Friday, January 29, 2016

Educating Myself

In my last blog I unveiled my first try with the Burda 128 jacket. I intended to wear this jacket during my cruise to Mexico.  Well,  I decided it wasn't quite worthy of this.  Instead I wore a suit I had purchased many years ago.

Formal night aboard Grand Princess
Shopping for fabric in Mexico with made by me bag and shirt

After returning from the cruise and looking at my previous blog, I am sure I made the right decision.  This jacket is not quite ready for public wearing.

Educating myself in order to produce a better jacket has included watching videos and reading my sewing books.

The first video "Create a jacket muslin" is helping me learn how to correct some fitting issues.   The second class "Modern jacket techniques" is teaching me many things.  One thing is a step-by-step tutorial on making a welt pocket.  I purchased both these courses on sale.

A free series I have been watching Expert sewing techniques has been very educational.  I am going to try setting in the sleeve like Sarah Veblen does.

I have already decided to change a few things when I start making Burda 128 again.  Such as a single, instead of a double vent in back.  Also I have decided to try welt pockets with flaps, instead of patch pockets.

Back to video watching.

Thanks for stopping.



Friday, January 8, 2016

Burda 128 Jacket Thoughts

I finished the Burda 128 Jacket.  I like the pattern and the fit.  The video instructions helped me out quite a bit.

This pattern was printed out on my printer and assembled. There weren't any adjustment lines, so I used my "Singer, The Perfect Fit" book to show me where to adjust the pattern for the two inches in sleeve and body length I needed.

This  jacket is unlined except for the sleeves.  I used a lightweight suiting fabric I bought at JoAnn with a 60% off coupon, so the cost of the fabric was $15.  I used my Viking 960 to sew the jacket and my Singer 7470 to sew the keyhole buttonholes.

There are some wrinkles on the arms and around the shoulders I don't like.  Otherwise it is wearable.







I am going to make this jacket again.  I  will make a muslin using the instructions from a video on making a jacket muslin to make some adjustments.  The video is for a women's jacket, but I can use the techniques.  I purchased this video on sale for $15.

My thoughts on this jacket are positive.  After a little more video watching I believe I can make a nice jacket.  I like learning new skills and working with different fabrics.


Thanks for stopping.