Phew!

I'm so pleased with how these sleeves came out. I used fleece as a sleeve head support, which is the first time I've tried this technique and it really makes such a nice job.

I had to pull in the centre back and add darts to get enough shaping through the back. It creates some funny effects with the houndstooth.

I'm so glad I got to reuse the lining as well. I thought it was beautiful. Because I pinched the facings to make my side panels I had to buy some plain fabric to replace the original facings.

Well, I'm done.  I'm really pleased with the result.  Surprisingly so, there were times I would have given up on it except my husband was breathing down my neck, "don't make Georgio turn in his grave" "he's not dead yet" "oh well don't make Georgio spin in his rocking chair."   (This jacket was originally an 80's power Armani RTW jacket of my husband's that he never wore.)

This sew along means different things to different people. For some, it's the opportunity to create something of workmanship of the highest quality - the quilted lining, the 3 piece sleeve, the meticulous fit. For others, it's about creating timeless style - the patch pockets, the buttons, the tweed, the trim. For me it's more about sewing in the Chanel spirit. Taking a piece of menswear, and turning it into women's wear in a simple, fitted style. 

I learned a lot about refashioning, that's for sure. I have a deeper respect both for its ethos and the skill it takes to work with small pieces of precut fabric.  Most of the decisions I made for this jacket were predetermined by the original pocket and seam lines.  

I understood something about the proportions of the Chanel - style jacket. The pattern I chose works because the broad shoulder is balanced by the jacket finishing at the fullest part of the hip, and the waist pulled in through the princess seams. It creates the perfect hour glass. Because of the position of the original welt pockets I couldn't actually follow that, and it's a little disappointing. But this is refashioning, you have to work with what you've got.

I wish I could show you a picture of it on me that reflects the work that has gone into this jacket. But that would mean getting up, and glamming up early before my husband left for work. Fat chance, so it's down to the ol' soft focus camera in the mirror trick.   You get the gist. I am now going to sit back and enjoy reading all about your hard work .... in my warm and snuggly Chanel style jacket, of course.

From this:

To this:

2 steps forward, one step backward.

I know most of you are just getting acquainted and here I am forging ahead. The thing is, I sew what I have an interest in, and I do it step by step ( in most cases, sew 2 seams, unpick 1) until I'm finished. I don't keep a stash of patterns or fabric. I start a project, I work my way though it, and then I finish it. I choose my next project, buy the fabric and start all over again. So you see, now I've started this jacket I have to work to the end. 

I did manage to make up the side seams by stealing the inside facing. I even managed to make them match! I put in my princess seam darts and then followed through with a tuck to the pocket.  I'm being humbled by this process: I used to mock faux anything. I've now got a faux princess tuck, and I'm contemplating faux pockets, by running my trim from the corner of one (pre-existing welt pocket) to the other edge in a curve like a tidy wee Chanel patch pocket. What's the world coming to! 

Because of all my tight cutting I fused the entire front and back with interfacing - and used fusible interfacing for the facings and collars. It's just not strong enough though, the collar's not sitting well through the roll line and I think it's because the undercollar isn't supporting the collar enough. I am now going to go back and herringbone stitch (catch stitch) in some hair canvas. That's a good evening in front of the telly.

I've just pinned my black retro buttons on to see how they look. Sometimes houndstooth can look dangerously like clown suit fabric and I was worried by how round and shiny these buttons are, but I think they're OK. Won't be accesorizing this with a plastic red nose though, and my shoes will be not be large and pointy.

Refashioning a jacket is much much harder work than sewing a new one from scratch. Just thought I'd put that out there for my sew along buddies who are also refashioning something. Mind you, I think I'm the only one who's taken a jacket that was too small and tried to refashion it larger.

Oh and here's the original for you to compare my progress. In case you are thinking it looks too nice to be cut up, let me say that this jacket had shoulder pads to rival a grid iron player. It was more 80's than Dynasty.

The muslin

Well for those of you who like your sewing in detail, here's the work that's gone on behind this muslin. If you've just joined this sewalong, let me fill you in on 2 key details - I am sewing a 1970 "chanel type" Simplicity jacket pattern using an old unworn (Armani) jacket of my husband's which I unpicked.

I traced out my unpicked Armani pieces onto calico (muslin) marking the original lines, grain lines, pockets, button holes as well as the pocket linings so that I could see where I would need to cut, and where I couldn't cut. 

I did a tissue fit, I wasn't sure what to expect as this is a 1970 pattern which uses a smaller sloper than today, and it is a 16 which is a size bigger than my usual starting point. The tissue fit suggested my usual enormous FBA but also a slight hip decrease.

I then altered my tissue pieces - the back princess seams I joined together because my fabric pieces have a centre back seam and I have to keep to that. The front I joined together because of the welt pocket that would run in the middle. I decided to replace the princess seams with a princess dart - joined at the bottom up to the welt pocket, then sewn together in 2 pieces like a french dart thereafter.

I then laid out the tissue pieces on top of my calico and cut within the seam lines. I was even able to sneak in a collar in the back piece! Nice to have the option.                                                                       

There is a small shortfall between the original jacket and the tissue - men don't have boobs or butts, darn it!  I am hoping to sneak out the shortfall by using the inside facings, but I might have to revert to plan B, which is to use a black "racing stripe" under the arms.  

Decision made.

Today while I was in Salvage ( a vintage supply shop near where I live) I found this retro (1970) Chanel jacket pattern.

I've long wanted to do something with this jacket purchased over 20 years ago by my husband for many hundreds of pounds in London and worn twice. That's not the travesty it sounds: neither the cut nor the colour suit him

The quality of the hounds tooth and the lining make it worth trying to salvage something out of (check out the pedigree on the button, yes, it really is vintage Armani).

Yes, I will have to do a lot of unpicking. Yes, I will have to do a lot of careful and clever cutting and some delicate reseaming. Yes, I'm up for the challenge.

My inspiration(s)

This fabric says Chanel Nana chic to me, don't know about you. It's a wool tweed, in aqua and granny lavender. Ever since I saw it I have wanted to make something with it, but I didn't buy it because I know where fabric crushes can lead. To that dead end one way ticket to never being made into anything called "stash".

When I heard about the sew along I knew I had a reason to purchase it and a reason to make it into something. This channel hip length jacket is my inspiration (sorry, don't know where I lifted it from for my inspiration board so can't credit it), but I'm still keeping my mind open, plenty of time. After all, Chanel jackets are not made overnight.