2009 GOAL #1 - ADD MORE COLOR

One of my sewing goals this year is to ADD MORE COLOR TO MY WARDROBE. I'm calling this my new Inauguration Jacket because I want to be feeling and looking my best when I return to work tomorrow; because we the people are very PROUD! We will watch TV from 12 to 1p.m. to see the President sworn in which is better than nothing at all.

This is the project I worked on this weekend and during a "Sew-A-Long" with LISA and EBONY; Lisa helped me in measuring and pinning my hems. We got a lot accomplished during the Sew A Long. It's THIS JACKET (double breasted view) in a turquoise butter suede type fabric with no stretch; it is so soft. To finish it today I needed to top stitch*, make 4 button holes and 4 covered buttons and sew on the buttons.

*One thing that I detest the most is - crooked top stitching! It just gives me the creeps! A lot of sewing resources suggest using an edge foot as a guide for top stitching, but of course none of my machines came with an edge foot; I need to try to order one for this purpose. But in the meantime I keep trying to invent the perfect method for straight top stitching. My magnetic seam guide always ends up moving making for crooked stitching. I also have a seam guide that screws into the bed of the machine, but could not adjust it to 3/8" for my top stitching. So, alas my solution is to cut a thick piece of 3M tape cut into a rectangular about 3" long and 1 1/4" wide. It sticks right to the throat plate, it doesn't move, and it's reusable. The results: straight top stitching and a very happy me.
As with so many others, this jacket pattern did not include an under collar, and because of that I could never achieve the proper turn of the cloth for my collars. I remembered ERICA describing tailoring techniques for collars in some of her recent coat construction, so I shot her an email and she answered right back with under collar advise. I think I will use this information for ALL collars for my jackets. Most patterns give only one collar piece that is to be used for both the upper and under collar so they are cut identical. Taking her advice I used the pattern piece to cut the upper collar on the fold exactly like the pattern calls for; but used the same pattern piece for the under collar but cut on the bias rather than the fold resulting in two pieces. The next step is to reduce under collar on three sides by 1/8" making it a tad bit smaller. This results is the beautiful turn of cloth that I knew I was supposed to be achieving but wasn't. The under collar issue was one the things I got counted off for on one of my entries at the National Fair last year so I really wanted to learn to handle that correctly.

The jacket is unlined, has in interfaced front facing and all seams are serger finished. Here's it is on my dress form; I will try to remember to take my camera to school tomorrow to get a junior photographer (aka a student) to take a picture of me in it.

Until then HAPPY MLK DAY!!!!