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Technical Help / Re: 70's double breasted suit poject
« on: December 28, 2020, 18:01:19 PM »
If you're watching youtube videos, this series might be of interest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tlEoqDKT0&list=PL6wdXAvg4DOEngOR93SkkVK8Tb0AvmwJv
It's not a tutorial, and I'm not saying you'll want to copy it exactly, but for inspiration and picking up little bits and bobs it could be good. I've made a few jackets and coats with tailored canvases made by basically eyeballing something vaguely similar to what he's doing here, and they've come out okay!
My personal thoughts as a non-tailor who'sbodged made a handful of jackets, take from them what you will:
* I agree with all all the comments about wool. If you can find one that's climate-appropriate, then wool (or at least a high-wool blend) is so much nicer to work with and coax and steam into shape.
* Don't waste any money you spent on a nice wool by balancing out the budget with a cheap, unbreathable lining!
* If you can source the materials, tailoring a canvas lining is involved, and time-consuming. It'll almost certainly take longer than the actual jacket it supports. But it's also very doable, if you want to go for it. Also, constructing a jacket (never mind the rest of the suit) is an involved bit of sewing to start with. So you're already investing quite a bit into it. Is it worth the extra? Your call.
* If you don't normally baste seams before sewing and use pins instead, do yourself a favour and make an exception for setting in your jacket sleeves! (pin in place, hand baste, take out pins, sew)
* Similarly if you don't normally make toiles, consider doing so for the jacket.
* The most important bit of the fit is in the collar and the shoulders. Everything else kind of hangs off that.
* If you're going to go for a quicker fusible interfacing approach but want to try and do a modest bit of tailoring, you might consider attempting a properly tailored canvassed collar. For a reasonably small bit of padstitching, it'll probably add the most class!
* Your pattern will probably call for shoulder pads, but don't forget some sort of sleeve head too. You don't need anything special for them, just whatever you have lying around of the right weight and stiffness. I tend to use strips of scrap canvas for support with a wider strip of scrap domette or self-fabric on top to soften the shape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tlEoqDKT0&list=PL6wdXAvg4DOEngOR93SkkVK8Tb0AvmwJv
It's not a tutorial, and I'm not saying you'll want to copy it exactly, but for inspiration and picking up little bits and bobs it could be good. I've made a few jackets and coats with tailored canvases made by basically eyeballing something vaguely similar to what he's doing here, and they've come out okay!
My personal thoughts as a non-tailor who's
* I agree with all all the comments about wool. If you can find one that's climate-appropriate, then wool (or at least a high-wool blend) is so much nicer to work with and coax and steam into shape.
* Don't waste any money you spent on a nice wool by balancing out the budget with a cheap, unbreathable lining!
* If you can source the materials, tailoring a canvas lining is involved, and time-consuming. It'll almost certainly take longer than the actual jacket it supports. But it's also very doable, if you want to go for it. Also, constructing a jacket (never mind the rest of the suit) is an involved bit of sewing to start with. So you're already investing quite a bit into it. Is it worth the extra? Your call.
* If you don't normally baste seams before sewing and use pins instead, do yourself a favour and make an exception for setting in your jacket sleeves! (pin in place, hand baste, take out pins, sew)
* Similarly if you don't normally make toiles, consider doing so for the jacket.
* The most important bit of the fit is in the collar and the shoulders. Everything else kind of hangs off that.
* If you're going to go for a quicker fusible interfacing approach but want to try and do a modest bit of tailoring, you might consider attempting a properly tailored canvassed collar. For a reasonably small bit of padstitching, it'll probably add the most class!
* Your pattern will probably call for shoulder pads, but don't forget some sort of sleeve head too. You don't need anything special for them, just whatever you have lying around of the right weight and stiffness. I tend to use strips of scrap canvas for support with a wider strip of scrap domette or self-fabric on top to soften the shape.