The Tailored Suit: This Lining Pattern is Whack

I've spent 8 hours trying to insert the lining. 8 hours. That's about 6 hours more than, technically, should be required. And I'm not done.

I'm going to speak in depth about my feelings about this pattern, once I finish this project, once I've had a week to let my feelings settle. But I will say right now that the lining is bizarrely drafted (as have other Craftsy people corroborated) and I eventually had to go SO off road on inserting it that it was a) entirely not fun and b) not my fault.

I don't know who else has made the size 6 of this jacket but I would really like to know about any challenges with the pattern you may have had.

Moving on, let's show a couple of pics first:

 

I know, you're wondering how in the hell this lining went from cerise Bemberg to the most gorgeous Versace silk (milled in Italy). So I'm going to tell you...

A while ago Mardel (the loveliest lady) sent me two yards of this with some gorgeous boots. I was floored by it, right off the bat, but I didn't know how to use it. Today, as I was assembling the cerise lining I noted its thin and cheap-looking mien. I couldn't put it into my labour of love. In truth, I'd been mulling over the silk for the jacket for a while. I was just so nervous to cut into it. It's an insanely complex pattern. I did try hard to match the pieces (its own 2 hour headache) but I did a totally crappy job. Whatevs. The fabric speaks for itself.

Having worked with this fabric (very fray-prone but so high-quality), I will never use anything but silk to line a suit jacket again. Trust me peeps, everything else pales.

Someone asked to see the catch stitched hem:

It's not so exciting but you'll note how much slimmer my hem is than the one in Gertie's course. This is what I mean about not having any spare runway.

Speaking of spare runway, I'm just about as to-the-wire with the lining length. I think that, once I press it, I'll be able to swing it, but to get the jump pleat (that nice fall of the lining over the hem of the shell), I may opt to turn the lining under at 1/2 inch.

This lining is not quite right in the shoulders. I reserve judgement till I insert the sleeves, but I may opt to open the armholes slightly.

Also, and this is bizarre, whatever is going on with the front lining (shoulder princess seam insertion) vs the actually jacket (underarm princess seam insertion), I actually had to make a pleat on either side of the centre back pleat to remove an additional 4 inches of fabric around the back facing. My back facing was 8.5 inches. The lining was 12.5 inches (after inserting the pleat). I tried a number of fixes throughout the day but the one that seemed to work was take 2 additional pleats (tucks really) on either side of the centre back pleat, just at the top of the garment where it meets the facing. Please know that I reviewed every element of the pattern (considering my alterations) and rewatched the course twice. I cannot account for the extra fabric at the back neck other than to think the pattern isn't drafted right.

The lining has screwed slightly with the integrity of the fitting I did on the shell. Because the lining is of a totally different princess shape (shoulder vs. underarm) and because the facing is barely curved, the net result is currently weird. Note: I did ensure that the overall volume of the lining is slightly bigger than that of the jacket, but the way it's coming together is strange. I only hope that some reflection and pressing will make a difference.

I can close it and, when my buttons arrive from Pat Mahoney (yes, I ordered fabric-covered buttons), I think all will be well, but there's no room to spare (as there was when the shell was unlined).

That's where I'm at. Also, I can't turn my head to the left, what with the loathesome stress over this I'm feeling. Oh, I just have to finish this thing tomorrow. Please, let it be feasible, sewing goddess. I can't stand this much longer.