Unveiling the Vogue 8719 Jacket

This was supposed to be a wearable muslin, but I decided to put the jacket together in normal fashion since it has some new skills needed. Plus, since it was $1.50 thrift store material I am not out anything.  I am happy with the jacket.  There are a couple adjustments I could make when making this again.

It is something new for me to have a form-fitting jacket.  Since in the past I would buy a size 38 tall in order to have the length in the arms and body.  I did not realize how big size 38 was on me until comparing it to this one.  I never have seen a 36 tall, which this jacket is.

Vogue 8719 Jacket and Pants

The bias-tape was a new skill for me.  I made it myself because the instructions said so.  I do not have a bias-tape maker, but I am glad I have a bias-tape foot for my sewing machine. Being an unlined jacket, the bias-tape finishes the seams nicely.

I decided not to line the arms.  The pattern was supposed to have lined arms, but I put one lining in and thought it made the arm look wrinkly no matter what I did.  I was going to bias-tape the arm holes, but after one attempt over three layers of fabric, I gave up and serged them.  They came out looking nice.
I added two inches to the body and the arms.  Next time I will add another inch(total 3) to the arms, the body seems the right length.

A Little Longer Sleeve Next Time

I will have to figure out the wrinkle under the collar when I make this again.

A Wrinkle Under The Collar

Since I had leftover lining/bias material. I used my rolled-hem foot to make a handkerchief.   This only took a few minutes and I think it adds a nice touch.

After my experience with this pattern for both pants and jacket I give it a thumbs up.  I am not a fan of the instructions and illustrations for the jacket, but I was able to construct it with a little help from the internet and my sewing books.  When a pattern fits and can be put together with  minimum adjustments I am impressed. Even with the things I am pointing out, this is still a wearable jacket.

I don't think I am going to make this pattern again for a while.  I think I am ready to change direction now and come back to making Vogue 8719 in the future.  In fact, my new project is already being laid out.  A t-shirt for Joe.

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Vogue 8719 Jacket Venture Continues

I have been sewing everyday.  I am so enthused about this jacket, that I want to get it finished so I can wear it.  Of course, it will have to get a little cooler first.  It is still 100 degrees here in California.

I don't own an unlined jacket, or a jacket with patch-pockets, so I am looking at the internet for examples of what I am making.

The instructions for this jacket are either for a more advanced sewist, or very vague.  I haven't decided which.  First it was the bias-tape instructions.  They were horrible.  I tried, but ended up making bias-tape my own way since Vogue's way only ended with a mess of fabric strips.  When I make this jacket again, I think I will buy bias-tape.  Also, I was supposed to simply sew on the tape with a regular foot.  If I didn't happen to have a bias foot, I would have never been able to do it.

Then I started the lined-patch-pockets.  My first pockets looked horrible.  After watching some good and bad Youtube videos, I was able to make some nice pockets. This was a good video.  Again, very vague instructions by Vogue.

Pockets

Pocket Lining

Front

Back

Front

Inside

Pocket Close-Up

The collar and sleeves are next.  It should be challenging.

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Vogue 8719 Jacket Venture Has Begun

I bought some beautiful wool-blend suit material at the thrift store.  Enough to do the Vogue 8719 jacket.  It is a a pale lavender color.  I am not sure where I would wear it.  Maybe a garden party or other casual affair.  I haven't worn a suit-jacket for many years, so even if it was a blue or gray, I am not sure where I would wear it.  I also purchased some lightweight plaid material for the bias-binding and the arm sleeve lining.  This is an unlined jacket, except for the arms.

This pattern has numerous pieces for the jacket.

My Pfaff 1469 will do the sewing for this project. This is my first and only Pfaff.  It is certainly a fine machine.

I think it is interesting the pattern calls for the sewist to make his own bias-binding.  I was tempted to buy some bias-binding when I was buying the thread, but decided to go strictly by the pattern instructions.  I did vary a little when it came to attaching the binding.  I used a binder foot.  The instructions wanted the binding simply attached like it was no big deal.  Yeah, right!!

Binder foot attached.

Binding attached.

My only question so far is the long dart in the front.  I am not sure at this point how it will look once the garment is finished.

The pants came out like the pattern picture.  So I am fairly hopeful the jacket will also.

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Vogue 8719 Pants Summary

I finished the wearable-muslin for my Vogue 8719 pants.  Besides the gaping pocket problem, they went together rather nicely.  There are a couple of things I will change when I make them again.

First will be a different style front pocket.  I don't want to deal with gaping pocket issues again.  Since my fix was to release stress from the pocket seams by removing the darts, I will add the darts back.

Second will be finishing the fly and facing differently.  The pattern did not call for any kind of edge-finish.  I serged the fly which worked fine, but I want a little more refined look.

Third will be to have more fabric overhanging the zipper.  The zipper is covered, but not by much.  I think the fly looks great.  I hope I can make this little tweak without any issues.

Fourth will be to have a snugger fit around the waist.  Adding the darts back will take care of this.

These are small tweaks, and in my mind a good pattern since the overall fit is good.   I am going to move on to the jacket muslin now.

Here is my photo shoot.  I wanted to show these pants are versatile.

Dressy-Casual

Pocket-flaps give a dressy look  

Casual

Casual

Dressy-Casual

Dressy

100 degrees!!  Let me out of this jacket!

I would like to thank Max for being patient with me as I did this on his walk.  Also thank you to my photographer, Joe.

My next posts will be about the jacket muslin.

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Bloggers are Smarter Than Google

In my last Blog I showed an update of my Vogue 8719 pants.  I liked them except for gaping pockets. When I Googled this problem the answer was it is normal.  However, when my Blog readers saw my problem, they quickly responded something was too tight and the pocket was being pulled open.

I pulled out the darts the pattern called for in the rear.  This took a while because the darts were under the rear pockets.   I ripped out the stitches on half the pocket so I could release the extra fabric, then I reattached the pockets.

I never felt the pants were tight.  However, this seems to fix most of the problem.  I am happy enough with the repair to continue finishing the pants.

Pocket Before

Pocket After

After

No Darts in Rear

 I fit the measurements of the pattern exactly, 30" waist and 37" hip.  I read that gaping pockets are a problem with men who have muscular thighs.  (I definitely don't have those.)  If my measurements are right, I now have 38" hip pants.  Maybe the combination of stretchy-polyester and non-noticing tightness is causing the problem with these pants.

I have never owned a pair of pants with side-seam pockets, so I don't have anything to compare.

Thank you Peter and Mike for the help.

Now for the waistband.

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Closer To A Suit

My Vogue 8719 pants are nearing the finish line.  I need to put on the waistband,  buttons, and hem the cuffs.  I am happy with the way they look except for the gaping side pockets.  On my next pair I will follow some online instructions for side-seam pockets that aren't supposed to gape.  Did I say next pair?  Yes, even if the coat doesn't turn out, I like these pants enough to make them again

Here are some photos.  Remember, no waistband.

Front

Nice Rear Fit

Another Angle

Gaping Pocket

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A Suit in My Future?

I started sewing a pair of  Vogue 8719 slacks.   This pattern has a sport-coat and a pair of slacks.  The title of this blog means to imply if the pants go well, I will try the coat.  I have been thinking about slacks for a while, since I haven't made any type of pants since last summer.  Funny how a year slips away.  I have done shirts, a winter coat, and lots of crafts this year.

I am actually sewing a wearable muslin.   I am using size 36(30 inch waist) and adding 4 inches to the length.  The material is from my stash.  I am using some cocoa colored polyester material for the slacks.  If  I like the slacks, and want to continue, I will find something to make a muslin for the coat from.  Once the muslins are done, I have some beautiful lightweight-gray wool-blend material to make both. Of course, all my material and zipper are from the thrift store.

I copied the pattern  to tissue paper Saturday.  I cut out the material yesterday.  Today I started sewing.  I am using my Brother XL2600 for this project.  The zipper-fly is the first to be sewn.  It turned out quite well.  I followed the directions exactly.

Pattern

Zipper Front

Zipper Rear

Zipper Opened

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the project turns out.

In other news,  I could not help myself again.  This was a Goodwill purchase.  Since my first name is Wilson, I could not pass up my namesake sewing machine.

It purrs like a kitten. It is made by White.  That is all the information I could find.  I have no idea who Wilson was.  A department store?  A man wanting a sewing machine named after him?  It is a mystery for now.

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