I had made my suit jacket from the Claire Shaeffer Canal pattern, and made only the usual changes for fit that I apply to all Vogue patterns. My idea had been to wear it with a black skirt, but my husband persuaded me that I needed to make a matching skirt. I am glad that I did, although of course I will wear it with a black skirt as well as with the matching one.
I made a muslin, and it did confirm the my thoughts on what I need to do to a pattern.
I misplaced the pattern directions after I had cut out the suit. Naturally I turned everything upside down to locate it, but it reappeared only after I had finished the suit. I did try to use Shaeffer's suggestions as much as I remembered them, but not everything was embedded in my brain. I did use the machine quilting on a piece or two, but I decided that it was too obtrusive, so I removed the quilting lines. I then stitched the lining and the face fabric together by hand, picking up just a thread or two every inch and a half. I don't think that this is truly quilting, but it isn't too far off. Only a bit shows on the lining side. After I had assembled the pieces, I hand stitched the seam allowance of one piece of lining to the matching piece of the face fabric; then I folded the seam allowance under and blind stitched it to the other seam allowance.
I followed Shaeffer's idea to follow Chanel and make the buttonholes through the face fabric and interfacing only, and then later fake bound buttonholes on the facing side. I tried to make the buttonholes by hand and decided that my machine buttonholes look better.-I would not make the bound buttonholes on the facing next time. The contrasting facing is beautiful; it really sets off the main fabric.
I used shoulder pads, because I have a body that requires them. I attached the pockets from the wrong side with cross stitches, something I learned from another Claire Shaeffer pattern years ago; it is a strong attachment and invisible from the right side. I use this for all patch pockets, and I recommend it.
The chain in the back hem is about sixteen inches long. I used a jewelry chain from Michael's Craft store. Of course a longer chain might look great, but I think that one of the reasons to use a chain is to hold the back down and balance the extra weight of all the buttons and pockets on the front.
The skirt is almost my design. I used just one piece of fabric, substituting very, very deep (about 18") darts for the side seams. The usual front and back darts are there too. I made a
deep tuck in the front of the skirt, so that it appears as though this skirt might be a wrap skirt, without the problem of a real wrap skirt's opening. It also makes matching a plaid simpler, although the fabric that I used did not require matching. Because the fabric is heavy I faced the waistband with lining fabric to eliminate some bulk. In other words I cut the waist band only 1 3/4 inches wide, then sewed and another two inch strip of the lining to one long edge. I make my waistbands one inch wide, ans I am short and I think that the narrower than usual waistband suits me. Naturally I lined the skirt, and I had to sew it from three pieces, as the lining fabric (Ambiance) is 45" wide and could not accommodate the one piece for the back and front that I used on the skirt.
This project was an extremely long one, but it was worth it. I look forward to seeing all the other jackets from the group completed.
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