Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Tailoring Detail: Feather Stitched Lining Pleats

I'm trying a new tailoring skill with my raglan sleeve coat! My favorite reference book on the topic, Tailoring: the Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket, recommends that lining pleats should be secured with feather stitches. (If you hand embroider at all, you know that the feather stitch is a common decorative/border stitch.) Isn't that fascinating?

All you have to do is fold any pleats or darts on the pattern lines, bring the lines together, and press the bulk of the pleat toward the center of the coat. Then work a feather stitch down the edge of the pleat. I used six-strand embroidery thread. (The best instructions for a feather stitch I found are in a book I own called The Embroiderer's Handbook. You can also check out this website if you're interested.) The picture above is the top of the front lining. It's a dart in the outer coat--but as is often done, the dart is converted to a pleat to give more ease in the lining. And yeah, my stitches are uneven. I got too excited about trying out a new technique to mark my lines!

The lining will now get sewn together and then handstitched into the coat. My tailoring book doesn't give specific reasons for using a feather stitch, but I can tell you that it's incredibly strong--plus very pretty, I think. You could use contrasting thread for a little pop of hand embroidery in your coat--how couture!

20 comments:

  1. I am definitely going to use this technique in my own upcoming tailoring project. Timely advice, thanks Gertie!

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  2. Oh what a beautiful way to add a functional detail to the lining. I love the feather stitches.

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  3. Hmn, I'm about to put together the lining on my long-delayed Lady Grey. Wonder if i should do that on center back pleat? My lining fabric is a print, though, and the feather stitching likely wouldn't show up very well.

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  4. Not sure I follow along exactly- if you stitch down the pleat, don't you lose the ease that the pleat allows? Or are you just stitching the beginning of the pleat?

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  5. Hi, this is one of my first comments on your blog (which, by the way, I love).
    From personal experience (ripping linings experience, not sewing them): maybe they use feather stitch because it anchors the fabric in many different grain threads, as oposed to a straight stitch, that runs along a few grain threads of the fabric (that is usually where the linings rip. But maybe I got it all wrong, ha.

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  6. Noe, excellent points!

    Chris, you only stitch down about the first two inches of the pleat.

    Jan, yep--you can definitely use this on the center back pleat!

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  7. I love this technique! Decorative but functional. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Thank you for all the wonderful information you provide. I've been followling your blog for about two months now and I absolutely love it. I finally got brave enough to post a comment. I just want to say again thank you for sharing all your sewing skill and knowledge. I recently started sewing again after about a 30 years absence and I'm totally amazed at your blog. Sewing is so much more fun this time around.

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  9. I loved handsewing my lining, so much fun!
    A tip that might be so obvious that it's only I who missed it: to hold the lining upside down while sewing the feather stitches. I read the book way too litteral and held it as it looked in the pictures. My stitches became much more even when turning the fabric 180 =)

    I attached my lining by hand just last week, and I loved it! So easy to control puckers, ease and make sure the lining isn't too tight.

    Also, I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for all your posts on tailoring, both from sewing the red coat and the Lady Grey sewalong. I've just finished my first ever tailoring attempt (a green winter coat from a 1952 Vogue pattern) and it wouldn't have been done without your posts. I went from confused and intimidated to relaxed and inspired. I'm very happy with my new coat, and very grateful for all your work on the posts.

    So Thank you! And have fun handsewing! =)

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  10. It will be an amazing work of art when you are all done!

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  11. Excellent! It's the little couture touches (whether seen or not) that make a garment special.

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  12. Feather stitch also has a bit of give to it, unlike a straight stitch.

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  13. Thanks for clarifying Gertie:)Looking forward to seeing this coat completed. The bound buttonholes look gorgeous.

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  14. This is a very interesting technique - I must try it out on my current project!

    BTW, your stitches are just perfect. I love any type of handworked details like this.

    Thanks again, Gertie!

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  15. During this last year I have taken embroidery classes to be able to add embellishments so this is perfect synchroneity for me.

    I can recommend this site I found through taking classes. The video's there are wonderful tutorials & the feather stitch is included:

    http://www.needlenthread.com/videos

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  16. I love the links today. The tailoring book looks so helpful and specific, just what I need to get over my fear of making a coat. And the embroidery stitch website--whoa. USEFUL.

    Thanks, Gertie!

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  17. I've never seen or heard of this technique before, and I'm definitely going to try it! Thanks so much for the great insight and tutorial. I can't wait to see your coat finished in all its glory! XxxX http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.com/

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  18. I am planning on making a vintage coat myself! I love the detail and it is almost a bit flirtatious! How femine! I can't wait to do this on my own piece. Thanks Gertie!

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  19. Oh I forgot!! Is this going to be included in your book? It is soo pretty that it should be!!
    Sue

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  20. Tailoring is an expensive depending on design & requirements, it is a speculation. Finding a good tailor who can understand our requirement is very important and it is a crucial point too. Before approaching tailor for stitching our favorite clothes which is very important to get review about the tailor from others. Tailoring classes in Chennai

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

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