This was an epic make and most of the time I loved it. I have made a couple of jackets from Gertie's book, but wanted to try a fully tailored one; enter Vogue 8333; Claire Shaeffer's Custom Couture Collection.
.... and tailored it is! This pattern includes instructions for a fully tailored jacket (as well as a simpler version), and it is pretty fantastic if you can cope with 106 steps. I made version a) the fully tailored one and I have been plugging away at it for months. I attend a sewing class every second Saturday and I use that time to make something more complicated, then sew lots of other things on my own at home, which is why it probably took 3 months to complete. I did enjoy it though, lots of challenges and new techniques.
I thread traced all the seams, darts etc with silk thread (silk thread is fantastic, so much nicer to both sew with and then remove).
I used sew in horsehair for the facings, this was then pad-stitched at the collar. Pad-stitching is revelation, it makes such a difference. magically curving the collar. I interfaced the rest of the jacket with silk organza. You can get an idea with the gubbins below of how much work there is on the inside.
I cut a size 14 with a little extra added to outside of the princess seam only. I made my usual changes; raising the waist by 1" and taking 5/8" from the shoulder width and the fit is pretty good. For some weird reason I made the sleeves a little wider and as you can see the result is that the sleeve is a little wide and the sleeve cap just a little puckered, but that's the only thing that bothers me, so not bad!
The shape is great a really nice fit with a nipped-in waist and I like the seam lines at the back as well.
You can see there is a very interesting "double" pocket which is a really interesting feature, although you do end up with a lot of fabric at seam, which only works with quite a light wool, a melton would be no good at all.
When you put this many hours in you splurge on the lining, and I could only find the colour I wanted in real silk (and then expensive Beckford silk at that), but I love it. It feels fabulous, infact you want to wear skimpy tops so that you can feel that silk.
I made one change and used bound buttons holes instead of hand sewn ones. Not a great photo, but you can just about see the bound buttonhole on the right, and the back of the button ready on the left.
More insides showing the cigarette roll on the shoulder under the shoulder pads.
Starting to fit the lining. The lining is put together by machine, but then sewn in entirely by hand, which took me most of a week!
I wish had kept a timing so I could estimate the hours. I love the jacket with the exception of the sleeves, and it must have been worth it because I am contemplating making another with this gorgeous dusty pink silk I bought in Rome. Hopefully I would be quicker on a second attempt.
It's either Vogue 8333 or this Burda 6901 pattern, which I love the shape of, but not sure about the high neck. I wonder if I could adjust it. What do you think?
