A Few More Thoughts About the Janet Jacket and Some Shots in the Arms

Today, the delightful Clothing Engineer sent me an email about some potential drafting challenges that she has encountered in making her own Janet Jacket muslin. I don't want to go into them - as I haven't yet had adequate time to reflect on Anne's terrific info - but it puts a slightly different slant on the experience.

Don't misunderstand - I still think I've spent a long time getting nowhere - but I hope that Anne will explore her findings in a post and that I have that much more to go on next time. And, likely, I'll explore the matter in more detail at some point in the near future.

On this topic, I can tell I'm going to have to repurchase the pattern, though when I do, I'm seriously considering getting the size 10 (not 12) for better initial fit in the shoulders. Sure, if I'd traced the pattern before hacking at it, I'd not be in this position. But then I'd have no compelling reason to get a different, and likely better overall, size.

Vis a vis cutting into patterns, btw, I vacillate wildly and go through phases. Right now, with all the work I do on fitting, I can't stand the thought of starting by spending an afternoon tracing the whole freakin' lot - even if that sounds totally counter intuitive. Tracing is the element that just makes it all seem like too much. So, if I've got to spend a whack of money to avoid it - and it is a whack of money shipping from Australia - so be it. Of course, I'll wait till next week when the free pattern of the month-with-purchase changes again. I already own January's.

Bizarrely, I'm thinking of joining the StyleArc club - something I've never been swayed to do with any other pattern vendor, because I do seem to be making my way through a bunch of patterns and they're pricey. Any thoughts on this?

Finally, my Style Arc patterns did arrive today - more on them and what I'm going to sew when in an upcoming post - but my Bengaline fabric must have been sent separately, because it did not arrive along with them. Frustrating. I want to see it and tell you all about it.

But gotta keep this post short because I'm typing like some hen, pecking at feed. I got two vaccines today, one in each arm and they are hurting.

Nothing like going out in the polar vortex (secretly, I just like using this ridiculous term) to get arm-hurty, fever-causing shots, one series of which (for Hepatitis A and B) I'm out of pocket on (as neither my insurance nor OHIP cover it).

And yet, my friends, I urge you to go and get vaccinated for - if nothing else - DPT (Diptheria/Pertussis/Tetanus). It's a combined shot and that pertussis sure is making a come-back. Just last week I learned about an internet friend who's dealing with it now.

Ontarians pls. note: DPT is covered by OHIP so it's free. But even if it weren't free, I'd urge you to pay the bucks and take the shot. Which is precisely the rationale that sees me spending 300 bucks ish on phased Hepatitis vaccinations on the strong recommendation of my doctor.

In truth, I lobbied firmly for MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) as those are the big-time, olde-fashioned, childhood illnesses for which, I assume, my immunity has waned. But apparently, these aren't making a comeback and I have no risk-factors. Over a certain age, it's highly unlikely that one will get these bugs, apparently.

In an ironic turn, my second vaccine today was for DPT. Why? Because big pharma doesn't detangle the three doses and I'm not waiting around for tetanus and diptheria. Furthermore, during the pertussis nightmare of 2011, the hospital lost my test swab so I have no hard evidence that pertussis is actually what I suffered with for months. (Of course, everyone's sure that's what I had, but no one can prove it.)

And on that note, it's off to put some ice on my arms...

What Was I Thinking?

Lord, I must have been high on something when I forgivingly suggested that I'd wear the latest version of the Janet Jacket out of the house. Seriously, it's amongst the crappiest things I've ever made. You could not get push me out the door in that thing of ill-fitting splendor. It's taking all of my willpower not to trash it this instant (recognizing I'm going to need it for the next attempt).

It's like I took a perfectly good pattern and hacked it to bits. (Maybe this is a slightly over-dramatic take, but I don't know just at this moment...)

I feel vaguely wallow-ish, nay despairing, like I really can't sew my way out of a paper bag. Never mind one made of fabric.

But, I suspect, no one ever got better at sewing by wallowing in despair over one's lack of talent. Or one's apparent inability to learn.

Whenever I feel this way I turn my mind Kenneth King's sage words (and I'm seriously paraphrasing here cuz I cannot remember where first I heard this): You haven't learned to sew till you've wrecked thousands of yards of fabric.

I feel eight or so yards closer to perfection.

The Janet Jacket: Yeah, This Version Sucks Too

As next week is looking interminable, so posting may be a non-starter, and since I do want this post over and done with - like the Janet Jacket currently is, let's get to it. Here we have the third muslin, the second made in fashion fabric, the first completely finished version:

Read on for info about why there's torquing at the left centre front. No, it's not about badly aligned closures, alas...

There is no way to take a good photo of this thing. Trust me, I've tried. Indigo is a bitch to photo. Wool crepe is, well, crepey. And the combo - when you consider my challenges (read on to discover more), is just not good. But honesty is the best policy, so I'm here to tell you how it is.

Here are a couple more shots, on the ground, to show off the lines on something that isn't that wretched dress form. Why did I waste my money on that thing??

Look, I'm not done with the Janet Jacket. Well, I'm done with it for a while cuz I fucking hate everything jacket-related. But I'm going to crack this code eventually. Believe me. Because I can really see the potential. In fact, this jacket is vaguely wearable - if not up to standard - so I may even take it out for a couple of test drives, to further illuminate the issues.

Let's start with the good:

• I made this thing with barely a look at instructions (mainly cuz there are barely instructions to consider, but you get my point). I know how to construct a tailored jacket and I'm pleased by that.

• I do love stretch charmeuse and I'm going to persist with it in silk and synthetic versions.

• I've made a lot of alterations, over 3 "muslins" and the majority of them have improved the fit.

• I have encountered challenge after challenge and I have persisted calmly. That's the only reason we have anything at all to look at.

And now for the less good:

In a previous post, I discussed the sharpei neck issue and indicated that I had to remove .5 of an inch wedge from the centre back tapering at the shoulder. Um, that was not true. On reconsideration, I took out 1.5 inches of wedge. And I still ended up with this:

Do you see those bubbles of fabric? I'm starting to wonder if my problem is that I don't have enough fabric rather than too much - but I don't know how that can be because the sharpei issue is INCREDIBLY improved in this version for all of that fabric removal.

I'm also starting to wonder if my choice of drapey fabric and soft interfacing may be the cause of this. Maybe this jacket could do with a firmer material.

So while we're on the topic, let's talk about wool crepe:

The thing that makes wool crepe a dream to sew with makes it intolerable to tailor. I will not be using wool crepe on this jacket in the future. In fact, it's gonna be a cold day in hell before I use wool crepe on anything more tailored than a sheath dress from here on in.

Crepe is so malleable that it takes every suggestion of fabric manipulation and runs riot with it. It's so sensitive. It's got no backbone, no pun intended and it loves to wrinkle. I don't care if it has nice drape, writ large. It has crap drape on a tailored item where one needs structure to prevail.

On more mundane fitting topics:

• Do not, imagining yourself a class-act pattern adjuster, forget to take an inch off the bottom of your jacket front and facing pieces. OK, it would have been game over if I'd actually made these pieces an inch too short to begin with. But this "fix" required surgery, far into the process of jacket construction, and the end result is one side that moves slightly off-grain and torques the entire finished product.

Well, that's a mistake I won't make again.

• Also: As S. noted, when last she was over, after increasing the full bust depth by like a zillion per cent, I've got to take quite a bit of fabric out of the front princess seam above the full bust. That's what I like to call my small bust adjustment.

• And I've got to take about an .5 inch, somehow, off the back armscye. It's gapey.

• I've got to lengthen the arms by .75 inch.

There you go. I've got a nicely-finished, mediocre end result and, you know what? It doesn't matter. What matters is what I can learn and bring to my next foray which, hopefully, at least, will be better fitting, better draping and more wearable.

There are no awards for making mediocre products, only the potential for winning with persistence.

Today's questions: What's up with the sharpei neck - do I need to take out another wedge? Is it fabric related? Is it something else? Can you share a sad tale of sewing meh-ness? Let's talk.

Organization: Fun or Stupid?

Let me start by putting it out there straight: if you don't do it utterly compulsively, organization is useless, IMO. You're only as good as your last effort.  For me, organization is an entirely binary thing. You either do it, and it helps you. Or you don't (and maybe your life is a miserable mess but at least you have time to experience it). Mind you, I'm considered to be crazy by some, so don't take my word for it.

This weekend has amounted to nothing but organizing for me.

Yesterday it was the stash catalog. Today it's back to the Janet Jacket, from which I've been on vacation for a week or so, cuz seriously, I did not want to do what needed to be done next.

First I retraced all of the pieces in accordance with previous alterations (the original pieces were a mess):

I decided to use the same pieces for shell as for lining, though the original Style Arc pattern comes with both, because (you may recall), I'm using a fabric with good ease (wool crepe) and a stretch silk charmeuse lining.

When I "followed the rules", during my last construction attempt, my lining had so much extra fabric ease (um, it stretches) that everything went sideways. So this is a tactical step. Note, in order to allow for the correct length of the lining pieces, I've marked the relevant ones with the lining cut line, as well as the main fabric seam allowance line:

Then I had to put away, in some retrievable format, all of the original, altered pieces:

While I'd love to be done with them, just like the previous construction attempts (muslin and then first finished jacket, aka muslin 2), I suspect I haven't seen the last of them.

The theory is that all of my documentation is going to make my next attempt much more knowable. And I certainly believe it's true or I'd have to kill myself from the futility of it all.

Today I also had a chance to set these pieces up on the remaining fabric and lining, to confirm whether I have enough of each. I'm good on the wool (I bought the last 3 yards of the bolt and now I'm really glad I took more than I "needed".) The $36.00 stretch charmeuse lining? Well that I'm going to need another yard of. Of course. Here's hoping it's still available. I mean, it is canary yellow stretch charmeuse that costs a fortune. I think the odds are good. And here's hoping I can get the shop in the garment district to deliver it, to save me some time...

You know about my endless quest for efficiency. Next week, when I begin to make the next version of the jacket (I daren't call it the final, that'll come back to bite me in the ass), I'll be 4 hours ahead of the game. Mind you, today, aren't I 4 hours lacking in time to kick back?

What's the answer peeps? Do you organize for the sake of efficiency? Better outcome? To satisfy your personality? Are you the least organized person ever - but you love it and it works for you? Do you think it's possible to be "half organized"? Please, let's talk!

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.

Winter Sewing: Armsyces and Sleeveheads (And Why Grading on Multi-sized Patterns Isn't Helpful)

I don't even know how it's possible, but Lord, I have to alter the armscye and the sleevehead to get it the unit to fit my shape.

Original armscye - prior to altering:

See how round and relatively symmetrical the armsyce is? There's no dart on the side front piece, as yet, to skew the length and depth of the front armscye.

New armscye - plus sleeves (admittedly, the lining pieces, but proportions are basically the same):

Note: I closed the dart on the lining piece before cutting out the fabric, so that is the"darted side front" on the left...

And there's my adjusted armscye - it's at a completely different angle. Doesn't look like anyone could actually wear what comes of sewing this up - but I swear, it works on me?! I have a super high front armhole but the boobs really complicate things?!

I sense, this is why every time I do a "regular" darted FBA it's a mess. The way I'm shaped, I need sharp, forward projection at the centre bust but I can't take it anywhere else or it gapes (under the bust, in the waist - and, most notably, at the side of the breast at the front armscye).

For kicks, check out that sleeve head. I wish I still had the original to show you but, trust me, it's an entirely different shape. The original looked like a bell on the front (right side of the right piece)and a steep slope on the back (left side of right piece and the piece to the left of it). My version, as you can see, is like a bunny hill on the back and a very short jump on the front. I removed 3 inches of depth from the apex of the sleevehead.

I couldn't have intuited this. I had to drape it. (Well, my super-smart fitting friend S. taught me how to do this and has helped me to accomplish it in the past. This time, I'm just starting to feel alright about completely changing the shape of everything.)

This is why I'm really starting to question the value of multi-sized patterns, for me. I can never simply grade between sizes. I have to do surgery on these pieces. Seriously, EVERY piece (save interfacing) has at least one alteration and most have 2 or 3. If you multiply that by 12, you're looking at 36 minor to significant alterations, to get this pattern to fit. The only ones that grading might have helped me with (but not adequately, given how short in the waist I am), are length of pieces and width in the waist. Peeps, I can shorten a piece and narrow a waist, practically by eyeballing (ok, not true! I don't eyeball!). It's the ready-made FBA I want.

No one's ever going to design patterns with my bust shape, dimensions and arms in mind. They'd be stupid to. I'm one in a million, from the pattern drafting perspective. (Oooh, that makes me sound so good!) Chances are, you're one in a million in a totally different way.

While I'm not suggesting that they don't work for some, my emerging opinion is that multi-sized patterns give people a false sense of security. They make you think that you can go from one size to the next, with the help of a curved ruler, and fitting will miraculously occur.

Fitting is a freakin' production. Oh, and while we're at it, so is tailoring. So is sewing beautifully. And don't forget about that truly nuanced and delicate art - choosing which fabric will work with what pattern on what shape of body. This is why it takes years to become an expert. You'll flirt with one element, only to let another fall by the wayside. This is ok, in my opinion. I love the complexity of sewing.

I do think that, if you want to get good, sewing the same pattern again and again and again - in different fabrics having different properties, using different techiques and methods, refining fit each go round - is a fairly solid approach. Of course, it's not high on the novelty scale.

But I guess you can't have everything all at once.

Winter Sewing: Janet Jacket Muslin and Fabric Choices

I'm in a posting kind of mood, apparently, about all of the crafts...

As you know, yesterday I cut out the muslin and stitched up the bodice shell for my proposed next sewing project: the Janet Jacket. The fit, following my numerous "pre-muslin alterations" was not bad. In addition to those, on the basis of what the muslin told me, I've made additional muslin-to-pattern alterations:

• The back was too wide (effectively the back seam where it meets the side back) so I removed about 1.5 inches over those 4 seams, tapering 2 inches above and 2 inches below the waist. Update: I undid this alteration, once I added the sleeves and realized that the addition of them had an unintended impact on the fit of the back of the bodice...

• While I removed an inch above the waist, from the length of the bodice pieces, I ended up adding it back to the bottom of the hem. I want a bit more length once I hem this thing up... And now I've added it where it needs to be, and where I won't get any pooling above the waist.

• The bust, while it fits - somewhat miraculously, is potentially a little bit snugger than I'd like. I've opted to add .5" to the centre front piece, starting just at the place where my bust gets full, all the way down to the jacket hem. I may remove this in the end, but I'd like to have the extra width, in case I want it as I finish the seams... I'm pleased to say that the centre bust fullness of the shell is at the same height as my centre bust fullness. That can be a tricky negotiation as one's bust line grapples with gravity, even as a pattern draft does not. This shell isn't gaping above the apex, as some patterns do, once I alter the bust at the princess seams. And, because the original side front pattern piece was so straight, it was pretty easy for me to lower the apex slightly without having to do to much fancy footwork. I eyeballed it, but it seems to have worked. You can actually see the lowered apex in the photo from yesterday's post...

• I did have to take an inch out of the sleeve head height (my upper arm is short, what can I say?) and, as a corollary, I had to remove 3/8" of fabric from the shoulder seam area on each of the side front and back pieces. I tapered to nothing as I moved towards the underarm...

• And finally, I darted the side front piece - 2 inches wide, starting from the front armscye to the bust apex. I know I can probably make this adjustment and move the dart to the side seam (aka get rid of it but keep its effect), but that step just isn't coming to me at the moment. And seriously, I don't care if there's an extra seam there. It looks just fine (IMO) and, seriously, the bust fit and armscye depth are made perfect by the inclusion of this dart. To me, at this time, a bust dart isn't a sign of failure to maintain smooth princess seam-lines - it's a sign of my increasing fit awareness. I actually like it!

I managed to learn all of this via one muslin - 2 steps (bodice and then sleeves). Now, I hope my alterations are precise, but I did use a smidge of intuition in lieu of math. (Just occasionally to make things seem more magical!)

I also went out to buy my fabric today:

That's indigo wool crepe, though you can scarcely tell it from black on my monitor. Lord I love navy and wool and crepe. I don't care if it's the same colour as everything else in my wardrobe. Trust me, I look seriously credible in navy.

But, to undercut any potential "boringness", I decided on canary yellow silk charmeuse for the lining:

I know - insane! People, this is what a lack of Vit. D will do to you. And, pls. note: I take 3000 IUs of the stuff every day but I still bought this lining?!

There's method to my madness, however. Every time I've made a tailored jacket in the past, I've used fabric with a certain degree of intrinsic ease (my preferred sort of woven). My rationale is: if you like fitted-ness and you don't want to gain it with wearing ease (what the pattern provides in its base measurements) you have to make up for things with fabric ease (the natural give in the fabric). That's all well and good, esp. given my smallness-with-curves body-type, but, in the past, I have always used lining that has very little fabric ease - and I don't cut it on the bias (which would give the fabric more stretch, as is the nature of bias cut).

The net result of a using lining with no ease is that the ease in the fashion fabric is all but wasted. Nothing will stretch more than the fabric with the least amount of give, which in most cases is a lining.

This time, I was prepared to cut my silk lining on the bias (a huge pain in the ass - and fabric waster) unless I could find some silk charmeuse with stretch. The fabric store (L.A. Fabrics) had just such a lining, but only in one colour - the canary yellow I purchased. Thank goodness it complements navy! (Note: It still might be hideous... Who can say?)

Hilariously, while I checked on the cost of the crepe fabric (a reasonable 15 bucks a yard on sale), I neglected to do so with the lining fabric. Turns out it was 36 bucks a yard?! I got it for 32.00/yd in the end but, egad, that's 64 bucks in lining?!

You know you're making progress - or losing your mind - when you spend $130.00 on suiting materials without batting an eye. (And this doesn't include closures, interfacing, shoulder pads or other notions.) Ah, here's to skill development in the new year...

Today's questions: What do you think of my new fabrics? Thoughts on these alterations or my "one muslin, one garment" process? I suppose the proof will be in the pudding, yes? Let's talk!

Winter Sewing: The Janet Jacket

How is it that, even as I've posted 3 times today (re: A Simple Sock KAL), I'm somehow compelled to write about my latest, potential sewing project:

I say "potential" because, if there's one thing I've learned about tailored jackets, it's that you'd better fucking scrap it all if the muslin indicates that the finished garment is gonna suck. Former Kristin couldn't handle that. It seemed to her like giving up. Current Kristin is all: I have too many things in this world to care about. I'm not wasting my time on a garment that's destined to fail.

Don't worry, I'm armed with a glass of wine and lots of rulers.

In truth, this approach has been a while in the making. I'm sure you know - either from personal experience or intuition - that one cannot continue to make 7 muslins for every project without starting to feel incredibly worn out. That's like making the garment 7 times before you actually start to make it - once you consider all of the math and alterations that are involved.

I'm not interested in that for this project. My last handmade jacket, despite all of my best efforts, is a dud. If you want to know what my one, true fail was in 2013, it was that. I've worn it once, didn't like it and it hangs in the closet - a beautifully constructed garment that looks mediocre on my body.

This time, I want to make a tailored jacket that will nonetheless be "simple" (I know, ridiculous concept for a pattern with 18 pieces...) What I mean is this: I will make one muslin with all the bells and whistles. Whatever it manages to tell me, I'll extrapolate from. The jacket I've chosen has no collar. That means I have no collar to worry about. Furthermore, I intend to use fusible interfacing. This will not be a "hand-tailored" affair. I'm making a useful work garment. It happens to be a tailored jacket.

And I'm not buying any fabric until I make the muslin. If it sucks, into the bin it goes. And I'll find something else.

Having said this, I've decided to make the most of what I've learned about fitting to date, and to alter the pattern, prior to making the first muslin, as such:

• I know I have to shorten the jacket, above the waist, so that the final length is 23". In this instance, I have cut an inch from the length.

• I know I have to shorten the sleeves so that the final length is 22". In this instance, that means I've cut 3" from the length of the sleeves?!

• I'm going to have to get to a full bust measurement of 39". That gives me 1.5" of wearing ease, and I intend to use a woven fabric with give (like wool crepe) to give another inch or so. I like my jackets very fitted because, when they're not, I look thick given that the boobs have proportionately much more circumference than the under bust or waist. This is what works for me. I measured the full bust of the size 12 pattern, the size I bought, and got 36". That means I've got to do my own version of a princess seam FBA. I'll add .75" to the front piece where it meets the side front, and another .75" at the side front. If you multiply that by 4, you get 3 inches... It's risky to add more than 2 inches to the bust using this method, but I've found that it often works given my shape. This time, we'll just have to see...

Now, following the construction of the muslin, I'm likely going to have to raise the armscye, shorten the sleeve head, narrow the shoulders, and narrow the arms. Maybe someday I'll feel confident that I'm actually a pattern size 10, not anything larger - despite the depth of my breasts, and then I won't have to adjust so extensively. Till I learn that lesson, I'm apt to have to apply these alterations. I suppose, technically, I'll be making 1 muslin in 2 steps. The first will figure out the bodice, the add-on will be sleeves and whatever adjustments come to light.

What I'm happy to say about this pattern, by comparison to the last Style Arc pattern I made, is that the seam lines align perfectly. When you walk this pattern, you get what you paid for. And, the two-piece set in sleeve has the kind of curve one expects from a fitted jacket (longer in the front than in the back).

So, here's the shell I'm starting with (prior to cutting the muslin):

Seems the knitters have been getting all of my love lately. But sewist readers, I'd love your thoughts on this...