I have never constructed my own lining for an unlined garment, but with a little help I'm feeling Olympic level confidence in doing so. In the spring I finally picked up an out of print book that deals with the lining and only the lining; "Easy Guide to Sewing Linings" by Connie Long.
Why this excellent book has gone out of print is a mystery to me, but being OOP means the prices can be all across the board. I've seen it for $3.99 and I've seen it for $80.00 plus. I picked mine up for $18.00 on a "Buy it Now" option instead of spending time bidding. But back to the book. Concise and easy to follow directions on how to make lining patterns for unlined garments, like jackets ( with and without details like princess seams), skirts, pants, coats etc. using the existing pattern pieces, half linings, lining materials, replacing old linings, lining pockets and on and on.
What a fabulous resource and it is a treasured addition to my sewing library.
So armed with my lining book guide, I cut out my jacket, marked all the pieces and went on to using those tissue pattern pieces, complete with adjustments, as my template for the jacket lining. Here is picture of the jacket shell.
The lining is still in process on the sewing bench but pictures coming in the next post.
The jacket fabric has proven to be quite challenging. It's a thick and thin twill weave in silk, cotton and wool. Might have a little rayon thrown into the mix too and unravels at the cut edges like nobodies business! I needed to get it together quick and serged.
I did a decent job of matching the fronts, and the two lined patch pockets. As a reminder, this is being made up into Simplicity 2153 which means elastic needs to be done in a casing for the waist and sleeves and of course that big fun collar with it's drawstring makes the jacket in my opinion.
I might even be tempted to enter it in the lined jacket contest over at Sewing Pattern Review in August. Might...
Since it seems I've fallen in love with fabrics with a French flair there was no way I was going to resist this Japanese interpretation of French Teddy Bears.
It's a lightweight canvas and I have a pattern and some soft wonderful baby wale corduroy for trim and details.
Over the weekend I caught some of the Olympics. Mostly the equestrian events, all 45 minutes (commercials included), that they chose to televise. I always feel a bit robbed. Certainly watching beautiful animals show off in the dressage phase of the 3 Day Eventing is much more entertaining than table tennis? And of course, the times they they do give a fair junk of time to the equestrian sports is usually the most dangerous portion, the cross country. I watched in fascination and horror yesterday as falls and ambulances stopped the proceedings over and over again. Finally I had had enough and went out to ride my own athlete Cooper. As I was doing up my boots and grumbling about horse safety Gene asked, that if I was the Olympic Queen, would I ban that portion. I had to really think about that. I'm the last person who is all for saving people who feel the need to do stupid dangerous things. People want to go ahead and be ass hats with their own bodies and lives, have at it, but when you drag another into it, especially one who really can't voice an opinion, it changes the game, at least in my mind. In all fairness, these equine athletes are very well taken care of, no doubt about that. It is noteworthy though, that few of these horses are actually owned by their riders. So would I ban it. No, but I sure would cut down on the number of jumps, the danger of the jumps and their placement in the course and concentrate more on flat work. I don't care what anyone says, having a horse running at a gallop for over 10 minutes on changing terrain complete with water features and steep drop offs be there 28 jumps or say only 18 well placed ones for horse and rider safety is still exciting and challenging. Here's hoping that both the riders and horses from Canada and Ireland are fit to ride another day soon.
Parting shot: Oh no, the soapbox is out!
Christmas Songs of My Ancestors: Norman French
7 hours ago