Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Completed...Finally!

Well, as I predicted, the Back Pleat Coat/Dress missed the "spring coat" season, so it will have to wait until fall for its debut. I'm too slow!

I have mixed emotions about this garment. The double face fabric is beautiful --- more lustrous in person than in a photo --- and the fit and style are perfect. As anyone who sews can understand, it is the details that can make or break a garment. In this case, I had to make a number of fixes as a result of the fabric's tendency to ravel, and my eyes keep fixating on those spots. It isn't perfect (is anything perfect in this world?), but I'll get over it. Big picture --- it is a good coat.



Design Details
I love the military styling of this pattern from the September 2006 issue of Burda. For the collar, I used hair canvas interfacing and pad-stitched it by hand. I think this process helped to add a really nice shape to the collar, which is key for this style.





The pocket flaps on the front are faux pockets. The placement of those pockets didn't work for me --- I couldn't imagine using them --- so I made them faux and added side seam pockets, which I just love.

The back has a cool belt detail, which is accentuated by the buttons. The sleeves have faux plackets as well. It is all purely decorative, but I like it.





The back features an inverted pleat at CB and two deep pleats on either side. When I first started this project, I was hesitant about adding bulk in the back with those pleats, but now that I look at the finished garment, it just wouldn't be the same without those pleats. I chose to keep them unpressed at this point, but perhaps a press along the hem is needed.



Here's the shot of the back pleats. For the inverted panel, I used the reverse of the fabric for a peek-a-boo effect. Hmm --- needs a bit of pressing.



Simon doing a QC check via cat-scan:



Construction Details
For this garment, I used a double face cotton fabric for the garment and china silk for the lining. I used hair canvas as the interfacing for the collar and stand and used satin organza as the interfacing for the fronts, lapels and back neck stay. I used a fusible tricot interfacing for the hems. All of the seams on the inside of the coat are finished with either overlock stitch or a Hong Kong finish using bias strips of the china silk lining fabric. The keyhole buttonholes are machine-done.

Overall, I think this is a pretty nice coat/dress that is perfect for days when I want to sashay around town. Yes, sashay --- the combination of those back pleats and side pockets scream "sashay"!

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - Working Like a Madwoman

I'm invigorated...energized...caffeinated...just pumped about the Back Pleat Coat/Dress! I've been working like a madwoman for days on this project, as it has been languishing on our dining table for far too long. It is nearing completion and, I must say that, despite all the little "fixes" I've had to make, it looks pretty good.

It is unbelievable how much time I've spent finishing seams --- even though it is a lined garment, the excessive raveling requires finished seams throughout. I think I spent the bulk of the last two days working on these kinds details --- you know, the ones that won't ever be visible in the finished garment!

I'm off to sew in the lining!

New Knit Design in Interweave Knits Summer 2010

I'm very excited to share that my Daisy Stitch Tunic has been included in the Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Knits magazine!

Image from here.

Design
For summer, I wanted to create a "tailored tunic", one that is elegant yet simple and easy to wear. I was inspired by the daisy stitch as an accent stitch, and thought it would provide the right amount of interest and detail to an otherwise simply styled garment. The mandarin or standing collar dictated a clasp at the base, which produced a neat keyhole at the neckline. The side seams are shaped, so the garment can yield a closer fit.

Image from here.

Image from here.

Yarn
The tunic is worked in Karabella's Zodiac yarn, which is 100% mercerized cotton. It is a smooth yarn that yields wonderful stitch definition, which is needed to highlight the daisy stitch worked along the front neckline/collar and side slits. This yarn is very easy to knit with and the resulting fabric is drapey with a nice weight.

Details
While the body is worked in plain stockinette stitch, the details are at the neckline and side slits. These areas are worked in daisy stitch, which produces areas of clustered stitches resembling flowers (or daisies) and areas of open space. I love this stitch because it produces a sturdy fabric that has a delicate look. Here's a close-up of the stitch, which is worked with Classic Elite's Provence, a 100% mercerized cotton yarn.



The mandarin collar is a bit on the chunky side because it has a stockinette stitch facing on the inside of the collar. To make the facing, I finished the daisy stitch collar, worked two rows of garter to mark the fold line, and worked stockinette stitch the same length as the collar. After binding off, I sewed the facing to the joining line at the base of the collar. I definitely think the collar needs the facing to ensure enough structure.



Overall, this is a simple and elegant knit for summer.

Back Pleat Coat/Dress - It Ravels...A Lot

Warning --- I'm going to complain a bit. The sweet flower print for the Back Pleat Coat/Dress is quite deceiving. There is nothing sweet about this fabric! The raveling is horrendous, and it really became heartbreaking last night when I was sewing the collar and lapels. I sewed the upper collar to the under collar and it looked fine, until I turned it to the right side and noticed that the raveling had caused a slight hole in the stitching line. Ugh. So I turned it back and re-sewed the seam. This happened twice. Unfortunately, I had to sew into the hair canvas to stitch enough fabric, which made the "turn" of the collar and the collar point look a bit awkward. Another ugh. I can't even take a photo at this point.

Lesson learned --- I think a fusible interfacing would have added more stability. Shame on me for not realizing this earlier on in the process. Too late for this one, but I'll file this tidbit away for next time. I'll keep pressing on --- in the end I know the garment will be ok. Thanks for putting up with the rant!

Cinchier Trenches

I don't think "cinchier" --- as in "cinch the waist" --- is an actual word, but it was in the headline of a recent article on trench coats in NY Magazine, which also included this very cool photo. Can trench coats look any cooler or sexier than this?

Image from here.