Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Coat Vlog #3: Shaping the Back and Shoulder


I'm back with another video installment on my coat-making progress! In this edition, I show you my muslin back stay and demonstrate easing in the back shoulder seam and stabilizing it with twill tape.

Erica B. is damn good at tailoring, and I kept referring back to this post she did on shaping a jacket back. Look at one of these fab pictures she took of her process!


I was so worried about making a back stay until I saw this picture. So thank you, Erica!

21 comments:

  1. Hi Gertie,

    I just want to say how much I am enjoying this series. It's very interesting. I can't wait to see the finished product.

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  2. Gertie,

    You're doing a fabulous job and I'm loving your vlogs! I can't wait to see the finished coat!

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  3. Gertie, you're so talented and I love your blog and vlogs! Could we have a camera pan around your sewing room please (I'm so nosey!)

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  4. why do you start the twill tape in a 1/4 in? is that the seam allowance?

    and what kind of machine do you have that beeps at you and has red and green stop and go lights?

    I LOOOVE your shirt!

    The vlogs are awesome and very helpful or they will be very shortly as my aunt has asked me to make her a coat.

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  5. Nice vlog, Gertie! I cannot tell you how impressed I am that you can sew that seam with pins. Or that your machine can baste reliably. I would hand-baste that sucker for sure. Also nice job explaining the back stay.

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  6. I bought the Tailoring book you suggested, but seeing you do the same steps as in the book is SO very helpful!

    Also, tell your husband he's adorably geeky. I'd be envious, but mine is geeky and adorable too!

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  7. these vlogs are great! Am more excited about your coat than the jacket I just finished because yours is RED and you're doing such a nice, neat, careful job despite the feline helper. Nice machine, btw, what make is it?

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  8. Hi! Thanks for the vlog! I really want to see when you do the sleeves, are you gonna make "tailor" sleeves?( sorry I don't know how they are called in english, but translating the spanis word in english is "tailor sleeves") or are you gonna do normal sleeves?
    I hope you can read my comment and of course I would like to have an answer.
    THANKS! =)

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  9. Amy, I think you start a quarter inch in on the twill tape so that the shoulder seam eases up just a little bit more to prevent stretching and such. Did it make sense the way I put it in the video? You make a chalk mark a quarter inch into the tape and then match the mark up with the edge of your fabric. Effectively, you're just shrinking an extra quarter inch out of the seam.

    My machine is a Brother PC-420. It's the Project Runway edition that I got for a fabulous price on HSN. It has a lot of fancy bells and whistles, but I'm actually thinking of upgrading to something with a better stitch quality.

    And yes! I'll show you the sewing room. Just as soon as I tidy it up. :)

    Lizzy, do you mean a two-piece sleeve? That is standard for tailored garments, but I'm actually using the one-piece sleeve that came with the pattern. I didn't mind the look of it when I made the muslin, so I'm not going to worry about it. There's too much other stuff to worry about! I am going to set the sleeve with tailoring methods and use a sleeve head and shoulder pad, though.

    Thanks for all the encouragement!

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  10. Another great vid! I'm really digging these. Its like vicariously making the project! Two requests- yes, I'd love to see a pan around your sewing room, as like Jane I am a nosey-parker. Also, more Pip-ketteh. Just a bit more Pip at the end. for us ketteh-obsessed sewers- the non-kitteh-obsessed can turn off at that point ;o)

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  11. I'm loving the coat tutorials, too- great use of the vlog!

    I love that you have curtains out of that "Nouveau Bouquet" fabric I was so delirious about, but didn't make up my mind what to do with before everyone sold out of it. :)

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  12. Thanks so much for these videos. I will reference them for when I'm brave enough to tackle a coat one of these days.

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  13. Your machine plays "Red Light, Green Light!" How cool!
    I am so not ready to make a coat. But someday...

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  14. This is great - is actually building up my confidence to perhaps tackle a coat in the new year! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

    Also: your shirt is amazing. It's not the keyhole blouse option from the new Colette range, is it?

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  15. Lexi, the top is an Ann Taylor sweater that I refashioned by taking in, cutting a keyhole neckline and adding some ruching and pleats too! It had a bit of a dowdy boxy shape to it that I decided just wouldn't do! :)

    EmilyKate, Pip is totally flattered that you want to see more of her. She's getting ready for her close-up. We'll have to get Henry in on the action too!

    Hilary, I was wondering when someone would recognize the Nouveau Bouquet!

    More vlogs to come! When I'm done, I'll put them all in order in one post so you can easily reference them if you want to make a tailored coat yourself. :)

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  16. Again, thanks for making these. I tend to research a topic to death to ensure I am doing things "correctly" and I find your coat Vlogs very useful in my own coat sewing.

    You need to get a DVR to record Empire - that's what we did. Then we can watch it later, after we sew.

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  17. Hi Gertie,
    I love your blog and I'm loving the vlogs! And dreaming about one day having the nerve to tackle a coat project - yours is going to be beautiful!

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  18. Aww! I don't know how to sew very well, but I love this video! Pip is so cute.
    xo
    Amanda

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  19. Hi Gertie! Yes, I mean two pieces sleeves, I have seen many patterns like that, specially in Burda and I find them difficult to sew, I tryed the Burda jacket 4102, and my sleeves are a disaster!
    And as I would like to see a tutorial about those sleeves I was wondering if your sleeves would be like those, but however I would like to see when you do the sleeves.

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  20. wait, gertie, can we talk about the blouse you're wearing in this video? got a pattern #?

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  21. Miss fitz, see my comment above about my top. It's a refashioned Ann Taylor sweater!

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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