I want to give a little disclaimer here and note that I am by no means any sort of expert in this, merely an enthusiast. A partial reason for this is the amount of time that I have to dedicate to the many projects that I have floating about in my head is somewhat limited by the amount of daylight (and energy) left by the time I return from my daily commute. To help combat this problem, my husband proposed the two following courses of action:
- Go into work earlier, thus enabling me to leave when it is still light; and
- Log any progress made on my projects.
The former recommendation is being successfully implemented as I scribble this on a scrap of paper from my handbag (heading into work on an early train), and has led to a number of unforeseen benefits, for example a significantly calmer and more pleasant commute! The latter recommendation is what this blog is for. And I'd best get to business, otherwise I will ramble for a good while and not get this posted (alas! this kind of behaviour is another reason why projects often don't progress very quickly).
Project of the Moment
So, my first project is: a velvet smoking jacket (for my husband, not me). The velvet will probably be green, and I plan on using a shawl collar and adding a number of customised pockets.
My first thought, even as I type this, is that this project doesn't seem like one for an amateur, but I think a large portion of its benefits lies in the fact that there is a rather steep learning curve (one that I shall be taking slowly and surely!), and that the potential benefits in being able to make jackets and coats for both myself and my husband are great. I am planning on making mistakes - albeit hopefully not too many expensive ones - and learning from them, one by one.
Initial Resources
- Vogue Pattern V2383 - http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V2383.htm?tab=men&page=1. This is the pattern that I will be using to create an initial mock-up and to get an idea for the basic structure of a man's jacket. I'm hoping to get this completed over the next month so that I can establish: (a) how tricky this is going to be, (b) how many alterations I am likely to have to make from the basic pattern, and (c) where the pockets are going to go.
- Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear by Roberto Cabrera - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Tailoring-Techniques-Construction-Guide/dp/0870054317/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250797923&sr=8-1. This is a book that I got a while ago and looks to be very thorough regarding construction techniques and also has a section on the alteration of commerical patterns, which I will definitely be turning to after I've made my mock-up.
- Just Pockets: Sewing Techniques and Design Ideas by Patricia Moyes - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Pockets-Patricia-Moyes/dp/1561581704/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250798247&sr=1-1. My husband bought this for me as a gift and it made me smile, because he's got a great fondness for pockets (he recently bought a two-piece travelling suit that contained fourteen); I, personally, didn't realise that you could write an entire book on pockets, but evidentally you can, and this is it. I'm not sure how many of the ideas I will use, but I'll keep it handy for inspiration.
- The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Readers-Digest-Complete-Guide-Sewing/dp/0895770261. I bought this at a car boot sale for 50p (the gentleman who owned that particular car boot wanted only 10p, but I disagreed with his pricing assessment!) and it's been a fantastic buy - it's got every sewing-related method I've ever wondered about in it, covered to a reasonable (and oven greater-than-needed) level of detail; I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's getting started on such crazy projects as myself.
Anyway, I had better tidy up my sewing box and start reading some of the 8 pages of pattern instructions so that I will be ready to start the mock-up at the weekend...
Sara
