased in themselves, except the ones in the yoke that are encased inside it. Here I am wearing it with my Timberlands, which are beautiful, comfortable, warm and waterproof: just perfect.

In this close shot you can see the details, and the clip buttons, which are super fun to apply.