Leather Jacket sew-along

[blessedtosew]

Thanks for sending a hug my way even though I didn't deserve it 

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.

[Terri K]

I didn't sew this but I thought of you Denise, since you are doing blue leather, when I saw this pale aqua lambskin jacket today at the Doncaster spring 2008  trunk show at their Black Mountain outlet store.   The outlets get what remains of the past season collections that the consultants don't sell.      Don't you love the sleeves and how they put the button hole in the seam. 

[Sergerqueen]

OHHH!!!  I just love that Doncaster jacket!  Thanks for posting it,  Terri.  You have made me want to go to the Doncaster outlet.  I hadn't heard of Doncaster until I read some of your posts.  Thanks again!

[DeniseM]

That is a very pretty jacket, Terri. And I agree the sleeve buttonhole placement is very stylish. Thanks for posting.

[DebraMartin]

Thanks for all the praise.   I just love how nicely this faux leather stitches up!  Here is a picture of a skirt I am working on to match the jacket.



I drafted the pattern myself.  You can read more about it on my blog.

[DebraMartin]

Almost finished - just need to add the snaps to the waistband...

[ejvc]

Stylin!  Really nice.

[Ann]

Debra, that skirt and jacket are top notch. You are going to look so stylish in it.

A friend of mine (tall and slim) was wearing a gray princess seamed leather jacket yesterday. Zipped in the front. The leather looked a bit pearlized. She had on gray wool slacks, red top, red boots and looked fabulous. All bought of course as I am sure she doesn't know what to do with a needle.

One day I am going to sew ultra suede ------ and it won't be fringe on a western shirt.

Ann

[BetsyV]

Debra that looks great! I love the skirt zipper

[stashpanache]

Woo Hoo!!  Debra, the Designer!!  Wonderful!!

[fzxdoc]

Debra, I have one word for your leather outfit:

WOWZA!!!

Kathryn

[Sergerqueen]

Terrific job, Debra!  I don't think you intended on making a suit when you started, but how nicely they go together!  Isn't it nice to have just enough fabric left over??

[DeniseM]

I must add my kudos to your lovely ensemble, Debra. Beautiful color, too. I hear primary colors are very big in fashion this season.

[sdBev]

OMG DebraM that is so beautiful, I can't find words to describe my reaction.  So very very very beautiful

[Karendee]

Gorgeous!!!

Karen

[DeniseM]

My leather came in this week. I'll take a picture and post. It's light and very beautiful.

[DebraMartin]

I can't wait to see it!

[sewsy]

Debra, your outfit is really stunning! Such great workwomanship. I have a question-how did you set the sleeves in your jacket? Where there a lot a problems easing the cap into the armscye? I'm going to make a faux suede jacket using Nancy Erickson's pattern, and I've never sewn with this material before. Any suggestions you can give me would be greatly appreciated. TIA

[gaylee1949]

Debra, a really stunning outfit!  What pattern did you use for your jacket, please?  I must make one! 

Gail D.

[DebraMartin]

Thank you for your compliments.  Sewsey, the sleeves were easy.  The pattern was drafted for leather, so there was no easing required to set the sleeve.  The pattern is a petite style from the October 2009 issue of BURDA Style.  I blogged all about it here.

edited to add: Sewsey, I made an Ultrasuede jacket a couple of years ago.  I love how nicely the Ultrasuede takes stitches.  I found that the Ultrasuede has zero give, though.  You may need to adjust your sleeve pattern to remove any ease in the cap.  hth

[Sergerqueen]

Ditto on the sleeve easing comments that Debra said!  I finished my ultrasuede jacket about a month ago.  I had cut down the ease and cut it down and thought I had it perfect, but it still hangs in my closet unworn.  I'm thinking of ripping it out again and seeing if I can get anymore ease out!

[ejvc]

Sewsy, I'm working on the NE jacket and there is a lot of easing on the sleeves  (also, what about the princess seam curves? you might want to try a sample).  Maybe you can cut a mock armscye and mock sleeve top and experiment until you get it right.

Elizabeth

[sewsy]

Thanks, Ladies!

I'll keep all of your suggestions in mind. Elizabeth, I'm definitely going to make a muslin, so I'm hoping that it will give me a good idea of what to expect before cutting out the fashion fabric. I'll keep the ease of the sleevecap in mind, however, and make adjustments. I was just thinking the other day about what Clotilde said in her Tailoring video. She suggested trying the 'scrumple' technique; whereby one would just scrumple up the tissue pattern sleevecap, and flatten it. She goes on to say that it takes out 'just enough' ease without doing major alterations to the sleevecap. I'll give that a try in muslin, and see. 

Thanks again for the suggestions!

[sammie_s]

Great outfit Debra.  I don't think I have the patience for leather--real or faux.  You did a wonderful job!

[sewsy]

Sewsy, I'm working on the NE jacket and there is a lot of easing on the sleeves  (also, what about the princess seam curves? you might want to try a sample).  Maybe you can cut a mock armscye and mock sleeve top and experiment until you get it right.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth, I just received an eBay purchase of Clotilde's VHS about sewing with Ultrasuede. It's really informative. One of the tips she suggests is to make up a muslin in denim, because it has the same kind of give  that faux suede has.

I hadn't thought of that, so I'm off to the fabric store with my forty per cent coupon to suss out what they've got.

She gives a demonstration as to how to find out how much ease is drafted into the sleevecap by pinning together the front and back jacket pattern pieces at the shoulder seam, then measuring the armscye distance from notch to notch. Next, measure the sleevecap distance from notch to notch. If you don't have one of those bendable measuring tools- the kind that will maintain the shape it's manipulated into; she suggests that you lay the pattern piece onto a surface that can be pinned into, and pin perpendicular to the pattern. Insert pins into the sleevecap from notch to notch every inch or so. Then place the (regular) tape measure ontop of the pins and measure the distance.

If the sleevecap measures out to be more than one inch bigger than the armscye then it will have to be adjusted.

As to the princess seams, I'm sewing 1945A, so I think that there shouldn't be too much ease involved. Thanks for giving me some things to think about.