Leather Jacket sew-along

[LauraS.]

Gorgeous jacket, Debra.  Awesome!

[marciae]

Gorgeous jacket, Debra.  Awesome!

My thoughts exactly!!

[Sergerqueen]

Great job Debra!  Love that lining!  I know what you mean about the shoulders being too wide, that is the reason I had to do 3 muslins!!!!!  I have narrow, sloping shoulders and wanted this jacket to be perfect.  I am almost ready to show a photo of mine as I believe the side seams go in next.  I had a little trouble with the inset corners on the facings and have ripped it out.  I will try again when I have lots of patience then keep moving forward.  My daughter asked for a knock off of a vest she saw so in between breaks of the jacket I am doing that, too.  I may finish the vest tonight and get it off the sewing table.  I really only want one thing to focus on right now.

[Karendee]

Debra,

Congratulations on such a professional job on your beautiful red leather jacket. I've followed along during your progress and am much impressed with your skill. Wear this with great pride.

Karen

[stashpanache]

Beautiful, Debra.  Great job.

[Terri K]

Perfectly lovely Debra!   You look wonderful in it .   Enjoy your creation and thanks for sharing the process.

[vtmartha]

Wow!!  I am most impressed! 

[sdBev]

debra this looks so nice on you!!! Beautiful!

[fzxdoc]

Debra, I've been waiting with quiet anticipation for the final photos of your wonderful jacket. It's been great to follow along with you as the jacket took form. 

You really did a marvelous job--the jacket is a real inspiration!  The inside is as pretty and as well done as the outside. That's the mark of a careful sewist. Good for you!

Now for a couple of questions: What was the biggest challenge in the making of this jacket, and what did you learn that you didn't know before, as you worked on it?

Kathryn

[DebraMartin]

Kathryn, This project held a few firsts for me.
    * sewing a material which will have permanent needle holes
    * using fabric glue
    * bagging a lining
    * using lapped seams
    * attaching a collar with a collar band
    * pressing a fabric which will melt if touched with the iron
   
    Some of these things posed bigger challenges than others for me.
   
    sewing a material which will have permanent needle holes

    This was especially difficult for me.  I like to baste before I sew.  I also often take seams apart and resew them until I am satisafied.  Two things which helped were binder clips and IDT.  IDT is a feature on some Pfaff sewing machines, which feeds fabric from both the top and bottom as you sew.  It is like a built in walking foot.  But by far, the biggest help was using lapped seams.  With lapped seams, I did not have to sew reverse curves together in the princess seams. I simply laid one piece over another and sewed.  Well, it wasn't really that simple.  I marked all the seam lines as the pattern pieces were cut.
   
    using lapped seams
   
    Once I decided to use lapped seams, I had some work to do.  The first thing was to decide which seams would be lapped and which would not.  For example the sleeve back seam was sewn right sides together.  Once I decided which seams were lapped, I had to decide which was the underlap side. Since Burda patterns do not have seam allowances, I had to add seam allowances to all underlapped pieces as well as those wich would be sewn right sides together.  I did this by marking the pattern pieces with dashed lines on all edges which I did NOT want seam allowances added.  When I cut the fabric, I used a rotary cutter with a gauge set at 2cm (5/8in) to add seam allowances where I wanted them.  I did not add seam allowances to my pattern pieces.  After the pattern pieces were cut, I marked seam lines on the right side of all underlapped seams by tracing along the edge of the pattern piece with a chalk wheel.  I did not mark the seam lines that would be sewn right sides together.  Now, I realize I could have cut all pieces with 2cm seam allowances and trimmed them off the overlap side just before sewing, but I think the extra legwork made my pattern pieces truer and the sewing went quicker. The sewing was actually a joy.  Having the seam line marked on the underlapped side, I just lapped the pieces right along that line and edge stitched them together.  Additionally, I drafted the lining from the pattern pieces, subtracting the facings, and converting seams to darts.  This was easily done since the pattern pieces did not have seam allowances.
   
    What did I learn?
    I learned how to bag a lining.  I had read how to do it a number of times over the years, but I never did it by turning the whole assembly through an opening in the sleeve.
   
    What would I do differently?
    I was challenged by the collar.  Since I was not able to baste, I have two rows of stitching holding the band to the jacket - One for the inner band and then another for the outer band.  Next time I sew this type of collar on faux leather, I will use glue to hold the inner collar in place.  Then I will have one line of stitches showing where the outer collar band is attached.  Another thing I will do differently involves the zipper seams.  Again, I have double stitching in some areas around the zippers which would be eliminated with the use of glue.  Normally, I baste and then remove those stitches, but this type of fabric is incompatible with that method.
   
    *Use fabric glue to baste where necessary
   
    What I will definitely do again?
    *use binder clips
    *mark underlapped seam lines
    *make samples to determine stitch length and presser foot pressure
    *use low heat and a thick press cloth and press test samples
    *draft a facing for the peplum
   
  This leather jacket sew-along was a fun project for me.  The encouragement, advice, and praise from all of you has been wonderful.  It's like having a bunch of friends in my sewing room with me as I go.  I cannot wait to see the progress of Denise and Sergerqueen as they complete their leather jackets.  I will be watching! 
   

     

[Digs]

Beautiful jacket, Debra! Big time congrats!!!

[fzxdoc]

Debra, thank you for the mini-tutorial that resulted from my questions.  I learned so much! I have sewed on faux leather and ultrasuede before, but never the real thing.  Seeing your gorgeous jacket, and reading about your experience is helping me to overcome my hesitance about sewing leather. Your answers are great!

Kathryn

[DeniseM]

tomorrow I'm going to order the fabric for my leather jacket. I've decided on the blue, which is so pretty. I think I'm going to take my hair a slightly lighter red for the spring/summer - I always go a bit more dramatic in the fall - and this will look really nice and soft. Combined with the change in makeup I can see myself strutting through the streets of Boston turning heads. Well, strutting, anyway.

[fzxdoc]

Where will you be ordering your leather from, Denise?

Kathryn

[Sergerqueen]

Denise- I am anxious to hear about how your jacket progresses.  I can't wait to see the blue leather.  It sounds divine!

As for my jacket, it is almost done!  I just need to sew together the bottom hem and lining and finish off that little 2" gap at the facing.  Then, a final press and I will post photos!  This has truely been a labor of love.  I have learned a lot about ultrasuede--like it doesn't ease!  I ended up setting the sleeves in ripping them out and then setting them in again.  I didn't think I had that much ease in the sleeve and  thought I had ironed that problem out in the muslin stage.  It really turned out nice and I will wear it with pride.  Right now, I just want to finish and go on to something easy like a knit top!

[DebraMartin]

I am looking forward to your photos, Sergerqueen!  Denise, red hair ALWAYS turns heads!  I can't wait to see this robin's egg blue leather...  Question:  If you have scraps left over, are you going to make anything with them?

[Sergerqueen]

Okay, my hair and makeup were done and my photographer was available so I was able to get a few photos taken even though I have a few hand sewing tweaks to finish...

   

[marciae]

Great looking jacket!!

[BetsyV]

Very nice looking jacket, Sergerqueen!

[DebraMartin]

Sergerqueen, that color looks great on you!

[Karendee]

Lovely jacket, Sergerqueen.

Karen

[fzxdoc]

Another great leather jacket! You did such a nice job, sergerqueen. This topic is making me hanker for leather--one of the few sewing materials that I actually do not have in my stash. Wonder how that happened...

Thanks for posting the wonderful photos, sq!

Kathryn

[LauraS.]

I dreamed I sewed a black leather jacket.  Did a good job on it! 

Love both the jackets presented.  I've got a faux leather I should pull out and play with.

[DeniseM]

Beautiful jacket, Sergerqueen. It looks really nice on you. I will order my leather next week from NY Leather, Suede, Skins, Inc.

I have been sidelined with a really bad cold so I've been off the grid for a couple days. Woke up Sun. with a sore throat, hit the gym Monday a.m. and by the evening I had a fever. So I stayed in bed and slept for two days and now I'm getting my energy back. Tomorrow I will see my sewing buddies and work on the muslin for the leather jacket.

I am always amazed at the amount of adjustments I make and wonder if all of them are necessary. I tried on a Burda Style petite jacket that I have on the list of things to make and for which I got a muslin fit. The person who made the jacket just cut it out as is and it fit me pretty darned close to perfect. I tell myself fitting is half the fun.

[DebraMartin]

LauraS - do it! Break out the faux leather.  Make your dream come true

Denise, It sounds like you are petite! Go with it!  I am 5'6" and over 150 lbs - never thought of myself as "petite", but my measurements say I am...and the BURDA jacket I made was a petite - without alterations.  Whodathunkit!

I am now making a skirt to match my leather jacket.  It is my own design.  You can read the details on my blog...

[DeniseM]

Debra, what size did you work with?

My problem/challenge is that although I'm petite I'm busty. So small shoulders plus large bust equals big FBA. Also, I have to take the shoulders in on most Burda patterns as they are about an inch too long.

[Sergerqueen]

Denise-
I have the same problem--petite and make a FBA!  That's why it took me three muslins to get my jacket done!  Suggestions--if you can work with a fitting buddy, this really helped me get the fit down for this jacket.  I have narrow, sloping shoulders, too.  So I also kept narrowing the shoulders.  Here's what I do--First I make my 3/4" petite adjustment above bust on front, back and sleeve.  then I find the right size for the shoulders, usually at least one size smaller than my bust, then find the size for the bust, then make a 1/2" FBA for a C cup.  Then I try to smooth everything out.  I be sure I mark the apex, too.  I make a muslin and see how it fits.  From there,  I make whatever adjustments needed.  Also, be sure to transfer adjustments to the pattern.

[DeniseM]

I've placed my order for the blue leather. I plan to start in March so I will keep everyone posted on my progress.

[blessedtosew]

I wish that I had the courage to make a leather jacket!  I will be watching for your creations.
The above pictures are from the Louise Cutting / Linda Lee retreat  a couple of weeks ago.  Patti made this By Popular Demand jacket out of leather at the retreat..the leather was super soft and draped well.  
Thought you might like to see it!
Dotty

THat is gorgeous!!! I love the color of the leather.

eta: closing square bracket on closing quote tag. 

[blessedtosew]

GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS!!!!!!! I love it.

Here are my finished pictures!






Here I have it turned inside out to show the lining.  I used a silk print I found at the Vogue Fabrics booth at last year's Sewing and Quilting Expo in Worcester.  (I will not be able to machine wash it. I'll just use a steamer on the inside and a damp cloth on the leather.)



If you look closely at the sleeve seam, you can see how big the opening was that I used to turn the lining to the inside.



I'm ready for my close-up



The shoulders are a little too wide, but I am happy enough with it to actually wear it.  Overall - pretty decent fit for ZERO pattern alterations!!



Now to make a skirt....

[sdBev]

blessedtosew--- I LOVE  your jacket; from the styling to the fabric; just don't think there could have been a better choice.  BTW if you have any doubts, you can always send it my way.

[DeniseM]

Gorgeous jacket and you got a great fit. Congratulations on a job well done.

[fzxdoc]

blessedtosew--- I LOVE  your jacket; from the styling to the fabric; just don't think there could have been a better choice.  BTW if you have any doubts, you can always send it my way.

Oops, Bev, that's not Blessedtosew's jacket, it was made by Debra Martin (see her post on page 2). Blessed to sew was just complimenting it.

I absolutely love your jacket Debra. I have commented on it before, but the compliments bear repeating. Your attention to detail is truly emulate-able, to make up a new word. 

Kathryn

[sdBev]

blessedtosew--- I LOVE  your jacket; from the styling to the fabric; just don't think there could have been a better choice.  BTW if you have any doubts, you can always send it my way.

Oops, Bev, that's not Blessedtosew's jacket, it was made by Debra Martin (see her post on page 2). Blessed to sew was just complimenting it.

I absolutely love your jacket Debra. I have commented on it before, but the compliments bear repeating. Your attention to detail is truly emulate-able, to make up a new word. 

Kathryn

Whoops;  Please transfer all the hugs to Debra.  it is a lovely lovely jacket.

[DeniseM]

Well, I ordered the light blue leather. I got a thumbs up from my sewing group and it will look great with my hair. I plan to redo the muslin and get a good solid fit this weekend. As soon as the leather arrives I'll take a picture. Today it's finishing those sofa cushions.