June 7, 2010

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE...

...I can't seem to be able to get away from the color black; so I decided to take a little Walk On The Wild Side with this fabric.
I think it's a 100% linen that I purchased it back in the spring. Guess I was really feeling my oats that day, because after getting it home I experienced one of those "what in the world was I thinking" moments. I can't actually remember what prompted me to chose a jacket as my next project, but I'm glad that I did! Nothing beats a jacket in completing a look (even when it's about to be 90 degrees and above. So after making a number of dresses E-A-S-Y in April and May I thought it was high time to venture out of "thoughtless sewing" and press ahead with expanding my skills/techniques/2010 Sewing Goals.

I've wanted to completely finish a garment in Hong Kong seams for quite some time now. I think it adds such beautiful detail to a garment, so I set that as one of my 2010 Sewing Goals. Originally I thought about using white seam binding for this jacket, but, alas my youthful sewing muse (Ebony) suggested that I take this project one step further by adding an unexpected color to make the jacket "P-O-P, so that is just what I did! I chose Canary Yellow and finished each and every exposed seam of this princess style jacket. By goley it did make it pop, and although using the Hong Kong finish was time consuming (to say the least), it was indeed well worth it. I love the finished look of any well made garment, but this I really love.

I chose to work with Butterick 5333 because of:
  • it's simple lines,
  • number of pattern pieces - only 7 pieces,
  • it's color and lapel, which I love;
  • it's front and back princess seams that prevent the jacket from looking too boxy and make fitting a lot easier;
  • the three quarter sleeve because it's so hot outside; and
  • the sleeve cuff that makes the jacket sort of dressy/casual.
In keeping with my norm, you know I had to add something extra to the pattern.
  • Hong Kong finished seams
  • covered shoulder pads,
  • buttoned down vertical faux pocket flaps,
  • added an extra center front button.
I did take the time to make a muslin because I had never used this pattern before. Afterward I found that I needed to make a center front adjustment to insure proper lap when wearing it buttoned. Lisa pin fit the muslin for me. To make this accommodation I added 1 1/4" from the lapel fold down to the hem of the jacket. I also added 1" to the 1 1/4" hem allowance, (don't ask me why, I don't remember). The only other change to this pattern was my method of a small bust adjustment that only involves taking in the front princess seams to take up the excess fullness in that area.
The results: a really nice looking jacket that the maker can be proud to wear. I am planning to make a pair of off white linen pants (fully lined) to match my walk on the wild side jacket.


I would highly recommend this Butterick wardrobe pattern, and I will be making this jacket again soon. I also plan on making the dress in this pattern if I don't run out of summer (lol).I had a wonderfully long weekend visiting my family for my first grand-child's (grand-daughter) high school graduation. Here's a graduation pose, and the bonus fabric haul from the weekend (5 blouses, 2 dresses and 2 pairs of pants)...

41 comments:

  1. I love this fabric. It is so cool!

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  2. Your jacket is AMAZING! Your seams are pretty cool too!

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  3. Great jacket, beautiful fabric.

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  4. Wow, I love the fabric, the jacket and the professional finishing...Great job Faye...and congrats to your DGD....

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  5. Anonymous6/07/2010

    I love your jacket and the beautiful Hong Kong finish. Gorgeous!

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  6. That jacket is wonderfully wild! I love the fabric and the pattern. You do such nice work.
    I'm starting a new blog for writing about my mom's situation rather than fill the lines of my sewing blog with these ramblings. There's a link to it on my post from today.

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  7. Your jacket is gorgeous! I'm lovin' the zebra print.

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  8. Faye! Great choices all around! Nice jacket, and will look stunning with white linen trousers.

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  9. Oh, Faye. What a gorgeous jacket. Nice job with those Hong Kong finished seams. I, too, bought that fabric and experienced the same thought. Beautiful and stunning!!!!

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  10. I wanted to add a great big congratulations to your GD on such an accomplishment. Yeah!!!!

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  11. Great jacket! Congrats for your granddaughter! I just got back from my youngest brother's high school graduation.

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  12. Gorgeous jacket, Faye! The lines and the yellow binding!

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  13. This is stunning, Faye. I am a sucker for animal prints and I love this jacket. You'll get a lot of wear from this.

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  14. I love the animal print jacket, you did good to make that one. Congrats to your grand-daughter and to you on her graduation. Good luck to her going forward

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  15. Fabulous jacket!!! I adore that wonderful fabric and the canary yellow binding is a touch of genius - your jacket looks amazing inside and out.

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  16. What a stunning jacket! And the yellow for the HK seams is a great choice. It will look fantastic with off white trousers.

    Congratulations on your g-daughters graduation.

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  17. Anonymous6/08/2010

    Beautiful jacket inside and out! Congratulations to your granddaughter on her graduation.

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  18. Heyyy Faye how about walking on the wild side a little more often. Absolutely loveeeee your jacket and it's one of my favorite print and colorrrr.
    Love the fabrics

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  19. Contratulations to your granddaughter.
    The jacket is beautiful, love to see such a nice finishing on the inside, well done!

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  20. That's a beautiful jacket. I love an animal print. You finished those seams professionally. Very nice sewing!

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  21. I like your wild side.... the jacket came out great and you did an awesome job on the hong kong finish.

    Congrats to you GD!

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  22. I love the jacket! I like doing a Hong Kong finish. It always looks so couture when you are finished. It's also so much cooler in the summer than adding a lining.
    Congratulations on your granddaughters graduation.

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  23. Pretty job and nice job on the finish...

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  24. Love the jacket, and those Hong Kong seams are gorgeous!

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  25. Oh Faye...it's fantastic....I'm luvin it! The hong kong finish in bright yellow is fabulous...beautiful work as always!

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  26. That looks fabulous, I think it'll look great with linen trousers!!

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  27. Cute little number to take a walk on the wild side. ;-) Congratulations to your granddaughter! Give me that fabric. lol

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  28. This will be an amazing outfit once you add the white linen pants! Love the pop of color that you used for the HK Finishing! And Congrats to your granddaughter!

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  29. Love the animal print!

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  30. That jacket is fierce!! The yellow seam binding was definitely the way to go - a fun inside to match the fun print. :D I can't wait to see pics of this one styled with the white linen pants.

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  31. Faye,
    Great job! I like the yellow Hong Kong seams as well! The inside-out picture is fantastic.

    I can't wait to see what you make with that gold, purple, teal and red silk print!

    I always enjoy your blog.

    :)Deb M.

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  32. Beautiful! I agree on the color for the Hong Kong finish. It is fabulous. And, congratulations on graduation.

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  33. Anonymous6/08/2010

    Great jacket! Please post a picture when you wear it.

    Congrats to your granddaughter.

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  34. Lovely Jacket the fabric is stunning! It looked great from the inside out! Congrats also for your Grand-baby's graduation!

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  35. Your jacket is to die for. You did a beautiful job on it. I can't wait to see you model it. Congrats also to your grand daughter. I know you are soooo proud.

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  36. Lovely jacket - not too wild ;)

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  37. It looks really good! I've never actually done a Hong Kong finish, and this is definitely encouraging me towards giving it a shot!

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  38. What a beautiful jacket. I love it!!! Great job!!!

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  39. Love the jacket. I'm sure it will look wonderful with the white linen pants.

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  40. Love your jacket. Inside and out! Contrats to your granddaughter.

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  41. Anonymous6/19/2010

    I just ordered this pattern cos you have such good taste and I want some to rub off on me!
    (And that it is on sale didn't hurt either.)

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