McCall's 7818 and the Arielle skirt

 

 

I can't believe it is a month since I last blogged.  I guess I'm still trying to get used to my new routine.  I'm enjoying my new job, challenging and a real opportunity to make a difference.  Some lovely people and I'm glad to be back at work.  It makes the days when you don't work more special.  I guess I'm not ready to retire.

Though I haven't been blogging, I have been sewing.  Mostly slower projects, and, as it seems, a lot of jackets. 

 

This one is  is McCall's 7818, one of their new winter patterns.  It's a Unisex Unlined Jacket with a notched collar and back slits.  An oversized, checked jacket ticks two of the current fashion trends.  It is meant to be oversized and so there isn't a lot of fitting.  It is unisex.  I did a tissue fit and settled on a medium, but made some reductions to make sure it isn't too big.  I took 1 2/8" from the shoulder width, and almost 3" from the length and also removed a little from the seams.  This is a Palmer Pletsch pattern, and for those of you who are wanting patterns to help you improve your fitting, I would really recommend these.  There is a lot of advise about adjustments and also some great tips for improving your sewing.  You can really learn a lot from these.

Having doing a practice, I chickened out on the welt pockets.  In the main this was because of the thickness of the fabrics and it is a double welt, flapped pocket..  As the welt goes across the dart you end up with more than 8 layers of the fabric, all interfaced and I just couldn't see how it would lay well.  So I used some finer plain wool and added two patch pockets.  These look fine, though not as nice as welts would be.  I also didn't add a breast pocket.

The collar went in well, though the instructions were a little vague about where to put the seam fabric.  You have to either hand-stitch or stitch in the ditch at the collar seams to keep the two together.  I used a tiny stab stitch for better control.

The instructions were pretty clear, except for how to mitre the corners on the flaps, but I managed to work something out.  The lining is some proper silk fabric used for the back of waistcoats, which I picked up for £10 for 7 metres!  It's great.

The fabric is a gorgeous, fairly heavy wool from Fabworks.
  They don't seem to have it on-line but they have a fabulous selection of other wools.  I bought 2 metres and had loads left, enough to make …. 
The Ariel skirt from Tilly and the buttons.  This is my first time with this pattern and I really like it.

 
I think it's a pattern which benefits from fairly firm fabric, to keep the waistband high.    I love the shape.  I lined it and I really like the way the lining works with the facing, very neat.  Like all Tilly's patterns the instructions are very clear, and this is a skirt most beginners could manage.  I'm not sure I will wear the skirt and jacket together, but I like both and I am pretty happy with the pattern matching on both.

….