New jacket from strips and remnants

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

I've just finished a new project that's been swimming around in my head for quite a while. I fell in love with our stretch denim fabric, Dappled, from a couple of years ago, but by the time I decided I really wanted to make something from it we had only remnants left. I took home the two small pieces, both under a yard, and tried to find something to coordinate with it, while the ideas tumbled around in my brain. Finally I found sampling strips of another fabric, Brown Sugar Denim, and the design started to gel. I used Vogue 2793, an Oscar de la Renta jeans jacket pattern that's now discontinued. After sketching a couple of variations on where I wanted to use the print and the solid fabrics, I chose my favorite and cut out the pattern. Testing a couple of interfacings took some more time, but I finally began sewing the jacket 2 weekends ago, when I needed some therapeutic sewing time on a project for myself (rather than doing clients' alterations, which is where my sewing time usually goes.

I brought the partially finished jacket into work with me last Friday, for help in choosing buttons. Barb worked with me, and after discarding most of the ideas in buttons that matched colorwise, I chose Tartlet, because its brushed metal surface and iridescence played up the Dappled fabric beautifully, and it suited my vision of a traditionally styled jeans jacket with a twist.

Here's a photo of the jacket front. It doesn't fit my dress form as well as it fits me; the form is set up for draping my daughter's gown for her October wedding, and I didn't want to mess up the draping by unpinning it to reset the form!

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Here's the back of the jacket:

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

And a closer shot of the cuff and sleeve:

Carole · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:24 pm Post subject:

Cute jacket Janee. I liked the Dappled denim too, and it is well suited to your jacket pattern. The Tartlet button is perfect also. I've used that one a couple of times and it really fits with so many fabrics. Thanks for the photo!

TuBLe47 · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 11

I love the combination of the two fabrics. They compliment each other and give your jacket a very sophisticate look. You did a good job in laying out the print fabric on the jacket. It gives me some idea to use matching fabric like such in my future projects!

Lois · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject:

Janee - Your jacket is gorgeous. So well made - just perfect. The fabric combination is interesting to the eye and will be a head turner. I was interested in your comments about sketching and planning the project. I never sketch, but got interested in the concept after reading a recent article in Threads. You probably saw it - the author suggested taking a photo of your body (in leotard, or underwear) to get a silhouette of your shape. Then photocopy the result, and sketching ideas to determine how particular pattern shapes and fabric will look in reality. How do you sketch - strictly free form or do you use a silhouette of your body?

Oh - and I love your button choice - they really work for this jacket.

Lois

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Lois (and all who've posted about my denim jacket),

Thanks for the compliments! I was worried that this might not turn out to my liking, but I'm very pleased with the combination. I haven't worn it yet, as it's been a bit too hot here for it, but I'm looking forward to it.

About sketching for design ideas - I never thought I could do it, either - my sons got the artist gene in the family, at least for drawing. I consider myself an interpreter, not a designer, and never really learned to draw my ideas. But 12 years ago when the PACC conference was held here in Boston I took a 2 hour seminar in beginning fashion illustration, and I've been hooked ever since. We used templates - drawings of model-proportioned bodies, you know - the ones with legs a mile long and very unreal proportions - front and back, tucked them under a sheet of tracing paper, then drew the garment. We learned different swirls to show flare at the hemline, ruffles, pleats, a wedding gown train, etc. I keep all the samples I drew, some of which are in steps that show the process, with my pad of tracing paper, and pull it out when I'm working with a client (or myself) on a design.

Even better, I bought a set of drawing templates and pad from another PACC member about two years ago - it has 8 or more body types shown both front and back, and gives a more accurate silhouette for real figures. The artist made the poses a bit awkward in an attempt to be realistic, but I find the image of the garment created over these templates gives a better picture of what the chosen style might look like on the body - an effective argument to use against some style choices! This is pretty much what the Threads article you mentioned is aimed to do. Gail Grigg Hazen also wrote about a technique of creating a "croquis" from a Polaroid photo, and that's the same idea.

Don't be afraid to sketch - once I have the basic silhouette traced over the template, I remove the template and sketch in the details. It's also useful to be able to trace over the first design to make changes, or add another garment to the outfit, etc. If I had a scanner, I'd show the sketches I made for this jacket - but I'd encourage you to try it! If you ever have a change to take a fashion illustration course, I'd recommend it.