Blazer Dreams Part 2: Half done?

You'll have to trust me; the jacket really is white, but I have super-crappy night lighting in my studio (aka, second bedroom, home office, thunder-storm-dog-retreat).

I'm not quite sure how to judge whether I'm actually half way done with this jacket.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's still very faint.  Much like putting IKEA furniture together, I'm praying I don't have any pieces left over when I'm done sewing.

 Here, you'll see some of the basic construction of the outer jacket is taking form.

The pesky, and oh-so-important-to-get-it-perfect, lapel and collar business looks good from a distance as you see here.

But it is giving me some trouble--notice the tuck I accidentally sewed into the inner collar and the burgeoning overlap of fabric I've created? (see left side of photo, oops the other left). 

Because I've already clipped and pressed the curves up in there, I'm pretty much convinced I can't do any seam ripping and re-sewing without causing another, more noticeable flaw.  I'm thinking of leaving it in.  I believe this is what my Kamikaze Seamstress friend meant when she said "power through that hot mess."  So, I am.

So what if every time I wear this jacket I'll feel a little like Quasimoto?

Onward and upward, man.

Blazer Dreams - The Beginning

I've never found a RTW blazer that fits.  Never. 

I always run up against the same fit problems:  the arms are too short, there's too much room in the chest, and the hip area is too tight. 

Could I sew a blazer that fits me perfectly?  I wasn't too sure. 

I've got issues.  Sewing blocks.  Until recently, I didn't have a machine that would do a decent buttonhole.  And, blazers, well they have all those pieces and there's construction I don't quite understand.  Then there's the fitting process, which is nearly impossible for me to do by myself. 

It seemed  like a good time for me to get over myself and try.  I've got a machine that will sew buttonholes and a resident expert in tailoring (my neighbor), whom I hired to help me make/fit a muslin for this Burda blazer.  After making the first muslin straight from the pattern I was amazed at how badly it fit, and I almost cried.  But, my neighbor worked her magic and a second muslin later things were looking pretty perfect. 

I watched her make me a set of altered pattern pieces from the revised muslin and tried to make mental notes of how she did everything.

So, my new pattern made just for me has been sitting around for 2 months and summers whizzing by...and I want this blazer made!   

I just cut out all the blazer pieces, using my new and ultra-cute pattern weights.  I chose a heavy, white cotton/poly fabric.  I don't plan to line this one, so it will be a little lighter--nice for summer!

Gift

My Illinois sewing buddy made these pattern weights for me.  Those polka dots are the cutest!  I tried them out and they work really well.  Good-bye tuna cans!