Almost Ready To Suit Up!
- fabman556
- Aug 17, 2017
- 2 min read
The Seersucker Suit Project, Part Six
This ongoing project consists of two shirts, a 2-pc seersucker suit and a co-ordinating pair of linen pants.
The Liberty of London cotton lawn shirt was first..short sleeved because I miscalculated the yardage needed, thinking the fabric was wider than it actually was. (I ordered the fabric on the fly, without confirming the quantity.)
Next up was the silk broadcloth shirt, the fabric pre-washed so the shirt can go right into the washing machine. The fabric texture softened up a bit, and feels great!
The jacket is finished and has been professionally pressed. I highly recommend that step for tailored garments, because it gives them a more ready-to-wear look. (The photo was taken before the pressing.) After the jacket came back from the cleaners, I top-stitched around the lapel edge (in case anything shifted position during the pressing).
Now the matching pair of pants has been completed. I lined the pants with the same poly/cotton broadcloth used to line the jacket (Symphony from Jo-Ann Fabrics).
More Tailoring Adventures
Making pants involves such tailoring adventures as welt pockets on the back, inset pockets on the front, and a fly front. None of these elements are difficult, but they can be time-consuming, especially if you have never made them (or in my case, if it's been awhile and you need to keep checking the instruction sheet).
Tip: When you've never tried something, or if you're out-of-practice, it's always a good idea to have a dry run before cutting into your fashion fabric.
To test the rear welt pockets, front inset pockets and/or fly front, using any scrap fabric, cut just enough of the pattern pieces to accomplish the test (that is, no need to cut a full front or back pattern section, just the portion needed to accomplish the test). Read through all the appropriate pattern instructions before you begin.
Tip: Carefully transfer all the markings from the pattern pieces to the fabric for best accuracy (I use a water-soluble marker), and baste layers together where necessary to secure your work (I use a long machine stitch so it goes in quickly and comes out easily).
When In Doubt, Look For A Video
There are quite a few YouTube videos on pockets and fly fronts. Although they are not specific to your pattern, watching how others demonstrate the various techniques may be helpful for understanding the concept. I find it's always easier to be shown, rather than to read about how to do it.
For rear welt pockets, check out this video from Craftsy:
For fly fronts, check out this video from MassArt Fashion Department:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hsd0xMQtNw
Don't be intimidated by tailoring. Just follow the steps in order, and test the technique on scrap fabric until you have everything mastered. And don't forget, there's a wealth of information online that can give you confidence to tackle these!
The Final Segment
Now that I have refreshed myself on rear welt pockets, front inset pockets and fly fronts while making the seersucker pants, the co-ordinating linen pants should be faster and easier to complete. And watching these videos has inspired me to incorporate some new steps in my own routine; this is how we learn from each other and develop our own best practices!
Until next time, keep those sewing machines humming!
DTFM
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