Winter Sewing: The Janet Jacket Intermission

OK, I'm going to aim to be adult about this, the fact that my "finished" Janet Jacket is most definitely a muslin, and not the wearable kind. (Note: No photos at this stage. When I photo it next, it's gonna be done.)

The good news is that I've learned many things, most germane of which is that, if you use stretch charmeuse when lining a (drapey) woven, do not make the lining larger than the jacket. Lining patterns are drafted slightly bigger than the shells they line because one needs a bit of extra give in under-layer when both fabrics are woven.

Alas, when the lining is stretchy and, trust me, this stretch charmeuse has a reasonable amount of width-wise stretch, whilst sewing it gets MUCH bigger than the shell - especially if it starts out bigger to begin with.

I should have stopped, taken out the centre back seam of the lining, and cut off 2 inches of width. It probably would have been a reasonable work around. Instead, I persisted - wasting time in an effort to save time - and the finished garment is a mess.

And, just as relevant, let's be reminded that the upper back thing was a deal breaker at the outset. I knew that 2 days ago; I just opted to ignore it. I mean, seriously, the back neck is veritably sharpei.

I need to let this be for a week or so. I need to consider things with fresh eyes before I start again. And when I do start again, my plan is to:

•  Treat this "finished garment" as the muslin it is - I'm going to triple check my measurements and pin etc.

• Trace all of the pattern pieces again - the ones I worked from are a dog's breakfast.

• Redraft the lining pieces - or simply decide to use the shell pieces to produce a lining that's the same size as the shell. Note: when cutting, I'll shorten the lining pieces slightly so that it will bag to the correct length.

On the plus side, I think I've got enough of the lining and wool crepe to give this another go. I was intending to use it for a matching bottom, but I guess that's not to be.

Live and learn people - time to follow my own advice and make that garment again.