Sorry world, I know, I got slack and didn't post yesterday... I just have such a hard time remembering all the things I did!!!
So, my Monday started with repairing Thursday evenings mistakes: the front was still crinkled, so it came down to removing the interfacing tape holding the canvas to the front, and all associated stitches. Then, I could repair it all - interfacing tape, basting, machine just outside the hem; pin, tack, machine x3 the rows of trim, which I now allowed extra ease into, and they ended up barely being long enough - I guess this was a large part of what went wrong originally. My hem was then re tacked up, and I was back where I'd started - 5 hours of my Monday gone.
Then, I started the painful process of inserting my sleeves. My armhole measured 61.5cm, and my sleeve-head 66.5 - 5cm is a lot of difference with a difficult fabric. After much angst, I pinned, tacked, and sewed them in as best I could for a Monday, and went home. (3 hours)
Coming back in today, I decided the sleeves just weren't good enough. So, out they came, and I started again. Pin, check, tack, check, ease, check check... machine sew. adjust the few tiny little 'pokes'... Then, they were in!!! The next few steps went quickly - iron sleevehead seam allowance, to try and shrink it in a little bit; trim back seam allowances (1cm under the arm, 1.5cm forward of the arm through to the shoulder, and as much as possible at the back, where future alterations will take place); and hand catch the lining closed. The lining sleevehead fitted in nicely, with no real dramas!! This made me happy. (4.5 hours)
Then, it looked like a jacket!! I spent 2 hours pulling out all my tacking threads at this stage, it was difficult as some had been sewn in place, and the really unfortunate ones had been interfaced in place. But, I got them all. At this stage, I also finalised my lining hem, with a 1cm pleat in the lining to allow for movement.
Last but not least, I attached my cuffs, simply with a felling stitch of thick button thread. The 'hind' arm seam on both the cuff and the sleeve were pressed flat (not round), to give it a nice corner at the back. And then it was DONE!!!
So, I have finished my first coat, and learn loads from it. I spoke with Thorsten at the end of the day, and he said that whatever my hours had been on this jacket, he would help me work out how to make it faster on the next one - I can spot a few obvious things to do differently myself, but will look forward to his suggestions. Obviously not botching the CF braid and interfacing tape will be a start, and not wasting 2 hours completely redoing the sleeves will be another big thing. The grand total of hours spent on this jacket, was 60. Suz usually takes 48, Thorsten said it's possible to do it in 40. (Ha! For him, I'm sure it's true, but it certainly isn't true for me). I'm proud of my 60 hours, and I certainly hope that I can get this one done in 52-54, or 6-7 work days. The race will be on in the morning, and so now I must get to sleep.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
tailoring day 6
Hours +8
Today was an interesting, educational day of tailoring... I started by finishing my chain stitching, and closing the lining along my shoulder seams. Then, I made up my collar, with two layers of cavas, and a layer of organza, similar to the cuffs earlier. My top collar fabric was the same as the real fabric (interfaced) and my under collar was the real fabric, without interfacing. After bagging it all out, and pressing it nicely into shape, I pinned, tacked, and sewed it to my neck edge! Then covered it in the CF trim, as per the original plans. This took me though till about 230pm, there were so many steps involved.
This brought me to an interesting point. I think the next step was going to be to instert my sleeves (by methods unknown), then the cuffs, then I would have a finished jacket. But, when we looked at my 3/4 made jacket on the stand, it seemed the CF, of each side, was pulling up. I pressed it, several times, over the ironing board, and the ham, and still it wasn't sitting happily when hanging (but was on the flat). I couldn't work it out (cos I don't know too much about tailoring), and Trish couldn't quite work it out, so we called in the pro - Thorsten. It was decided that my trim was sewn on too tight, and that the bulk of it hadn't fed through the sewing machine properly, causing it to pull and bunch and create creases. So, an hour and a half long process began of unpicking my trim all the way along my CF seams. It was disheartening, but I knew that it would make the difference it needed, so I was happy to keep working. After removing all my little threads, and re pressing the front, I hung it back on the stand, and noticed it was still bunching. This was half an hour before my finishing time for the day. We collectively decided it was now the lining that was pulling too tight, so my remaining half hour was spent unpicking half the height of my CF outer/lining seams. The jacket will now take an extra day to complete, knowing how long it takes to tack and sew the trim back on. Not to mention that I don't actually know how the CF will end up being fixed!
So now, I'm taking a three day weekend, and I will return to my tailoring on Monday.
Today was an interesting, educational day of tailoring... I started by finishing my chain stitching, and closing the lining along my shoulder seams. Then, I made up my collar, with two layers of cavas, and a layer of organza, similar to the cuffs earlier. My top collar fabric was the same as the real fabric (interfaced) and my under collar was the real fabric, without interfacing. After bagging it all out, and pressing it nicely into shape, I pinned, tacked, and sewed it to my neck edge! Then covered it in the CF trim, as per the original plans. This took me though till about 230pm, there were so many steps involved.
This brought me to an interesting point. I think the next step was going to be to instert my sleeves (by methods unknown), then the cuffs, then I would have a finished jacket. But, when we looked at my 3/4 made jacket on the stand, it seemed the CF, of each side, was pulling up. I pressed it, several times, over the ironing board, and the ham, and still it wasn't sitting happily when hanging (but was on the flat). I couldn't work it out (cos I don't know too much about tailoring), and Trish couldn't quite work it out, so we called in the pro - Thorsten. It was decided that my trim was sewn on too tight, and that the bulk of it hadn't fed through the sewing machine properly, causing it to pull and bunch and create creases. So, an hour and a half long process began of unpicking my trim all the way along my CF seams. It was disheartening, but I knew that it would make the difference it needed, so I was happy to keep working. After removing all my little threads, and re pressing the front, I hung it back on the stand, and noticed it was still bunching. This was half an hour before my finishing time for the day. We collectively decided it was now the lining that was pulling too tight, so my remaining half hour was spent unpicking half the height of my CF outer/lining seams. The jacket will now take an extra day to complete, knowing how long it takes to tack and sew the trim back on. Not to mention that I don't actually know how the CF will end up being fixed!
So now, I'm taking a three day weekend, and I will return to my tailoring on Monday.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tailoring, day 5
Hours 27-34
Wow, how the hours are flying by!! It's kinda scary, because I don't actually know what is ahead of me. I have no idea if I'm 'on time' or 'running late' for my deadlines.
Today, as predicted, I sewed the cuffs. Two layers of canvas were zig zagged together 'in the round' (making them curve by having an inside and an outside piece). They were then straight stitched to a piece of organza also 'in the round', with the organza being the outer-most piece. The organza had 2cm seam allowances around it, but the canvas were both cut back to no seam allowance. The outer layer of the cuff was then tacked in place, having already marked through the placement lines for the trim. Then, the lining was machine sewn on to the outer fabric, catching the organza in there too, along the top-most edge. the side seams were then closed, making it officially cylindrical. With a lot of pressing care taken, the lining was then inside (where it should be), and hand sewn closed through the hem-edge of the cuff. My trims came next - replicating the designs on the jacket. It took me from 8am to 230pm to finish the cuffs!!
The next thing to do was to start work on my shoulder seams and armholes. The outer layer of shoulder seams were sewn, easing the back in to the front (as it should be done). I then caught my canvas on to the front, and in my shoulder seam allowance. Finally for the day, I chain stitched just outside my stitch line of my armhole, keeping most of my fabric flat, but easing in slightly through the front-armpit, in the same location that the canvas was shrunk in to place right back in the beginning. This took 2.5 hours, and I've only chain-stitched one armhole!! And that was the end of my work day! Cuffs and one armhole... Tailoring sure is a long process.
I'm quite exhausted, and I know that my blogs are getting shorter and less detailed. But I think it is good to keep writing, even just small details like tonight, rather than let it lapse in memory and time.
Wow, how the hours are flying by!! It's kinda scary, because I don't actually know what is ahead of me. I have no idea if I'm 'on time' or 'running late' for my deadlines.
Today, as predicted, I sewed the cuffs. Two layers of canvas were zig zagged together 'in the round' (making them curve by having an inside and an outside piece). They were then straight stitched to a piece of organza also 'in the round', with the organza being the outer-most piece. The organza had 2cm seam allowances around it, but the canvas were both cut back to no seam allowance. The outer layer of the cuff was then tacked in place, having already marked through the placement lines for the trim. Then, the lining was machine sewn on to the outer fabric, catching the organza in there too, along the top-most edge. the side seams were then closed, making it officially cylindrical. With a lot of pressing care taken, the lining was then inside (where it should be), and hand sewn closed through the hem-edge of the cuff. My trims came next - replicating the designs on the jacket. It took me from 8am to 230pm to finish the cuffs!!
The next thing to do was to start work on my shoulder seams and armholes. The outer layer of shoulder seams were sewn, easing the back in to the front (as it should be done). I then caught my canvas on to the front, and in my shoulder seam allowance. Finally for the day, I chain stitched just outside my stitch line of my armhole, keeping most of my fabric flat, but easing in slightly through the front-armpit, in the same location that the canvas was shrunk in to place right back in the beginning. This took 2.5 hours, and I've only chain-stitched one armhole!! And that was the end of my work day! Cuffs and one armhole... Tailoring sure is a long process.
I'm quite exhausted, and I know that my blogs are getting shorter and less detailed. But I think it is good to keep writing, even just small details like tonight, rather than let it lapse in memory and time.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
tailoring, day 4
Ou est mon de? (I'm learning French from Daphne, the new girl, from Paris. We sit at the same table. I can now ask "where is my thimble?" in French! It's good fun keeping my brain active while sewing!!)
Hours 19-26
Today's tailoring consitsted of fixing up the waist/skirt seam, as predicted. This time, I included a few extra balance points, to be able to match it all up nicely. It worked quite well! My pocket flaps were then sewn on with a line of machine stitching, and a quick hand catch to hide my seam allownaces. It sits pretty neatly now, and the curved seam of the waist matches that of the pocket.
After that, I got to machine sew my side back seam - from the waist up, and from the waist down, so as to not catch my thick, one directional waist seam allowances. The curves were quite tight, which makes the rule of not clipping any seam allowances difficult, but after a lot of pressing, I got them sitting pretty flat. The seam allowance through the skirt of the jacket is pressed towards the front, but the upper/body part is pressed open, so half way along the seam, it sort of folds over itself. While I can see that each seam needs to be pressed in those directions, and with no clipping allowed there aren't many options, but I just don't see how it will sit flat, and smooth, and look good. But, if that's the way it's meant to go, then that's what I will do! The lower part of the back seam needed braid attached, so I went through those motions again - pin, tack, 3 rows of machine sewing. Then I was able to machine sew the lower back lining seam. It was nice to be able to machine this one, as the hand sewing process takes a little longer, and this seam consists of two perfectly straight edges, so no need to do anything tricky on it! I then got to do some hand sewing - closing the lining above the waist along the side back seam. The CB piece of fabric was laid flat, and the seam allowances were basted together; then the side back was folded over and 'felled' closed. It's kind of like a whip-stitch, but seems to be quite heavily used in tailoring, and looks quite beautiful when it it finished. All of this took me through to lunch time - 4 hours of work.
After lunch, I was able to do my hem - well, most of it. The outer fabric was pressed up, and hand caught from inside the fold (the same way the sleeve hem was sewn back on day one, though I don't think I explained it too well then). A large amount of consideration was put in to making sure both the CB vent, and the CF were finished to the same lengths. The hem of the lining was not caught permanently, but just tacked in place, 1cm above the hem of the jacket. This, I was told, is so it can be ready to be sewn later, but also if things shift in the mean time, I wont have to undo my beautifully sewn hem, but just the tacking to be able to smooth it out and fix it. It was nearly time to sew my shoulder seams, but then most of my team of supervisors were heading home, so I had a quick lesson in cuffs and began those. This was roughly 4.5 hours of work.
Each cuff is made up of 2 layers of canvas (the 'orange stripe' one, I like to call it), cut on perpendicular grain lines, for strength in all directions. They get zig-zag sewn together, curving as you go along. The idea is that the inside piece of canvas will be slightly smaller than the outside piece, and it will help keep the cuffs in beautiful curves. There are many more steps involved, including organza, outer and lining fabrics, braids, trims, and tacking, but this was as far as I could confidently get. I have a sneaky suspision I have sewn my 'zig zags' wrong and my canvas isn't curving enough. We shall see in the morning!!
In other tailoring news, I will be making a second jacket after I have finished the first one. I am also now helping Daphne make hers! It is quite intimidating to be supervising someone when I am only 2 days work ahead of her. We have already had to ask two different people for help on two different occasions. I hope the notes I have been taking at work are extensive enough to be helpful, though I know that there are many people around should we require more help. She is not as excited by tailoring as I am, and it got off to a bad start, so I hope we can collectively stay strong, and not let the tailoring win!!
That's all for today...
Hours 19-26
Today's tailoring consitsted of fixing up the waist/skirt seam, as predicted. This time, I included a few extra balance points, to be able to match it all up nicely. It worked quite well! My pocket flaps were then sewn on with a line of machine stitching, and a quick hand catch to hide my seam allownaces. It sits pretty neatly now, and the curved seam of the waist matches that of the pocket.
After that, I got to machine sew my side back seam - from the waist up, and from the waist down, so as to not catch my thick, one directional waist seam allowances. The curves were quite tight, which makes the rule of not clipping any seam allowances difficult, but after a lot of pressing, I got them sitting pretty flat. The seam allowance through the skirt of the jacket is pressed towards the front, but the upper/body part is pressed open, so half way along the seam, it sort of folds over itself. While I can see that each seam needs to be pressed in those directions, and with no clipping allowed there aren't many options, but I just don't see how it will sit flat, and smooth, and look good. But, if that's the way it's meant to go, then that's what I will do! The lower part of the back seam needed braid attached, so I went through those motions again - pin, tack, 3 rows of machine sewing. Then I was able to machine sew the lower back lining seam. It was nice to be able to machine this one, as the hand sewing process takes a little longer, and this seam consists of two perfectly straight edges, so no need to do anything tricky on it! I then got to do some hand sewing - closing the lining above the waist along the side back seam. The CB piece of fabric was laid flat, and the seam allowances were basted together; then the side back was folded over and 'felled' closed. It's kind of like a whip-stitch, but seems to be quite heavily used in tailoring, and looks quite beautiful when it it finished. All of this took me through to lunch time - 4 hours of work.
After lunch, I was able to do my hem - well, most of it. The outer fabric was pressed up, and hand caught from inside the fold (the same way the sleeve hem was sewn back on day one, though I don't think I explained it too well then). A large amount of consideration was put in to making sure both the CB vent, and the CF were finished to the same lengths. The hem of the lining was not caught permanently, but just tacked in place, 1cm above the hem of the jacket. This, I was told, is so it can be ready to be sewn later, but also if things shift in the mean time, I wont have to undo my beautifully sewn hem, but just the tacking to be able to smooth it out and fix it. It was nearly time to sew my shoulder seams, but then most of my team of supervisors were heading home, so I had a quick lesson in cuffs and began those. This was roughly 4.5 hours of work.
Each cuff is made up of 2 layers of canvas (the 'orange stripe' one, I like to call it), cut on perpendicular grain lines, for strength in all directions. They get zig-zag sewn together, curving as you go along. The idea is that the inside piece of canvas will be slightly smaller than the outside piece, and it will help keep the cuffs in beautiful curves. There are many more steps involved, including organza, outer and lining fabrics, braids, trims, and tacking, but this was as far as I could confidently get. I have a sneaky suspision I have sewn my 'zig zags' wrong and my canvas isn't curving enough. We shall see in the morning!!
In other tailoring news, I will be making a second jacket after I have finished the first one. I am also now helping Daphne make hers! It is quite intimidating to be supervising someone when I am only 2 days work ahead of her. We have already had to ask two different people for help on two different occasions. I hope the notes I have been taking at work are extensive enough to be helpful, though I know that there are many people around should we require more help. She is not as excited by tailoring as I am, and it got off to a bad start, so I hope we can collectively stay strong, and not let the tailoring win!!
That's all for today...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tailoring, day 3
Just look at this! Three posts in quick succession of each other! I feel like such a blogger...
Hour 13 - 18
Today was not a full day of tailoring, and I will get to that part of the story later, as it comes at the end of the day. It was a good day though. My usual two supervisors weren't around, so I was very self guided today. I had a third supervisor on hand, though it was more difficult to get the answers I needed, but luckily I didn't need to ask too many questions.
I started off by machine sewing my lining to my outer down the CF, and pinning and tacking two rows of trim down my CF. The layering and direction of the trims needed to be consistent with the other jackets being made, and extra length needed to be added to the top - so it can follow through the collar piece to a CB join, allowing for future alterations. Rather than machine sew the whole length of braid on, I needed to sew 20cm or so from the hem line to just the front layer of fabric, whereas the rest of the braid could be sewn through both outer and lining fabrics. I took a lot of care in making sure I didn't pull either trim too tight, and making sure the trim was exactly along the CF. Currently, the top of the trim is still dangling loose and has more than enough to do the collar, though that will come later I'm sure. This took me roughly 4 hours!!
Next was the side seam. The trick with this part is that I still haven't gotten it right! The seam of both the lining and the outer were sewn vertically, and then the horizontal waist/skirt seam could be sewn a little more than half of the length. I needed to unpick it and try again as my seams are not quite the same length at present! The difficult part of it is that, being an Opera costume, we're not clipping any of the seams, and both pieces fit together with roughly a right-angle. Sounds simple, but sewing it is actually not that easy! If you imagine two L shaped pieces of fabric fitting together, the 'down stroke' of the L is the side seam, and the 'across stroke' is the waist/skirt seam. This 'across' needs to be sewn towards the corner, not away from it, and stops half way, with the remainder to be hand sewn - because it is not physically possible to fit a sewing machine in there and stitch along the right lines! It would be a breeze if the seams could be clipped, but that would entirely defeat the purpose of making things so they can be altered, and that's why it's tricky! This took me 2 hours, and it's still not right!
The next step will be to attach my pocked flap over the 'across srtoke' part of the L, and that is where I got up to today. My original tailoring time got cut short when I was needed to do some other menswear alterations, as most of the menswear department weren't at work today! When that work was done, it was time to leave work early anyway, as I was going and seeing a show at the Opera House. Lakme was beautiful, very pleasing on the eye and ear, with the most gorgeous duets and trios harmonizing perfectly.
It looks like after this jacket is finished, I will be doing a second one! The time-frame for Don Giovanni is getting quite close, and there are still lots of principal-costumes to make! I don't mind doing it at all, and it will help me learn properly - cementing this knowledge, rather than doing it once and forgetting.But for now, it is sleep time...
Hour 13 - 18
Today was not a full day of tailoring, and I will get to that part of the story later, as it comes at the end of the day. It was a good day though. My usual two supervisors weren't around, so I was very self guided today. I had a third supervisor on hand, though it was more difficult to get the answers I needed, but luckily I didn't need to ask too many questions.
I started off by machine sewing my lining to my outer down the CF, and pinning and tacking two rows of trim down my CF. The layering and direction of the trims needed to be consistent with the other jackets being made, and extra length needed to be added to the top - so it can follow through the collar piece to a CB join, allowing for future alterations. Rather than machine sew the whole length of braid on, I needed to sew 20cm or so from the hem line to just the front layer of fabric, whereas the rest of the braid could be sewn through both outer and lining fabrics. I took a lot of care in making sure I didn't pull either trim too tight, and making sure the trim was exactly along the CF. Currently, the top of the trim is still dangling loose and has more than enough to do the collar, though that will come later I'm sure. This took me roughly 4 hours!!
Next was the side seam. The trick with this part is that I still haven't gotten it right! The seam of both the lining and the outer were sewn vertically, and then the horizontal waist/skirt seam could be sewn a little more than half of the length. I needed to unpick it and try again as my seams are not quite the same length at present! The difficult part of it is that, being an Opera costume, we're not clipping any of the seams, and both pieces fit together with roughly a right-angle. Sounds simple, but sewing it is actually not that easy! If you imagine two L shaped pieces of fabric fitting together, the 'down stroke' of the L is the side seam, and the 'across stroke' is the waist/skirt seam. This 'across' needs to be sewn towards the corner, not away from it, and stops half way, with the remainder to be hand sewn - because it is not physically possible to fit a sewing machine in there and stitch along the right lines! It would be a breeze if the seams could be clipped, but that would entirely defeat the purpose of making things so they can be altered, and that's why it's tricky! This took me 2 hours, and it's still not right!
The next step will be to attach my pocked flap over the 'across srtoke' part of the L, and that is where I got up to today. My original tailoring time got cut short when I was needed to do some other menswear alterations, as most of the menswear department weren't at work today! When that work was done, it was time to leave work early anyway, as I was going and seeing a show at the Opera House. Lakme was beautiful, very pleasing on the eye and ear, with the most gorgeous duets and trios harmonizing perfectly.
It looks like after this jacket is finished, I will be doing a second one! The time-frame for Don Giovanni is getting quite close, and there are still lots of principal-costumes to make! I don't mind doing it at all, and it will help me learn properly - cementing this knowledge, rather than doing it once and forgetting.But for now, it is sleep time...
Friday, August 19, 2011
Tailoring, day 2
Hello...
So, on Friday, my tailoring adventures continued. I'm still enjoying it, and now it 'looks like real tailoring'!!
Hours 5-13
The first part of my day was spent completing the sleeves - hemming the outer fabric, attaching the lining to the outer through both seam allowances, turning it inside out, and then hemming the lining; followed by tacking the sleeves outers and linings together to keep the lining out of the way, but not completely free to move. They are now resting on my sewing table, flat and with nothing on top of them (so they don't crease badly, or get squashed). Probably 2 hours of work.
After this, I got to start on my fronts! This started with stretching/shaping my canvases at the iron - giving roundness through the chest, and shrinking it a little around the armhole to encourage it curving in the right places! Each side needed to end up looking similarly curved, and it was something I felt you could spend hours perfecting, but limited myself so as to not over do it. I joined the cavas to the outer with three vertical rows of tacking (1cm inside the CF, one roughly down the middle, and one near ish the armhole). This was done over a ham so as to give the appropriate chest shape. Then the canvas needed to be cut back to 1mm inside the stitch lines- the CF and hem never have seam allowances in it. To permanently attached the canvas, with a interfacing tape was used over the hem +2cm, and the whole length of the CF. Assuming that the interfacing glue will one day give up, a quick whip stitch was sewn connecting the interfacing tape and the cavas, and I have been assured the machine stitching joining the lining to the outer at the CF will be enough at that stage. Maybe 3 hours of work.
My final thing to do on Friday was attach the braid to the front. This first needed tacking in place, checking all the lines were even (left to right length, as well as matching vertically, and giving a good line), and finally machine sewing it on! This part of the process took me probably 3 hours!
I do have the exact times this is taking me on each step of the way, and a particularly detailed method list, but I am keeping all that information at work until it is complete. I don't think I'm forgetting anything, though it is difficult to tell. I will do my best to keep updating this on a daily basis as the work continues!!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend. I will be blogging about another project soon - there is something else in the mix that is not through work, and will be a beautiful collaborative piece!
So, on Friday, my tailoring adventures continued. I'm still enjoying it, and now it 'looks like real tailoring'!!
Hours 5-13
The first part of my day was spent completing the sleeves - hemming the outer fabric, attaching the lining to the outer through both seam allowances, turning it inside out, and then hemming the lining; followed by tacking the sleeves outers and linings together to keep the lining out of the way, but not completely free to move. They are now resting on my sewing table, flat and with nothing on top of them (so they don't crease badly, or get squashed). Probably 2 hours of work.
After this, I got to start on my fronts! This started with stretching/shaping my canvases at the iron - giving roundness through the chest, and shrinking it a little around the armhole to encourage it curving in the right places! Each side needed to end up looking similarly curved, and it was something I felt you could spend hours perfecting, but limited myself so as to not over do it. I joined the cavas to the outer with three vertical rows of tacking (1cm inside the CF, one roughly down the middle, and one near ish the armhole). This was done over a ham so as to give the appropriate chest shape. Then the canvas needed to be cut back to 1mm inside the stitch lines- the CF and hem never have seam allowances in it. To permanently attached the canvas, with a interfacing tape was used over the hem +2cm, and the whole length of the CF. Assuming that the interfacing glue will one day give up, a quick whip stitch was sewn connecting the interfacing tape and the cavas, and I have been assured the machine stitching joining the lining to the outer at the CF will be enough at that stage. Maybe 3 hours of work.
My final thing to do on Friday was attach the braid to the front. This first needed tacking in place, checking all the lines were even (left to right length, as well as matching vertically, and giving a good line), and finally machine sewing it on! This part of the process took me probably 3 hours!
I do have the exact times this is taking me on each step of the way, and a particularly detailed method list, but I am keeping all that information at work until it is complete. I don't think I'm forgetting anything, though it is difficult to tell. I will do my best to keep updating this on a daily basis as the work continues!!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend. I will be blogging about another project soon - there is something else in the mix that is not through work, and will be a beautiful collaborative piece!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tailoring, day 1
Hello world!
It has certianly been a LONG time since I last blogged, and I have no real excuse other than I never really got hooked on it. YET!!
Today at work (with Opera Australia still) I started a tailoring project. The last 4 months with the company, I have been working exclusively on womenswear (dresses, skirts, corsetted bodices etc), but today I was given some tailoring work. For the upcoming production of Don Giovanni, the male chorus members wear a kind of 1750s style outfit (jacket, shirt, waistcoat, breechers); and as there are 8-10 of them, one jacket has been given me to me as a big learning exercise. I'm looking forward to it (there had been rumours it was coming), and so far I'm feeling good about it.
I feel the need to make this perfectly clear though - I am arriving quite late into the process as far as making is concerned: the patterns were made, fabric cut, and a fitting done already, as well as the alterations marked through to the fabric. I am 'simply' completing the garment. I have heard this stage of the process actually takes someone with considerable skills and practice a little less than 50 hours, and I will be documenting my process carefully, and taking the time to get it right, so I expect it will take 80 hours or so - roughly two working weeks. I don't actually know the deadline of the show though, and that may change how thoroughly I can write my notes. I also have every intention of blogging about it, so here is the first installation.
Hours 0-5
My jobs began with the very straight-forward, but very important: marking through stitch lines, and tacking. All hems, notches, CF line, neck, armholes, and sleeveheads needed to have hand sewn tacking lines, as well as all the trim placement lines. While it was possible, I was also encourgaged to sew closed my sleeves (outter and lining pieces) so as to not worry about them later, which I did.
As the hours went by, I also started the next few tasks: sewing the CB seam of the lining, to include an 'action back' for ease of movement, following this up with tacking the CB line itself closed (to be removed later), and pressing it with the seam allowances facing left (when worn).
Then, I was given an option! To do the front, or the back first! It was a difficult one to choose - do you do the front, with loads of trim to be tacked, then machine sewn on, matching perfectly; or the back, which looks simple, but has a VENT! A vent is an overlap/split in the CB, below the waist. You'd recognise it if you saw it (I will load photos later) I chose the vent. It seemed the lesser of two evils.
The way the Opera cuts its jacket linings, is actually in two parts, split horizontally. This is for not-difficult alterations later down the track (keeping in mind that Opera costumes can be worn for 10 or 20 years!) I can't begin to explain how it was put together, especially without images to go with it, so you will just need to be left with the knowledge (for now) that I did it, with only a few crooked lines, but generally got it right the first time.
The useful information I CAN pass on, is how you know which side of a vent sits on top, and which side sits flat/underneath. This amazing knowledge comes in two steps. 1 - The Woman is Always (on the) Right. So, when you stand on the right side, with the man on the left, step 2 comes into play: you need easy access to his wallet (these days, it tends to be kept in his back pocket of his trousers). Therefore, the side of a vent with the 'extension' is the RHS, and the side that is folded back in the LHS. Visualise it, it makes sense, I promise!!
My day finished up with attaching the top part of the CB lining to the jacket, in all possible ways: tacking the seam allowances together, 1mm off the stitch line, from the inside; a later-to-be-removed tacking of the two CBs on top of each other; and the diamond/heart shaped two lines of tackingsimply holding the majority of the lining to the correct parts of the jacket. The trick with the diamond stitching is to not get too close to the shoulder pads, or seam allowances - you will always need to get complete flat access to these seams, and in the mean time you don't want to mess with your lining.
And thats it! That was 5 hours of sewing.
In an amusing note, I was offered a job to sew 3 suits in a weekend. This weekend. All I can assume is that they are in no-where near the same league as this one I am creating at work. I am curious as to what that job was going to be for, and who they end up finding to do it.
It has certianly been a LONG time since I last blogged, and I have no real excuse other than I never really got hooked on it. YET!!
Today at work (with Opera Australia still) I started a tailoring project. The last 4 months with the company, I have been working exclusively on womenswear (dresses, skirts, corsetted bodices etc), but today I was given some tailoring work. For the upcoming production of Don Giovanni, the male chorus members wear a kind of 1750s style outfit (jacket, shirt, waistcoat, breechers); and as there are 8-10 of them, one jacket has been given me to me as a big learning exercise. I'm looking forward to it (there had been rumours it was coming), and so far I'm feeling good about it.
I feel the need to make this perfectly clear though - I am arriving quite late into the process as far as making is concerned: the patterns were made, fabric cut, and a fitting done already, as well as the alterations marked through to the fabric. I am 'simply' completing the garment. I have heard this stage of the process actually takes someone with considerable skills and practice a little less than 50 hours, and I will be documenting my process carefully, and taking the time to get it right, so I expect it will take 80 hours or so - roughly two working weeks. I don't actually know the deadline of the show though, and that may change how thoroughly I can write my notes. I also have every intention of blogging about it, so here is the first installation.
Hours 0-5
My jobs began with the very straight-forward, but very important: marking through stitch lines, and tacking. All hems, notches, CF line, neck, armholes, and sleeveheads needed to have hand sewn tacking lines, as well as all the trim placement lines. While it was possible, I was also encourgaged to sew closed my sleeves (outter and lining pieces) so as to not worry about them later, which I did.
As the hours went by, I also started the next few tasks: sewing the CB seam of the lining, to include an 'action back' for ease of movement, following this up with tacking the CB line itself closed (to be removed later), and pressing it with the seam allowances facing left (when worn).
Then, I was given an option! To do the front, or the back first! It was a difficult one to choose - do you do the front, with loads of trim to be tacked, then machine sewn on, matching perfectly; or the back, which looks simple, but has a VENT! A vent is an overlap/split in the CB, below the waist. You'd recognise it if you saw it (I will load photos later) I chose the vent. It seemed the lesser of two evils.
The way the Opera cuts its jacket linings, is actually in two parts, split horizontally. This is for not-difficult alterations later down the track (keeping in mind that Opera costumes can be worn for 10 or 20 years!) I can't begin to explain how it was put together, especially without images to go with it, so you will just need to be left with the knowledge (for now) that I did it, with only a few crooked lines, but generally got it right the first time.
The useful information I CAN pass on, is how you know which side of a vent sits on top, and which side sits flat/underneath. This amazing knowledge comes in two steps. 1 - The Woman is Always (on the) Right. So, when you stand on the right side, with the man on the left, step 2 comes into play: you need easy access to his wallet (these days, it tends to be kept in his back pocket of his trousers). Therefore, the side of a vent with the 'extension' is the RHS, and the side that is folded back in the LHS. Visualise it, it makes sense, I promise!!
My day finished up with attaching the top part of the CB lining to the jacket, in all possible ways: tacking the seam allowances together, 1mm off the stitch line, from the inside; a later-to-be-removed tacking of the two CBs on top of each other; and the diamond/heart shaped two lines of tackingsimply holding the majority of the lining to the correct parts of the jacket. The trick with the diamond stitching is to not get too close to the shoulder pads, or seam allowances - you will always need to get complete flat access to these seams, and in the mean time you don't want to mess with your lining.
And thats it! That was 5 hours of sewing.
In an amusing note, I was offered a job to sew 3 suits in a weekend. This weekend. All I can assume is that they are in no-where near the same league as this one I am creating at work. I am curious as to what that job was going to be for, and who they end up finding to do it.
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