So, now I finished my modern jacket I've started work on John's Prince Charlie Jacket and waistcoat, which he'll be able to wear to both modern and historical formal events.
The main fabric for this is a light weight woven 100% wool, and the lining fabric is a scottish check polyester - probably not very historical, but John gets to pick the lining on the things I make him so that he can put his style stamp on them! I'm also using hair canvas, linen and stay tape for the insides.
I've started with the waistcoat, and I'm using a hybrid of the methods from the instructions and the period instructions in 'The Victorian Tailor' - basically I want it to be more authentic than normal, and I'm doing a lot of hand sewing, but I don't have the time to be fully authentic so there's some short cuts and some machine sewing too.
I've taken a load of photos so I can give you a step by step on what I've done so far - check out the captions for a description of whats happening.

So here it is competed - my first attempt at a tailored jacket. I can see a few faults (I always see the faults in whatever I make!) but its totally wearable, so I'm really pleased about that. The picture below gives you an idea of the hand sewing and inner structure that's gone into this project - there's A LOT of it which is why I'm so glad this practise project turned out good enough to wear.
The fabric is corduroy from my stash (yay!) and I had nothing but tiny scraps left by the time I'd cut it out - in fact I had to cut the peplum pieces from the lining instead of the main fabric, but this may have been a good thing as the fabric is quite thick. I love the colour, but its taking me a while to get used to wearing it - its bright!
Next project is the prince charlie jacket for J, fingers crossed I can improve my techniques so that even I don't see the mistakes!

Its always exciting to learn something new, and something I've never tried before is making a tailored jacket. Me being me, I didn't want to follow the ready to wear methods given in most pattern directions - nope, what I wanted to do was a fully hand tailored jacket with pad stitched canvas interlining, a proper roll on the collar etc etc.
My ultimate aim is a Prince Charlie Jacket for my husband to wear with a kilt to formal events, but that involves expensive wool fabric, so I wanted to make something for myself first to try out the techniques.

The pattern I chose was Vogue 8701 - isn't it hideous?! I honestly don't know what they were thinking when they decided that a bold green check was the best way to show off this design.
Anyway, it wasn't the pattern company's picture that made me pick this one, it was this version reviewed here
I love the shape, especially with the bottom front curved instead of pointed.

My references for this project were 'Tailoring' from the Singer Reference library and 'The Victorian Tailor'  by Jason Maclochlainn. I also attended a day class at the Barry Rogers School of Sewing, but unfortunately I can't give it a recommendation - it was useful to see the stitches and techniques in person, but all 3 students in the class finished 2 hours early - while I understand that people will progress at radically different speeds depending on experience, it was very disappointing that the tutor didn't have anything else to show us to fill the rest of the time we'd paid for - setting is a sleeve would've been good.

So this is an unbelievably late post for the challenge due on July 15th, but it was actually done on time :) And the delay was worth it because our new flat is AMAZING and has so much more space for sewing and picture taking! And did I mention the roof doesn't leak :D

Anyway, onto the challenge. Remember this post about the bustle dress I'd have made if I had time to do the stripe challenge? Well, the Eastern influence challenge came along and I figured if it was made from a Sari then that counted! The pattern was draped on my newly padded dress form (and actually requires a bit of taking in on the underbodice). The dress consists of a waistcoat/blouse of raw silk with cotton voile sleeves and vintage pleated organza trim at the neckline and cuffs, a jacket and a skirt. The jacket and skirt are trimmed with upholstery cord and tassles, a completely over the top look which I love

I had to get seriously creative with this one to get it all out of the fabric available, so if the design doesn't quite match the inspiration picture, know that its because I used every last inch of the trim! I have a richly embroidered sectioin of the sari left which didn't look quite right anywhere I considered using it on the dress itself, but which I will probably put to use making a reticule and a bonnet to complete the outfit.

This dress made its debut at the Rochester Summer Dickens festival - I hoped to enter the best dressed competition but unfortunately they'd moved it to the Sunday this year - maybe next time! I have a few finishing touches to do (more tassles, this time small ones on the jacket) and then I will take some detail shots for you.

Long (very long!) time no post. I've been moving house (with a 6 week stay at my parents house followed by a month with no internet) and its taken me a while to get back on here. But I'm back and I've made a lot of things, so there should be a few posts in the coming weeks.
First up is another version of Butterick 5559. The first version I made is so comfortable and easy to wear I decided I wanted another one.
This version is in a black flocked lace style print which I love. The fabric is a bit thicker and less stretchy than the ponte roma I used before, so I decided to add a zip at the side seam so that I could make it nice and fitted at the waist. I also ended up taking a 1/4 inch seam allowance at the side seams instead of 5/8th as I needed a little more wiggle room - I'm not sure if this is due to the fabric having less stretch or to me expanding slightly since I made the last version.
This dresses has prompted a few comments, I think due to the wow factor of the fabric - people assume its a lace and a lining treated as one, but actually its just one fabric and was super easy to sew :)