Waistcoat Project Research

Tips and Advice

 

• Longer front than back and sides. Back should still cover all shirt showing no trouser gap at the back.
• Uneven number of buttons 5 for men under 6 foot and 7 for over. Stops large gap or fabric inbetween.
• Try waistcoat with jacket to check the v line and shirt to check neck line for gaping. Neck line should sit neatly around the neck and under the collar so it doesn't sit away.

 https://clairessewing.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/sewing-instructions-for-vest-waistcoat/

 http://welldresseddad.com/2013/12/31/the-waistcoat-project-the-first-effort/

http://fabric8online.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/making-waistcoat-and-adding-functional.html

Waistcoat Project Beginning

Mood Board for Waistcoat Project

Kelvingrove Exabition

Day 14 Final Hand in

Day 13

I managed to put the lining into the jacket all hand stitched and ready to go the only thing I need to complete tomorrow is the button holes at the front. The bias finally turned up so I could finish off the edges of the seams.

Day 11-12

I spent the day working on the lining and finer details of the jacket as the seam tape still hasn't arrived and I'm starting to try and think of other options for completing the jacket. I attached the belt piece to the back of the jacket. I stitch fake buttonholes to the belt before stitching a belt on top of them. I placed it between the side back pleats setting the buttons in the centre of the seams.

I moved back onto the lining now that I don't need any more access to the inside of the back of the jacket. I attached the edges of the lining to the jacket and then pressed the seams of the pleats back of themselves so that the lining pleats could sit over them. I then pinned them together while I hand stitched the edge of the lining with a fell stitch. I encountered a problem with the lining at this stage. Lining up the box pleat with the lining and the fact the pleat sits inside the jacket so the lining either needs an extra piece like a semi circle piece to encase the edges of the pleat or bias binding can be attached to enclose the raw edges. I've opted for the bias binding option before placing the back pleats over it. To fix the problem of how the back pleat sits I stitched the lining to the lines of the pleat with white thread until it can be properly ironed and then they can be removed. The lining does however fit which was very encouraging and lines very beautifully inside the jacket which make me very happy. I could have left the bottom edge open but I think the weight is needs for the bottom edge for movement.

The final part I was able to complete at this time was to gather the sleeve head and attached my rope/cord detail to the edge of my sleeves. I found a pattern online to follow. I left extra for the sleeve edges and used pins to hold the parts in place and the stitched them before hand stitching it to the edges of the sleeves.

Day 9-10 Lining and Details

I attached the collar and interfacing which sits very very well on the jacket I feel. I'm very happy with it. I am still waiting for more seam tape to finish the sleeve seams. Next time I will buy extra or make triple sure I get enough.

So one of the techniques I feel is very important for this jacket is the stay tape around the centre of the jacket. This ensures the jacket does not stretch out of shape and helps to give structure. I set it just above the pleats of the jackets.and hands stitched it in with cross stitch to allow for movement with the jacket. I decided that putting cotton tape around the jacket edge and hem would be both a waste of time and is unneeded. The jacket is of a substitutional weight and the interfacing gives the front edge enough structure to give a lovely crisp line.

As for the pockets I had to change the possession of them because they didn't match the tartan very well so it looked off. So I relined up my pocket away from my tailor markings I'd done in red. I attached them with an edge stitch on the patch and a simple straight stitch on the flap. I had to do a small zig-zag stitch at the edge to secure the edges as the edges of the lining were still rare and this helped to enclose them. I hand stitched the small Chinese knot buttons to the edge to close the pocket. A simpler style to the 18th century knots and cord details I'd looked at previously.
I next started on the lining. The most common way to line pleats is to cut them slightly bigger (1.5cm bigger)so that when it's put together it creates a pocket for the whole pleat to sit in wit it's seams edges together. I went for the option of making it the exact same as the button of the coat and folding the pleat edges back. Lining comes together very quickly. It's just putting it in that's the problem. You have to let the lining sit at least 1cm short so that it falls shorter than the edge of the hem line so it isn't seen.