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Category: Marfy 1984

  • Marfy once again.

    I found myself in the sewing room yesterday with an hour to spare and the inspiration to go back to the Marfy coat.

    As you might recall, I had altered the pattern and made new pattern pieces before I went away, almost a month ago.  I should have known better than to start a project just before leaving, the interruption also scatters my concentration and motivation, and it seems harder to pick up something that was started before than it is to just begin something new.

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    So yesterday I marked the new pieces on the muslin and cut them out.  I had a lot of fun doing so.  I actually do love the process of laying out and marking and cutting.  Of course since this was muslin I just used markers and dressmakers carbon, but it was still fun.

    I only cut 5/8" seams, especially around the large sleeve opening because the wider 1 inch seams I used on the first muslin were really too unwieldy.  I may or may not regret this.

    Then, much to my glee, I found that I had made a mistake when I looked at the clock and I actually had another hour.  The fronts and back have been sewed together and I started to work on the sleeves, but realized I needed a little more time to lay the pieces out and think about front and back and what was what.  I am glad I did.  

    All I did today was lay out the pieces.  I didn't even pin them, but I am happy to leave them there on the cutting table waiting for my next bit of time.  It may be tomorrow.  

    In the meantime I pulled out three or four pieces of fabric I will use for some desperately needed spring clothes.  I still have to gather together linings, zippers and other notions, but I shall use these simple little bits of nearly instant gratification as rewards for completing the steps of my coat.

  • Ready to go

    Well, I didn't spend as much time on my jacket project as I originally hoped to but I am happy with my progress so far.  I have the alterations made to the pattern and new front and back pieces cut out and ready to sew as soon as I return.  It will be nice to have something waiting for me that I can just sew up when I have a few minutes.

    I am not inclined to sew tonight even though it is early yet.  I'm just too tired already, and I don't want to get all wrapped up in my project and stay up too late…we have a lot of driving tomorrow.  

    I'll be back on the 18th, but I doubt I will get to the jacket that soon.  Have a good week.

  • Doubts, Musings, and Moving Forward

    So I didn't get much done yesterday either.

    The full first muslin is made.  

    I need to add an inch at the shoulders.  In the back I need that Inch all the way down and I might even need a little more room near the bottom.  So of course then I started second-guessing myself.  I know I am not really a 42. I wondered if perhaps I should try a 44.

    But my issues aren't with the back.  

    When I gained a lot of weight I bought and made a 46 and later decided that was a mistake.  I made a 44 last year and the muslin is still wadded up in my UFO pile where I left it in disgust.  If I make the 42 I have to increase the size of the back at the shoulders and on down.  I might need to add a little more width near the bottom to accommodate my lower half, but that is an easy adjustment.  The neckline on the 42 fits, which means less hassle with collar alterations.

    Of course if I need an inch at the shoulders in the back I also need it in the front.  But I absolutely need no more fabric between those shoulders and the bust.  I made the 42 because the 42 is my size for the area of my upper chest, between the shoulders and the bust.  That is the most difficult area for me to fit.  It is easier to expand out to accommodate the bust and shoulders. 

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    I also need that FBA.  I did that yesterday, and it took me a little time just because I am not that experienced with FBAs and the raglan sleeve in this jacket is very deep, almost to the waist. Even so,  the FBA was fairly easy.  The problem was that I don't want a dart from the side right at the bust and I didn't know how to place the dart so that it would not ruin the lines of the jacket or make me look like Humpty Dumpty. 

    My first attempt at moving the dart was a dismal failure.  It is distinctly possible that the glass of wine I drank before attempting the dart migration contributed to the resulting mess.   

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    So I quit and decided to knit and watch TV.  Sometimes taking a break is the best solution.

    Before I took that break I thought my entire idea and inner vision of this jacket was a big mistake.  I realized however that I really just needed to think about what I really wanted.

    I want to make the jacket out of this fabric.  I have "seen" this jacket in this fabric almost since the first moment I saw the pattern, although I have also wondered if I have lost my mind and if this is more fitting, tailoring, and matching than I am ready to deal with.

    But when I put the fabric on Matilda, and looked at the pattern and my muslin again, I confirmed that I really do want to give it a try.  I may be crazy, it may not work, it may be a mistake, but I will never know unless I try.

    I believe I was correct in thinking that I do not want a dart coming out of the raglan sleeve, nor do I want a dart coming up from the bottom of the jacket or angling up from the side. It occurred to me that I can bring the dart down from the neckline and hide it under the collar.  Doing that will also add a little fullness at the hem in front.  But I probably need a little extra room there as well.  I should be able to give this a try later today.  

    First though, laundry and pulling out clothes and knitting projects for the trip to Knoxville.  Once everything is together and packed and ready I know that my time will be free for playing with patterns and muslins and dreams of red and white jackets.

     

  • Update

    I thought I had about an hour yesterday to work on the muslin, it ended up being less than that, but I did make progress.  Thursday is knitting night, and even a muslin in process wasn't going to keep me away.

    I only managed to put together half of the jacket.  Even thought the back is cut in one piece on the pattern, I cut the muslin as two pieces just for ease in fitting.  It is rare that I cut a back piece on the fold anyway, even though I will cut the final back in the final version in one piece.  Usually there is just enough difference in the right and left that I need to work from a full pattern piece.  

    This is what I learned so far:

    The 42 looks like it is fine through the shoulder and through the back, at least the half back, that is already made.  I need to release the seam a little bit at the hips in back, but so far there are no other major back adjustments.  When I have a full garment I may see other changes, especially at the sleeves, but I have the right size pattern.

    I definitely need to do a FBA, but I was expecting it.  Otherwise, the front seems to fit well through the shoulders and upper chest.

    Today I can make and attach the other half back and do the FBA. Once that is done, I can see what other adjustments are needed.  I am sure there will be something, but I am feeling my confidence returning.