The Sewing Place

Pauline Alice Quart Coat

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #45 on: February 26, 2020, 20:39:33 PM »
If it’s wool it will shrink as you work with it when pressing.  That’s the beauty of it and why it makes wonderful fabric for jackets and coats.

b15erk

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #46 on: February 27, 2020, 09:05:53 AM »
I'm really not understanding why this fabric has shrunk so much - it's definitely not wool, the strands are very springy, and feel man-made.

I've decided to carry on with the coat, taking in to account the shrinkage, if I get a wear out of it, that's fine, if not, I have gained some skills.

I did more pad stitching last night - it's tedious, and you really do need to get into a rhythm with it.


Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ploshkin

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #47 on: February 27, 2020, 09:14:44 AM »
Padstitching a collar or lapels is satisfying because you can feel and see the shape developing until they'll behave all by themselves
Life's too short for ironing.

UttaRetch

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #48 on: February 27, 2020, 10:59:37 AM »
All that work @b15erk for something that you may not work for you  :(  I am sure it will be excellently done, so perhaps just donating it is the way to go.

b15erk

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #49 on: February 28, 2020, 09:50:32 AM »
@UttaRetch , I'm not too bothered about whether I can wear it or not (although it would be nice), it's more about becoming familiar with a new way of working, and new techniques and when to use them.

Tbh, since the shrinkage incident, I feel a bit more relaxed about the whole thing.  I've worked out that overall, I could possibly lose about 2.5 - 3 inches overall, and as I had made the largest nearest to mine, taking ease into account, may well mean I can get a wear out of it.  It's not that important though, and I've had a really important lesson.

Yesterday, I found some useful YouTube videos HERE
Laurie Kurutz, is a mainly theatrical tailor I believe, and although I'm not sure how that differs from a normal tailor, I found her videos excellent.

Over the weekend I'm hoping to make some headway with actual sewing, as the prep work is, for the most part done (I think).

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Elnnina

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #50 on: February 28, 2020, 15:20:42 PM »
Jessie please do not get disheartened by what is happening with your coat and the shrinkage.  Just put this down to the learning process - that is why when I first learnt about tailoring we spent the first term just making a sample - I still have mine and often refer to this permanent work sample and it shows all the different types of stitching that we learnt along the way and it is really useful.  Now some people complained that this was not what they signed up for, they had expected to just jump in straight away and not spend the time learning all the new techniques and what we packed into that first term was in fact what in the industry would have been a year or so of an apprenticeship.

Remember I mentioned a book to you when you first started this coat, Samuel Heath's Coat and Skirt Making - I only found this book on the library for sale trolley for £1 some 40 years after I had done that tailoring course, and this is the only book I have seen that featured the type of techniques that I learnt - I love pad stitching it is really satisfying, and also trying to shrink wool to do what you want it to do, i.e. to take a dart out of the wool without actually stitching or cutting the wool - something quite satisfying really.

Whatever you do in the end with this coat do keep it as your permanent workbook of what you have done and how you have done this.

b15erk

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #51 on: March 04, 2020, 09:07:19 AM »
I am continuing with the coat @Elnnina , it would be wrong to say I won't be disappointed if it doesn't fit, but it is most certainly a learning curve for me.  I think treating it as a workbook is a great idea!

I managed to finish the two fronts last night - princess seams and pockets are looking good!  I've also been pad stitching the under collar, which I think is the right thing to do, as the fabric is a very floppy, loose weave.  I have brought it in to work today and if I finish the VAT Return and month end, I should have a few hours to finish that off - it's very time consuming.  :S

I did order the book which Sigrid recommended, but still waiting for it to arrive.  Atm, I'm relying on YouTube videos and common sense!  I found some great videos HERE.

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #52 on: March 05, 2020, 11:02:25 AM »
This is getting a bit tedious as there is nothing yet worth photographing.

I finished the pad stitching on the under collar, and used a sturdy iron on for the top collar.  I'm glad I did, as I looked at some of the finished jackets yesterday online, and some looked a bit limp.  So far, the majority of my time has been spent stabilising the pattern pieces.  I haven't always used the correct materials, but ones which I considered 'near enough'.  This is my first 'proper' jacket, and I'm only just becoming familiar with the most commonly used stabilisers.  In this regard, I think the pattern fails a bit, as it seems there is minimal use of stabilisers.  @dolcevita , has been really helpful with this, and I now have a card with scraps of interfacing, canvasses and their descriptions, so that I will know what to use next time.

After finishing the collar, I pinned the back to the fronts, and also pinned the sleeve pieces together, mainly so that I can get rid of some the single pieces. It's such a pain rooting through a pile of pieces to find the right one.

Onwards and upwards.

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

dolcevita

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #53 on: March 05, 2020, 11:17:11 AM »
If you've only ever worked with vilene and other interfacings aren't readily available, it's not surprising that you wouldn't be aware of the newer ones.  Modern interfacings have been around since the 80s, but only available industrially and not to the home sewer; they were/are used extensively in the 'soft tailoring' look of Armani.  Even now, I would say that you have to know about them and then actively seek them out.

For what it's worth, I usually leave the pattern pieces pinned to their fabric pieces until I'm ready to sew for speedy identification.  It also reduces the risk of cutting out a duplicate piece from what you think is spare fabric and turns out to be something like the back or some obscurely shaped other piece.

Missie

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #54 on: March 05, 2020, 11:18:57 AM »
For what it's worth, I usually leave the pattern pieces pinned to their fabric pieces until I'm ready to sew for speedy identification. 

Snap! :D

Elnnina

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #55 on: March 05, 2020, 11:20:00 AM »
You are getting there Jessie, you are also learning a lot - tailoring is a real steep learning curve - and just think what you have managed to achieve so far. 

Just be careful with the iron on interfacings unless they are really attached they can bubble - just keep your eyes open and look at ready made coats and jackets that people are wearing and see if you can spot the bubbling - it is an eye opener.

Just be patient, it will all come together eventually and you will be pleased and it will be worth every minute you have spent and then you will have a permanent reference to all the techniques  you have used ready for future garments.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #56 on: March 05, 2020, 11:24:48 AM »
Leaving the pattern attached till needed also keeps the piece stabilised and there is less risk of stretching and distorting. 
I’m sure you’ll be pleased when you’ve finished Jessie.  Making a jacket isn’t a quick sew whether traditional or speed tailoring. 

b15erk

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #57 on: March 05, 2020, 11:30:11 AM »
Oh ladies thank you for your responses!  There are so many pieces, and so little space in the sewing room, that I thought it might help to reduce the number of loose pieces.  I didn't pin the pieces to the pattern because I was afraid of the loose fabric weave catching, and pulling threads in the middle of the piece.  :|

I stand corrected, I'll go back and do it 'proper', later.  ;)

Jessie
« Last Edit: March 05, 2020, 12:58:53 PM by b15erk »
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #58 on: March 05, 2020, 11:32:35 AM »
I think you fused some light interfacing to the fabric didn’t you?   Did you do individual pieces or block fuse?   If you block fused it should have been ok. 

UttaRetch

Re: Pauline Alice Quart Coat
« Reply #59 on: March 05, 2020, 11:44:03 AM »
I think the pattern fails a bit, as it seems there is minimal use of stabilisers.

You can make a wearable jacket or coat just by following the instructions.  Tailoring, even of the speed variety, is an altogether different order of magnitude.

You are determined to press on and it will have least have been a learning exercise.