V8804 Project 2022

Introduction

 This year I'm making Vogue 8804 Couture Cardigan Jacket by designer Claire Schaeffer.  

Materials include:

• 45" wide silk plaid fabric that I bought back in the 1990's, at a fabric store in Sandy Springs, GA that was going out of business.  The fabric has been sitting ever since waiting for inspiration.
• China silk lining from Mood.
• For interfacing, I'm going to try Pro-Sheer Elegance Couture interfacing for the first time.  I also have Pellon Ultra Weft.
• An assortment of buttons and trim, which I'll decide on when the jacket is farther along.
• Japanese basting thread, Gutermann all-purpose for the jacket and lining, and Gutermann silk thread for the buttonholes.
• A gold chain for the hem, still to be ordered from Susan Khalje.

The pattern is very detailed.  I've made this once before using the methods in Claire's "Couture Cardigan Jacket" book.  For this one I got the paper pattern to fit pretty well so I'm going to use the paper pattern to cut the pieces, but will make a wider seam allowance to have about a 1" seam allowance.  For the lining I'll cut big rectangles and quilt them to the outer fabric then trim.

I'm using the pattern instructions as a reference, along with Claire's book, but jumping around in the process at bit.

Cutting and Marking

I've started cutting the jacket pieces.  The pieces are each cut individually, one side at a time, to help keep the plaid lined up.  Then I'm marking with double thicknesses of Japanese basting thread in different colors (double thickness is needed to be able to see it on this fabric).  

I'm cutting and extra-wide seam allowances on the sleeves.  I'm not sure how pattern matching is going to work on these three-piece sleeves so want lots of room to match the plaid, as much as possible

 

Interfacing

I started out using Pro-Sheer Elegance Couture Interfacing on the body.  The sleeves would only be interfaced on the lower hem, so the sleeves ease nicely into place when I baste them on.

I quickly realized I did not like having the body interfaced.  Even though the Pro-Sheer is very light, it definitely changes how the fabric feels and hangs and eases.  

I kept the interfacing on the front, and cut new pieces for the rest (fortunately had enough leftover fabric).  I also kept interfacing on the upper back across the neck and shoulders.

Pinning and Basting

I'm pinning the pieces, counting the plaid rows to help with plaid matching, then hand basting them.  I think I'll hand baste the entire body and try it on before I sew with permanent stitches, so if there's any adjustments needed I can keep the plaid lined up.

Quilting and Permanent Seams

I've basted the entire body, tried on and made minor adjustments.  Next I sewed the permanent stitches on the front/side front seam, and on the side front/side seam.

Next lining pieces are laid over and the quilting lines basted.  (The lining seams will be hand sewn.)

The quilting is stitched with a 4mm seam.

The thread ends are left long and pulled through and tied on the inside. 

Basting is then removed - this is where that Japanese Basting Thread really helps.

Once the front quilting is done, the lining seam at front/side front is pinned, then hand basted, then sewn by hand.

The back lining is quilted in the same fashion.

The front and back lining are then pushed out of the way, and the shoulder seams permanently sewn.

Next I basted and sewed the side to back seams.  I'm leaving the lining open for now, so I have room if I need to made any little adjustments when I try on the sleeves.

Sleeves

The outer front, back, and side seams are basted, then joined.  The seam between the sleeve back and the sleeve side are left open so the quilting can be done.

The lining is sewn the same way, then the lining is laid flat on the sleeve and the quilting seams pinned, then hand basted, then sewn.

Here I've sewn the outer jacket pieces together, leaving the back-to-side seam open, then did the same with the lining.  Then quilted the lining, and sewed the back-to-side seam on the jacket fabric, leaving the lining open.  I basted the shoulder seams.  Tried on and then confirmed with tape measure that the right shoulder comes in just a little too far and needs to come out about 1/4".

At this point the lining is still unattached at the back-to side seam, along the shoulders and at the hems.

Lining

Next I basted the lining long the shoulder and side edges where the pieces need to be joined, and hand sewed them in place.  Areas around the neck, hem etc. will be left free for finishing the edges of the jacket.

Buttonholes

I bought two colors of silk twist buttonhole thread from Burley & Trowbridge/.  Each is 20 meters, and each buttonhole is going to take about 1 meters, so I have enough to make some practice buttonholes.  It's been a while since I've done these and they definitely take practice.

I used my sewing machine's "Heirloom" buttonhole, set to medium weight fabric and 21mm.  Here's what the machine stitch looks like on inside and outside:

Now use silk buttonhole twist in contrast color to go over the entire buttonhole.  Start at the SIDE edge - away from the center.  At the center make a fan shape.  Back at the beginning sew three stitches to secure the end.

Trim

This trim is from Claire's book Making Designer Trims.

Cut a strip of fabric on the bias, 2" wide.

Machine baste along the edge with seam marker at 10 (10 cm).

Turn under and press, with the basting right along the turned edge.

Machine baste down the other side with seam marker at 20 (edge to the left).

Turn under and press, with basting right along the turned edge.

That gives a bias trip about 20 cm, just a little wider than 3/4".  I started with 1" band, but it extends too far in to the jacket and interferes with buttonhole placement.

Switch to lighter thread and stitch along the edge of the trim on each side, then remove the machine basting.

This is a test trim, just pinned on.  The trim will be sewn on by hand.  Note that I have not finished the edges around the neck, front, and sleeve hem - they're just basted in the place and the lining not yet attached.  The faux bound buttonholes still need to be done on the inside/lining side of the jacket.  

Now I hand sew the trim to the neck, front, and sleeve hems.  Note that the lining is NOT sewn in place along those edges yet, the edges are just folded over and basted.

Buttons

I went through 7 button choices - some test ones ordered from Etsy and Button Bird, and some in stash from Mood.  These from Button Bird are the perfect choice, with enough color to stand out against the jacket and just a little sparkle when the light hits them.

Pockets

The pockets are unlined, so they naturally soften as the jacket is worn.  I sewed the buttonholes on the pockets, sewed the trim along the pocket edge, and turned and basted the edges.   Now I can pin the pockets on, sew the buttons onto the jacket and hand sew the pocket in place.  I have to push the lining out of the way and be careful not to catch the lining as I sew.  

The jacket instructions have you attach the pockets earlier in the process, but I wanted to wait until later until I decided on trim, and to make sure the pockets were where I wanted them, especially with the plaid.

Finishing Touches

The lining is hand sewn around the neck and front, along the sleeve hem, and along the bottom.  It's a slow, relaxing task to sit there and take your time going tiny little stitches

I go along the edges of the lining and take tiny little pickstitches, which help keep the lining from turning and peeking out as you're wearing the jacket.

A nice heavy chain in sew along the hem on the inside.  The chain helps the jacket to hang nicely as it's worn.  Go long one edge of the chain and make hand stitches on every other link, then go back on the other edge taking a stitch on every other link.

Then sew on the buttons and we're done!

The Finished Jacket

Started:  9/4/2022.   Finished:  10/27/2022