I have been doing what Corecouture calls “forensic” work on trouser styles and patterns. It might be a bit of an overstatement, but my view is if you want to wear trousers you have to get the style, fit, proportions and colour right. Right?
2015 Trouser tasks
This year I pledge to make
a good pair of jeans
a second pair of the Simplicity 6087 trousers
a pair of perfectly fitting tailored trousers
high-waisted trousers
a jumpsuit
a pair of tailored shorts
adapting my curvy pencil skirt to make a trouser pattern.
To date I have almost succeeded with 3. tailored trousers; and I have been working on 6. winter shorts. I am happy enough with my experiments to date, although both patterns need a little fine tuning before I can use them for the SWAP.
The next two pairs that I want to make are 7. – an adaptation of my well fitting skirt block; and 4. the high waisted trousers. I had the idea to combine the two and have been working on this.
How to make a trouser patten from a skirt pattern (in about ten minutes)
Assemble the main pieces of your tried and tested fitted skirt and trousers (ie back and front of trousers, back and front of skirt – make facings later). Decide how you are going to get in and out of your trousers. For the purpose of the test I went with a side zip. Determine if you want to keep the pockets you have on your trousers, or skirt. I decided to eliminate the Burda trouser pockets as I wanted the flat front look of the 1940s, but you can leave them in if you prefer. The pattern below shows an exaggerated grown on waist, with a zip at CB. I wanted a more subtle look, with tapered legs.
1940s style, with grown on waist
Draw around your trouser pattern. I traced off the Burda’s (107D) now that I am happy with the taper and the fit. I added the cut off side pockets back in. Then overlay the skirt pattern matching up (as best you can) the CF and CB seams above the crotch curve. I used my Curvy Pencil pattern (see above), with the grown on waist, so I had to also had to roughly line up the waist line. Neither of my patterns had seam allowances.
Transfer the darts from your skirt to the trousers. If they are wider than the trouser darts you need to compensate by adding additional width at the waist. I used the skirt darts and added a couple of inches to the waist to accommodate them.
As I had little idea how this would work out I decided to toile the trousers in muslin. When I make my own patterns I usually start with a muslin toile to test the measurements, fit and proportions without fabric differences getting in the way. What puts me off muslin toiles is that they just get binned, which I feel is wasteful of my time and fabric. However sometimes it is essential.
How to toile a pattern quickly (ie in less than an hour)
Put the pattern on the calico. Draw round the pattern with a biro or fine felt tip. Mark the darts with the pen too. Cut out with seam allowances of approximately 5/8th of an inch (just use your eye). Turn the calico and pattern piece over and repeat on the back as accurately as you can on the other side. You don’t need seam allowances at the waist or hem, but I usually add them.
Pattern on muslin
Stitch the darts and centre back and front seams, following the felt tip/biro stitch line. Clip and press. Stitch the side seams. Clip and press. On the left side attatch a traditional zip on the machine.
Stitch the inside leg seam. Clip and press.
Try on.
I have to admit this muslin was very tight due to insufficient ease being built into the pattern. Well no ease at all. The fashion fabrics I have been using have a little stretch in them, but muslin is unyielding. And I always think it shrinks slightly when it is pressed with steam. (Or maybe I have gained a pound or two over Christmas). So while the photographs show the shape adequately they were not comforable to wear. However for the purpose of a toile, they are just fine. I will now add some wearing ease to the pattern, or make them up in stretch fabric. But I think this pattern has legs (ha ha)!
Grown on waist trousers (based on CP skirt) (pinned)
Sewing with a Plan has kicked off. Ladies all over the world have started their four month stint to make 11 co-ordinating outfits (no men yet, although menswear is being made). I have not actually started as I am still testing my patterns. I am keen on working through the trousers in the hope of getting to a definitive TNT pattern that I can use again and again. So bear with me please, as I continue to test and toile. I may need a couple more weeks before I start sewing “for real”.
Finalising the tailored trousers
Alterations to the pattern
I previously toiled the Burda 107D tailored trouser pattern (see above, in dark green). The style was not entirely satisfactory so I resolved to have another go, and made the following changes. I
lowered the waist band seam by an inch to give them a slightly low-slung, hipster look
extended the back dart by half an inch
removed the turn ups
tapered the leg by two inches at the hem, and three inches at the knee, to give a more contemporary shape
took the pattern in by a further inch at the CB waist, tapering down the CB seam
discarded the waistband instructions
I still have a few items to decide
exact length
exact position of waist band (may raise again slightly)
the type of closure
the length of the overlap on the waist band
the exact fullness of the width in the upper thigh area
It’s interesting how many variations there are with a simple pair of pants!
Construction
I adopted the approach suggested by Mary Funt of Cloning Couture for the waist band, cutting two pieces of 3 and 1/2″ by 20 inches pieces of bias strip. I joined them and stitched this to the waist seam. I then used curved Petersham for the waistband. I am very pleased with this finish and I am grateful to Mary for the suggestion.
I did not make these up very carefully so they are imperfect in a number of respects. But I like the shape and the pattern is now adequate to the task. I am ready to make these trousers up as part of my suit.
Tomorrow I will move on to one more trouser pattern that I have in mind. Stay posted if you are interested in designing, fitting and making ladies’ trousers – something of a holy grail.
In the next three posts on politicians I will look at someone who is bigger than average, Eric Pickles, a particularly slim one, Jim Murphy, and then Nicolas Sarkozy, who is a smaller man. I will try to give some general advice for men who do not conform to the norm.
Eric Pickles is an overweight, Northern, Conservative politician. As can be seen in the photograph above he relies on braces to keep his trousers up and could do with a better fitting suit. The jacket sinks in the upper chest implying that it needs a bit more padding and support. What happens when you buy a big size to accommodate the width in the middle of the body is that you are buying a jacket for someone with wider and more angular shoulders. The trousers have a baggy, slouchy look, worsened by the hand in the pocket. The shoes Eric has chosen are obviously comfy and allow him to pound the pavements of Bradford or Ongar. But they do not help create a streamlined look. Style-wise this man’s clothes say there are more important issues than what you look like, and I would guess that he doesn’t like to spend much on clothes. But he is a show man, and likes to make an impression.
This is how he looked when he started out as a politician – a fairly normal, smart business-man look. As he has put on weight, gone grey, lost some hair, and started to wear glasses some of the definition in his face has faded. It might be worth considering a slightly more interesting pair of glasses, perhaps in a dark grey, grey blue or muted green frame.
Young Eric
Pickles is ridiculed regularly about being fat. To some extent this is par for the course for politicians and people in the public eye, but it is undoubtedly hurtful. Many men become fatter as they age, as they give up sport and “settle down”. I have often noticed that having children seems to result in men piling on the pounds as their testosterone drops and they become more house bound. Last year Eric announced that he is trying to eat more sensibly and he walks considerable distances daily. Losing weight, he says,”It’s a really hard thing to do.” If you have a figure like Mr Pickles, and you find losing weight too hard, what can you do look good in clothes?
Dressing well if you are larger or overweight
Although the look on the left is a little theatrical the coat appears to be good quality, the hat elongates the rather round face, and the dark gloves and attractive green silk scarf pull the look together. The lighter green jacket, on the right, with its folds around the neck just emphasise the jowls. So if you are “larger than life” you would do well to buy good quality, tailored made outfits, as advised by Cedric Frederick. Cheap chain store items can look sensational on young, fit men. But on someone in the public eye, with a less than perfect figure, they can look unstructured and draw attention to the figure flaws. Also I have chosen these pictures as they show Eric in a muted colour palette which I think is more flattering to him than the bright orange and navy jacket shown at the top.
When the Minister wears a white shirt with his jacket off, or a beige jacket he risks looking like a milkman. And very much larger than when he wears a dark suit or coat.
If you are overweight it is probably best to avoid a light suit or being photographed without a jacket. Having said that the dark tie, darker braces and the jacket held over the shoulder is more sliming than the white braces in the third picture. It maybe that the photographer has chosen the most unflattering angle on purpose. When chosing a shirt a man shaped like Eric should choose a stiffer fabric to give more structure. A longer and more pointed collar would look better – Eric should avoid the button down shirts and the cut aways that he sometimes wears. A larger man needs a larger collar. Consider having shirts made to fit to avoid the multiple folds look. Eric’s ties are fine – deeper colours in plain or with diagonal stripes (avoiding horizonals). He sometimes wears it a bit too short, and sometimes a bit too long. The tie should reach the waist band. I am not sure about the tie pin. It is a little bit of a signature piece on a man who doesn’t do jewellery. But it provides a focal point at the top of the tummy, thus drawing attention to the problem area. It is also invariably skew-whiff.
In terms of trousers the Minister should make sure they are the right length, without turn ups. Eric’s legs are relatively slim and he should emphasise this by avoiding baggy pants. The braces are a good idea in terms of keeping the trousers suspended at the waist rather than coming below the roundness of the stomach. But I would say they need adjusting a little so that the line is straight down vertically, rather than splaying out at an angle.
Overall here is a politician who has a good sense of humour and who is not overly concerned about his appearance. A few changes, and a date with a tailor, could make a big improvement and set up Mr Pickles for the next stage in his career.
I have been leading a double life – or treble if you factor in the amount of “active grannying” that has been going on lately. My job has been full on (and fortunately Notting Hill Housing is doing very well) and I stitch mainly on weekends. But I often try to do just a bit in the week, and that is when I get in a muddle. I have a tray on legs that has become a general repository, until the pile more or less topples over. As a result I often lose things. Looking for them wastes time. I need a system so that I can find all of these things without getting up from the sewing machine. So, before I start the SWAP I have one last job.
Organise my space!
Look at the spaces captured on the internet and you see two models
a) semi-industrial, white with touches of colour, everything stacked, labelled or folded away
b) country cottage with handmade patchwork whatsits, cushions, wicker sewing baskets and cat
Neither of these models are for me. The model I am interested in is
c) the operating theatre
In my mind I will be like a surgeon with everything laid out and to hand. I will be able to call for “tweezers!”, “basting thread” or “clean needle” and a glamourous, white-coated assistant with beautiful eyes will pass it over, without me having to so much as look up.
Ergonomics in the Operating Theatre
That’s it. Ergonomics! I want my work to “flow” around the workspace, rather than get bunched up, creased up, smashed up; knotted, ravelled or unravelled; gruby, separated or simply sliding onto the floor in desperation. In fact my worktop invariably includes
post card inspiration
small car
something sticky
empty cotton reel
lost pattern piece
I am afraid the photograph below is not staged.
My work space
The other problem area is my chair.
I put my projects into carrier bags as I work, will the aim of a) keeping everything together b) instant access. Because I usually have more than one project on the go. At the moment this includes
remains of disgraced red jacket
cut out cerise slim leg trousers
cut out stretch silk blouse
printing samples which I plan to use to cover more books
patchwork Christmas stocking left overs
wrap round skirt pattern and tiny offcuts
baby hat design
pattern pieces and envelop I cannot reconcile
an experiment with a wrap round skirt and top in jersey, awaiting additional fabric, which may be lost forever.
I have several bags hanging on the back of my chair. Unlike those internet images these are not lovingly crafted (bar the Breton bag from screen printing) but tasteless, ghastly polluting plastic (where did that Lidl bag come from?). This project bag system works something like a balance, in that if I add another one on my chair will tip over. At that point I sort out the bags and we start again. This is the chair I sit on when I use the sewing machine so you can see that I must perch. Or squash a project.
Project overflow
The tray area looks like a bomb has hit it. The tube of Pringles does not denote sewing and snacking, but something I planned to cover with hand printed cloth for a knitting needle container. I think I have had it on that tray since last Christmas. I am especially embarrassed by all the gubbins hidden under the tray table.
Messy corner
I need the following equipment when I am sewing (have I missed anything out?):
cutting scissors
embroidery scissors
trimming clippers
basting cotton
coloured thread
spools
needles
pins
machine needles
tweezers
safety pins
marking felt tip
chalk
tape measure
small metal measure
iron
pressing aids
pattern and instructions
pattern paper
paper scissors
ruler
set square and specialist rulers
adhesive tape (the sort that you can write on)
supplies of interfacing, shoulder pads, sleeve support, cotton tape, crin
press studs, buttons, zips, hook and eye
petersham waist band
fabric, lining
I will try to create a system where these can be accessible and safely stored at the same time. My husband has ordered me a peg board to hang up the instruments I use daily.
Jumper giving is part of Christmas. If you received one this year, I hope it is the sort of thing that you can incorporate into your wardrobe and wear all year round. Regular readers know my views on novelty ties, cuff links and cumberbunds (I ask you!). So I don’t need to say what I think about novelty jumpers. Although we have a whole day dedicated to wearing ridiculous jumpers for charity (you can always give money without joining in) men should, as a rule, abstain from wearing such items in the workplace.
However men do struggle somewhat with knitwear in general. Let me see if I can give some help.
Jumpers at work
Choose a high quality fine knit – merino, cashmere or a blend with silk, cotton or fine wool. Do not, under any circumstances, buy acrylic. Choose a plain deep or neutral shade. Colour can be fine, but probably best for an accent rather than having too much going on. Fine gauge knitwear from companies such as John Smedley is fine for more relaxed business situations. There are three options for wearing knit wear at work.
over a quality T-shirt
over a shirt (with or without a tie)
against the skin
Now, argue with me if you please, but I think a jersey over shirt and tie, or over a formal shirt, looks like a fifth former, or someone from the Allotment Society. There is, to my mind, a culture clash going on. The jersey is soft and yielding, whereas the shirt is a little bit stiff. So if you want to wear a jumper I would only wear it against the skin, or possibly a T-shirt if the jumper has a V neck. But a round neck, turtle neck or polo is probably better under a jacket or with smart trousers. If you want to wear a shirt and tie, and feel a bit cold, put your jacket back on.
If you are slim and stylish you do not necessarily need something underneath. But here Housing Officer Gareth has chosen a sharply tailored pair of cream trousers with a navy V neck and navy suede monks’ buckle shoes. His round glasses and large watch complement the outfit which is both smart and relaxed.
Gareth at Phoenix Community
Choosing the right shape and fit
With a jumper, fit is everything. Too big risks looking silly, like a little kid in his brother’s clothes. Thick about where the jersey ends. You don’t want it too long if your top half is longer than your legs, and vice versa.
But too small and figure hugging is really unpleasant, especially if you are a bit fat. Because most jerseys are rather soft they will ease their way around a paunch and make it look even bigger than it actually is. Even if you have a toned, worked out physique, parading it ostentatiously in a tight sweater is a turn off. Leave something to the imagination, please.
Even if the fit is OK remember that a jumper may expose more than a shirt. If you are a man with fatty pecs please put your jacket on. On an older man like Simon Cowell, it would be better to have a layer underneath so that the nipples are not exposed.
Simon Cowell in jumper
If your shoulders slope (like Simon) wear a set in sleeve style. If your shoulders are very square a set in sleeve will emphasise them, so consider a Raglan sleeve jumper.
Knitwear types
Daniel Craig is a knitwear type. He likes to wear the cardigan (with a shawl collar and without), V neck, round neck, against the skin, over a shirt, over a shirt and tie, and comedic. He obviously likes a sweater and does the full range. But I can’t help preferring him in a dinner suit. He just looks messy, or rather over-wrapped. What do you think?
Handknits
Anything chunky, hand knitted or patterned in any way is best kept for the weekend, and outdoors at that. Teamed with jeans or casual trousers, boots and a leather belt. This lovely Icelandic hand knitted sweater in blue, cream and green, suits Nick’s muted colouring.
Nick Mawley in Icelandic sweater
Weekends
At weekends, when you just want to unwind and relax jerseys are the perfect garment. They don’t constrain you and they are warm and cosy. I love hugging a man in a nice soft cashemere. Here is Gus in a hooded cashmere weekend jumper from Cos. And Ted, at the top, in a handknit. Yummy.
Here is a quick and inexpensive way to make a highly personalised present for friends and family.
Finished books
Buy suitable note books or diaries at the Pound Shop
One pound diary
Using a craft knife or the side of a pair of scissors score along the sides of the spine to detach the cover from the pages.
Remove the cover
Cut a piece of suitable fabric (eg home printed samples, leftover fabric from dressmaking projects, vintage table napkins, sentimental items egGrandad’s tie, embroidered item) that is slightly larger than the cover (say1-2cms on each edge). Press it nice and flat before you start. Trim a little fabric away from the four corners.
Cut a piece of fabric just larger, and trim corners
Cover the outside of the book with a strong high tack, all-purpose glue, paying especial attention to the spine, and the two channels each side of the spine.
apply glue to the surface of the book
Press the fabric to the book, wrong side down, keeping it taut and allow to dry under a heavy book or similar
Turn the cover over and apply glue to the edges of the inside cover of the book, in order to stick the fabric to the inside
Pull up the bottom and top layers and stick them down
When they are dry work the left and right sides, tidying up the corners and using a bit of glue to make sure they are secure
Leave to dry
Now apply glue to the inside of the spine, the inner surfaces and the folded in fabric. little dots all over are better than huge blobs
Line up the pages that you separated originally, then stick the first and last pages of your book to the sticky cover
Put the book under the heavy weight again until completely dry.
Sorry, I should have given you this information before Christmas. It is a really good way to use up luxurious scraps – you can stitch them together to make a large enough piece and include a number of matching fabrics. This technique also works well with African fabrics, Liberty prints and anything with a strong pattern or colour.
Here are a couple I made with Linton tweed samples for dear Daughter in Law Bianca – “Chanel” notebooks for a girl who appreciates quality.
If you use a fabric with a white background the original printing or colour will show through so you will need to cover first in paper or card.
Hand printed, African and Liberty print
And you can also cover Pringles boxes, which might be good for storing knitting needles.
Mohan is a member of the Board of Notting Hill Housing. He always looks beautiful and has a real flare with colour, with an instinctive understanding of the cool, deep palette that really suits his colouring. I told him about my blog, and he was as enthusiastic as ever, and made time to answer my questions in detail. I hope you enjoy reading his insights, and looking at his photographs.
Mohan
What was your family’s approach to dressing when you were growing up?
My mum and dad were (and still are) pretty attentive to how they dressed. I am one of two boys, and inevitably my brother and I have probably been influenced by my dad. He came to the UK in the early 1960’s to study, then went back to our native Sri Lanka, got married and had me, and we returned in the late 1960’s to the UK (and lived in Notting Hill). My dad has something of an individualistic streak in him which I think has reflected in his dress sense over the years. I’ve seen the pictures of him in the 1950’s in Jaffna, Sri Lanka where he looked like a combination of Elvis, Sinatra and Brando and rode a motor scooter which was very rebellious in conservative Tamil circles in Sri Lanka! For his work in central London (in a medical research institution) he dressed in conventional suits but I remember the flamboyance in the ties, and in his leisure time especially at various Sri Lankan Tamil parties or with neighbours or his work colleagues there would be 60’s / 70’s cravats, bright coloured jackets and tasteful cufflinks. My mum initially wore saris for everyday wear including work (she was a secondary school teacher), but mainly for practical reasons she switched to trousers and blouses – and always matching and unfussy. For Sri Lankan Tamil dinner parties and community events (weddings and dinner dances) she wore her saris and lovely matching sari blouses. Unlike many Asian families, we never had an obsession with gold jewellery. I don’t know why – but I certainly don’t regret it!
Wedding Anniversary party
You always look very smart. How important are your clothes?
Clothes are important to me. I certainly wouldn’t regard myself as an early adopter (in clothes or technology) but might be one when it comes to my love of soul, jazz, gospel, latin and world music. However, I am taken by styles that draw on (like my music tastes) the sense of struggle that are behind some communities’ story. Within reason though. My interest in rare groove and funk doesn’t mean I can pull off an early 70’s black Afro style (especially as I have a shaved head)! But perhaps I can do Isaac Hayes with a peaked hat. My interest in my South East Asian heritage (especially because of the Sri Lankan Tamil struggle) doesn’t mean I’ll wear vertis / sarongs – partly because I don’t know how they even defy gravity and stay up!. But I will wear an Indian Nehru suit at the occasional corporate event or wedding (although these days even with Asian weddings men only wear an Indian traditional outfit if they are close member of the wedding party or the groom!)
Do you have a distinct look for work and do you wear a very different style at weekends?
Mohan and daughters, Italy
I guess the common theme is around colours matching. I am not one to say that I am obsessed with things matching (in home décor as well as clothes), but my mother-in-law often says ‘Mohan & His Matching’ as if I was some walking ‘60’s Brit pop band – Gerry & The Pacemakers!, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Mohan & The Matching! For casual wear, it’s simple stuff. Straight cut jeans, jumpers mainly in single colours, T-shirts mainly plain or with a slogan / image I feel aligned to, and converse-type shoes. I do listen to what my teenage daughters say on these things – especially around ensuring that casual clothing is classic in nature and therefore age-appropriate.
Do you ever bring in any Indian fabrics or styles?
Italian holiday
Actually I don’t. There’s a certain irony that in our multi-cultural Britain and in our global world I am more likely to wear an Indian outfit to a corporate event masquerading as if it were my national dress. Who am I kidding? I’m just as enamoured by the notion of wearing someone else’s national dress. For example, in business I am doing a fair amount of work in West Africa, and in my trips to Nigeria, I’m taken by the business wear of the men when they are not wearing conventional Western suits. Suit-like cut, thinner but still firm material, and a bit like Indian outfits but with trimming which is distinctively Nigerian. A close work colleague of mine lives in fear I’m going to emulate them in our business meetings in one of our trips to Lagos – and I just might.
You often wear interesting colours. Tell me about it.
Dressed for a wedding
In business wear, there’s nothing like a crisp white shirt to show off a suit and tie. And when I want a change, it’s great to have do shades of a certain colour – say, light blue shirt, cream shirt, or pink shirt. In colour wheel speak, I think it is hard for guys to comply with the rules that normally apply regarding opposites or adjacent colours. I must admit it I do tailor business wear dress to suit the occasion. So conservative-minded client generates a dark blue suit and dark blue or dark red tie. And a more creative client might lead to a polo neck jumper and jacket or no tie but a shirt that is designed for no tie.
Where do you buy your clothes? Do you have any recommendations?
That would be telling! Suffice to say, I don’t spend much money and brand names are bordering on meaningless to me. When a female work colleague who I complimented because of her suit said it was from Nicole Farhi, I thought that was a mutual business contact of ours! All I’d say is go for the style and the colour that reflects what you want, and it doesn’t matter whether it comes from the local market, from the high street shop or from the high-end brand. In this global world, they are often made in the same factories.
You are a head hunter. Do you ever give candidates advice on how to dress to impress?
No I don’t. Most get it right and whatever they wear, it’s part of their personal brand that they offer to any prospective employer. Most of my work is of a global nature and at a senior level so prescribing across country borders is dangerous, men prescribing to women is even more perilous, and there are some general standards of business engagement and dress that have become global in nature. You can’t go wrong (female or male) if you wear a suit in sober colours. Having said that, you can certainly go right if you don’t!
Anything else?
I must say, I’ve never thought about dress sense as much as I have done in the last 30 minutes! There is always the risk that I am applying some rationale to what I do – and it’s all after the event. Post event rationalisation I think is the phrase. It’s not the most important thing, but I remain enlivened by the possibilities of dress sense to reflect personality, belief and image.
The sorry saga of the jacket I chose as the centre piece of my Sewing with a Plan (SWAP) challenge meant I was determined to fix on an alternative before the New Year. So for the last few days I have been plotting.
I wanted a jacket that has a shape that contrasts with this one, Simplicity 7305.
Simplicity 7305 jacket
I wanted
a fitted into the waist look, as opposed to boxy
a proper (stand and fall) collar as opposed to a simple stand (Nehru) collar
inspired by Japanese styling, with a kimono sleeve
an opportunity to think about gussets
waist shaping created by a wide Obi-type belt
Initially I scoured the pattern sites, and looked at lots of vintage patterns (gussets have died a death in both RTW and modern commercial patterns). Because I could not find what I had in mind I designed my own pattern for this project.
The design
So I have made a pattern for a simple jacket pattern without side seams, but with a gusset panel at the side body, and kimono sleeves. There is a back piece cut on the fold, jacket fronts, a facing, a two piece collar, and a belt. And a lining pattern.
Kimono style jacket for SWAP
The toile
I am toiling it in a nice wool (welcome back into my life wool, my old friend) that is actually a dark navy with little bits of green in it, although you can’t see it here.
Dark navy wool with white – front and underside
This is me checking the style and size of the collar (obviously it will be somewhat smaller when sewn).
Deciding on the collar
I have already got a skirt cut out of this cloth (the wrap around skirt that I toiled earlier) so I was keen to see if I might make a jacket in the same material. Unfortunately I only had a small uneven piece left. This is what I did:
cut the sleeves down on the jacket so it now has short sleeves (Kimono sleeves, being cut with the bodice are quite cloth-greedy)
joined the front facing to the front to save two seam allowances
cut the under-collar on the cross grain
will make the belt from the remaining scraps, maybe in a single thickness
A short sleeve jacket is a novel look but I think it will look quite nice with a jumper underneath, especially to lighten it up as this is quite a dark fabric for me.
Here it is, partly sewn, with shoulder seams pinned and collar draped. I will want to make sure the stand actually stands by pad stitching some firm organdie to it and gives some height to the collar. I think this can be achieved with pad stitching. I tied it up with my purple silk belt.
close up of sleeve and collar
Variations on the design
When I make up this jacket for the SWAP I shall make it with full length sleeves, but that will probably require a change to the gusset. I would ideally want the sleeves to be fairly slim, so I will taper the gusset, or maybe ending it with a triangle fairly close to the underarm. Also with a longer sleeve it is possible that I may need to deepen the angle. In the fairly thick wool (below) the sleeves have a life of their own. If the sleeves work well, I will have a pattern that could also work very well as a coat.
Also I think this might work well with some exposed seams, say on the shoulder. Or with the side panel in a contrasting fabric. This wool is very nice as it has an interesting reverse. In making up the toile I created two belts – one with the check, and one (that I am wearing at the top of the post) with the reverse spotty side. I went with a narrower belt due to the shortage of fabric. This is joined in three places. I am pleased to say that I love this pattern, and it got the thumbs up from my family members. As far as the SWAP is concerned this jacket will now replace the Simplicity 100. I made up the 1970s wrap round skirt too – it makes a nice suit with an A line skirt, but I don’t think I will do this skirt for the SWAP.
OK, Planning complete. Well, as complete as it is going to be. The Christmas festivities are over and I am ready to make a start.
Garment 4
I had decided to start with Garment 4 – the grey, tailored jacket. This is the most challenging garment, and it is the one I toiled just before Christmas, so the pitfalls and issues are fresh in my mind. But so too is the deep sense of disappointment which I experienced when I finished it. Unfortunately this feeling didn’t crystallise until the jacket was almost finished. I ploughed on despite some misgivings and doubts. But it never really came together.
I felt like I was fighting with a cold, flabby, tacky, snaggy, nylon sheep.
killer sheep
My family made me doubt my decision on this style. I began to wonder if I would actually enjoy wearing it. When I put it on, it wasn’t really me. I asked for honest feedback on the blog and I got it – thank you. As Jenny said – it looked “old-fashioned rather than vintage”. Next I considered an alternative, Vogue 8333 – a Claire Shaeffer’s jacket that has a similar silhouette but with a deeper V neck and more streamlined (“novelty”) pockets. I am not sure this is what I want either – it is essentially the same jacket and needs fitting carefully. It demands yet another toile, and I am tired of toiling to be honest.
Vogue 8333
So here is what I am going to do. I have been reading and writing about Kimonos and Japanese styling. I have made a toile for the Yamamoto jacket. So, for my grey SWAP suit, I am going to make a Kimono jacket – or rather my own interpretation of a Kimono jacket. I considered the Burda jacket, but this is too crude for me. I want a more elegant look, and I definitely want a collar. But I like the design of the sleeves.
Burda Kimono sleeve jacket
Here is the summary of my thinking
Kimono sleeve (as in dressmaker’s grown-on sleeve, possibly with gusset, rather than true Japanese Kimono style)
Not too long (high hip)
wrap round
no fastenings
wide double wrap belt
important military style collar with stand and fall
matched with a slim skirt or possibly an A line.
Something like this.
Kimono jacket (own design)
I have signed up for Advanced Pattern Cutting classes at Morley next term, so I can get some help with the pattern, but I am pretty sure I already know how to do this. By using my own block as a starting point I am pretty sure I can get a good fit. The main issue will be the collar, and I am not sure about the gusset. I will make a toile in this fabric.
Navy and white boucle wool
In the meantime I have started to make up Garment 6 – the blouse, Burda 04/2011 105 . Having just downloaded and stuck the pieces together I realise that it calls for a silk satin with “widthways stretch” – hmm, that doesn’t sound anything like the white cotton lawn I had planned, does it? However I have a piece of stretchy silk in my cupboard which I will be ideal for this pattern. Because of the stretch I have little doubt it will fit well. I have added an inch to the length. I think this will become a SWAP garment – the colour is lovely and it would go with the sets I have planned.
How would you describe modern Japanese fashion? Architectural, folded, structural, challenging, monochromatic, deconstructed? However you look at it, I think it is important to see its roots in the Kimono. A kimono, the quintessential traditional Japanese garment, is made from a single piece of cloth measuring about 36cm by 11m. Overall a kimono it is a T shaped garment, with the sections joined in straight, vertical seams. As can be seen in the photograph there are four widths of fabric from left to right. This is a very fine embroidered Kimono from the V&A collection.
Classic Kimono V&A
Comparison of Western fashion versus Japanese Kimono style
three-dimensional v flat
form fitting v angular
weave v surface decoration
made in various sizes v made in standard sizes, with a one-size-fits all approach
designed to be worn in a certain way v styling can be customised (eg how the fabric is bunched up or how deep openings are)
male and female have different clothes v kimono are unisex
male and female fastenings differ v left over right always
use of many different (permanent) fastenings v kimono secured each time with a belt (obi)
quality in style and of cut and fabric v social significance of colour and decoration
A kimono (which means “thing to wear”) is made from a single bolt of cloth, cut into seven straight pieces. Two panels, which go up the front and down the back, make up the body. The two sleeves are made in the same way, and two more for the overlaps. A narrow panel is used to make the neckband. The traditional and simple construction meant that most Kimono would be made at home. Additionally many women wove (on narrow looms) their own fabric – which would usually be cotton or wool. The wealthy would wear luxurious silk kimonos that would be embroidered, painted, dyed, or stencilled. For the hottest weather an unlined cotton or silk kimono is worn; when it is cold a kimono can be lined, quilted or made from thicker woollen fabric.
These marvellous images are from the V&A which always has many kimono on display. I like looking at them for inspiration both for silk painting, block printing, embroidery and shibori.
In order to clean them, the garment would be unpicked, carefully washed and restitched. Because of the difficulty in getting stains off, and the quality of the surface decoration, Japanese people rarely eat in a Kimono. Isn’t that interesting?
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