Another scattered update, with a bonus DIY question

[cupcake_goth]

• The weekend was good, if very very busy. The Fremont Solstice Parade was grand fun (just like it always is), I bought some shiny things at Thea's yard sale, and I spent the evening eating sugary treats with friends at the Science Fiction Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Oh, and I got to chat with one of my favorite authors, who was as charming and friendly as ever. (And I finally remembered to get a photo taken with him, and yes, I'll be posting it eventually.)
  
  Sunday was lunch with the parents (yay!), then trying to get the house ready to let loose the boykitties. Which ran over into Monday ...



• I took Monday off from work as a mental health day, and promptly spent the entire day working myself into a frazzled mess by cleaning the main portion of the house. Dusting! RE-organizing! Moving things around! You see, we're hoping to let the boykitties out of quarantine in the next few days, and the house was in no state to have very curious and active young cats rampaging through it. Not exactly how I'd choose to spend a mental health day, but it had to be done.
  
  But after the frantic cleaning, there was meeting minim_calibre and her hubby for her birthday dinner, which was all sorts of relaxing and nice.



• DIY question: I was waffling on asking about this, because it's something I've seen on eBay, and I prefer to support small designers and not swipe their designs. But, I've now seen this style of customized jacket offered by two or three different sellers, so I (mostly) feel okay with trying to figure out how to make one myself. So! People who are good at sewing and/or design, please take a look at these two jackets: Jacket 1 Jacket 2
  
  I think that what is being done is the various sellers are taking a women's suit jacket, shortening the front to just above hip-length (and adding lace trim), and then attaching a quarter or half circle of fabric that's covered in ruffles to the back. But I'm not sure, which is why I'm asking for help.
  
  I'm really tempted to see what other ones the seller for Jacket 2 offers, buy one, and examine how it's made in addition to cheerfully wearing it, but that seller hasn't offered one in quite the right size range for me (they're all either too big or too small). But I adore the look of those jackets, and really really want one a few in my wardrobe.

Comments

[spitkitten.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what thery look like, with the addition of grommeting at the back for the lacing. Not sure if they just add the grommets or cut/tailored the back--can't tell from photos.

They are super cute.

[martygreene.livejournal.com]

The sleeves on at least the first one are an older style than modern jackets- see how they curve and have an "elbow" to them? I'd say take a victorian pattern such as one of the basques or jackets from Truly Victorian, and modify it. Their patterns have been a gdsend to me, and they come with instructions which are easy to follow on how to adjust the sizing, so it fits just right. Here... One of these should work well for it: http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog/428.html
http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog/464.html
http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog/405.html

I've made that last one, and it came out beautifully.

[cherryheavy.livejournal.com]

re: DIY

I think that you can take any jacket, recut it to slope down the back, and attach a mock bustle to it. Bustles are not just a strip of fabris with ribbons sewn to it.

Butterick patterns with bustles:
http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B3737=x&TI='bustle'&page=1

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B4157=x&TI=10013&page=6

You might find good help with some of those.

Good luck! You should post a picture of what you end up making! I'm always wishing to see the outfits you describe.

[mineke.livejournal.com]

Many suit-jackets you can buy are going to be pretty boxy and these are nicely fitted around the waist, which cannot really be acheived with the lacing up the back since that would create a lot of bulk.

I've never had much success with modifying, I'd be tempted to just do it from scratch.

Thanks to the above person for the website! I think I'll be frequenting it regularly now ;)

[mme-moonpie.livejournal.com]

If you want to start from a pattern, I think it would be easiest to start with a close fit (princess seams or front and back waist darts) and a two-piece sleeve. The back seams (princess- or waist-darts) will give you a good place to anchor your ribbon loops (or loops and d-rings) for the lacing. And, the two-piece sleeves will be a good place to add godets of fabric or lace (or to widen the sleeve width) to achieve the full sweep of the sleeve that you like.

Here are some candidates for patterns that might be a good place to start (I included both high-neck and open-gore designs):
Vogue 7467, 8260 or 8087
Simplicity 4489
McCalls 4841, 4928 or 5106
Different but nifty: Folkwear's Belgian military chef's jacket (very riding-jacket-like!)

I wonder if you are like me -- more imagination and vision than actual time to carry through? :-)

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you are like me -- more imagination and vision than actual time to carry through? :-)

Oh yes, absolutely. I have all SORTS of grand ideas for clothing projects, but hardly any time to sit down and work on them. :)

You might check these out:

[robespierrette.livejournal.com]

Here's a link to the Truly Victorian (http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog/bustlecat.html) "early bustle" section of their pattern catalog. I thought TV405 and TV410 (down towards the bottom of the page) might be interesting to you. The first one is all one piece, though it gives the effect of a vest and jacket. Pattern TV428 on this page (http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/catalog/naturalcat.html) might be of interest as well. I've worked with historic patterns, and they aren't super-simple, but it's waaaay better than no pattern, or trying to adjust from an unsuitable pattern.

apropos to nothing...

[durtro93.livejournal.com]

because we all know that I have zero fashion sense nowadays :)

did your get your dollies? I sent them to Alexia's a few weeks back... easier to get them over to you that way ;)

Re: apropos to nothing...

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I was *just* looking for your email! Yes, I got the dollies, and they are sitting on my desk right now. Thank you so much!

[valerian.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, I might have to do something about this too. Gorgeous jackets, but the sizing is really messed up - a 36 bust with a 34 waist? Come on now, most of us aren't shaped like lumpy tubes...

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I know! And the main reason I'm interested in altering an existing jacket is, well, I don't have the patience to make an entire jacket from scratch. Much too complicated for my level of sewing skill.

[schmi.livejournal.com]

OMG did you meet Neil? I completely forgot that he was going to be in town on Saturday. :(