I have been buying vintage sewing patterns off the internet for a while. Looking though all these patterns makes me nostalgic and I remember the days I used to catch the bus into town with my grandmother and we would go the big department stores in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa. If you wanted the best fabric and trims you would go to John Orr’s which had a fabric department that took up a half of the 4th floor. It was a very special outing we would get dressed up, my granny would put on her Sunday best. It was all about having the appropriate outfit for the occasion. No one would ever go out in their jeans or shorts like they do today. We would spend hours in the fabric department selecting the pattern then looking for the right fabric for the garments and all the trims and notions. Growing up she made all my clothes.. I was the envy of all my friends. If I saw an outfit in a magazine that I liked my grandmother would make it for me.
I have started using vintage patterns more and more as the techniques and instructions are very interesting and many are the same techniques used in Couture Sewing. In those days sewing was about making the best garment you could with the best fabrics and trims you could afford. It was all about making a garment that would stand the test of time. Not about thriftiness and sewing shortcuts.
I decided to use an Advance Pattern, unfortunately the company does not exist anymore. In those days, the patterns came one size to a pattern not multi-sized. I had to do very little alteration to my muslin for this jacket. The only alteration was to take in over my bust as it was too big across the bust area. The jacket has a princess seam in the front which made the alteration really easy to do.
I purchased the wool tweed from Mood Fabrics in New York with a contrasting fabric for a skirt. The jacket fabric is a very loosely woven tweed. It was purchased already fused to a cotton fusible backing which helped with the fraying. It made it more stable and easier to handle.
The lining of the jacket is a Silk Charmeuse from B& J Fabrics in New York that my son bought me as a birthday present. Looking a few of the Tweed Jackets at Neiman Marcus I noticed that D & G had used lace to trim their tweed jackets. I found some vintage lace in my stash which matched perfectly.
I love embellishment so jut the lace was not enough I decided to hand embroider Bullion Rosebuds on the lace with variegated silk embroidery thread that matched the colors of the flowers on the lining.
I did a lot of hand sewing on this jacket. The pockets, the lining and trim are all done by hand. Now I know why these jackets cost $$$. I loved every minute of making this jacket.
I am now going to complete the skirt. I will definitely be making more of these jackets. I just purchased the Craftsy “Chanel” jacket class. I am sure I will enjoy doing all those couture techniques.
Happy Sewing! Till next time.
I have started using vintage patterns more and more as the techniques and instructions are very interesting and many are the same techniques used in Couture Sewing. In those days sewing was about making the best garment you could with the best fabrics and trims you could afford. It was all about making a garment that would stand the test of time. Not about thriftiness and sewing shortcuts.
I decided to use an Advance Pattern, unfortunately the company does not exist anymore. In those days, the patterns came one size to a pattern not multi-sized. I had to do very little alteration to my muslin for this jacket. The only alteration was to take in over my bust as it was too big across the bust area. The jacket has a princess seam in the front which made the alteration really easy to do.
I purchased the wool tweed from Mood Fabrics in New York with a contrasting fabric for a skirt. The jacket fabric is a very loosely woven tweed. It was purchased already fused to a cotton fusible backing which helped with the fraying. It made it more stable and easier to handle.
The lining of the jacket is a Silk Charmeuse from B& J Fabrics in New York that my son bought me as a birthday present. Looking a few of the Tweed Jackets at Neiman Marcus I noticed that D & G had used lace to trim their tweed jackets. I found some vintage lace in my stash which matched perfectly.
I love embellishment so jut the lace was not enough I decided to hand embroider Bullion Rosebuds on the lace with variegated silk embroidery thread that matched the colors of the flowers on the lining.
I did a lot of hand sewing on this jacket. The pockets, the lining and trim are all done by hand. Now I know why these jackets cost $$$. I loved every minute of making this jacket.
I am now going to complete the skirt. I will definitely be making more of these jackets. I just purchased the Craftsy “Chanel” jacket class. I am sure I will enjoy doing all those couture techniques.
Happy Sewing! Till next time.