Tux jacket conversion

[Bugbear]

Ah! The discription of the epaulettes procedure makes perfect sense now.

[sydnie7]

Now the real fun part -- the front cutaway. I'd chalked a line based on borrowed PC, then modified it to accommodate the end of lapel's satin edging. Here, I've cut a piece of legal-sized paper to align with the chalk mark and make my pattern.


My pattern represents the finished line I want, so I have to cut outside the pattern for some hem allowance. Here I'm using a seam gauge to cut one inch outside my pattern. Lot of allowance, but it's easier to trim it narrower than to make it wider after cutting


Note that I've only cut the outermost layer of wool at this time -- leaving all the gizzards intact to be dealt with later.


You can't tell in this light, but the pattern is still pinned in place. I've turned the jacket upside down and am folding the hem allowance in, pressing in little bits as I go.


Then I pressed the entire curve from the right side, using a pressing cloth to avoid creating a shiny surface on wool (no pics, really nothing to see there folks).

Here is the first curve pressed into place, next to the uncut side of jacket.

[sydnie7]

Same process for the other side, flipping the paper pattern over to create mirror image. Well, almost mirror -- here's my first try.


I wasn't happy with the little pointy edges along that second curve, so I pressed those areas flat and tried again. Still not as smooth a curve but better, I think.


Now to deal with all those inner layers. First, pockets marked for machine stitching (to shorten them to new length of jacket -- I'm taking 3.5 inches off the bottom hem).


And a pocket stitched and trimmed to its new length.

[ChattanCat]

Yup, great start. um, need to cut the inards...

[ChattanCat]

Hey, you posted while I was... ok inards trimmed... The rounded taper is difficult to make even. I usually press after sewing the curve, don't know if this would help but it works for me.

[sydnie7]

Laid the newly curved, pressed jacket front smoothly down on top of the original layers of lining, hair canvas, etc. Used a ball-point pen to trace the new curve onto the hair canvas.


Then folded the jacket front away from hair canvas so I could start cutting.


I want the hair canvas to lie just inside the curved hem, so I cut slightly inside of the ball-point pen marking line.


Laid the jacket front back down into position and, using the seam gauge, cut the jacket front lining (the wool strip that comes down from lapel) leaving an inch of allowance. This turned out to be too much, so I later trimmed it to about 1/2 inch or so.


Still have a length of seam tape to deal with. I threaded up a needle and basted the seam tape along the new cut edge of hair canvas. Being bias tape, it curves nicely. This is just a loose running stitch, nothing fancy as it will never again see the light of day.

[sydnie7]

Turned up the lapel lining piece and pressed it into place. Notice that my pins are way out of the work area -- they are holding the various jacket layers together, but leave room for work and iron.


Folded, pressed, and trimmed the back, straight edge of jacket. I've opened up the side seams for vents, will make the vents a little deeper in my next steps.


So far I've just hacked off a few inches from bottom of jacket's body lining. Original jacket had a really nice design with some "give" built into the bottom edge of lining, yet secured so it would never droop and show below the outer hem. I'll probably try to recreate some version of that, but first I need to stitch up the front curves -- which means getting away from this computer for a while -- and feeding Bob some dinner.

See you all later!

[sydnie7]

Last bit of work for the evening.

Worked up one of the flaps for side vents. Used fabric cut from the front of jacket, as it was size needed and already had some nice pressed/hemmed edges. Fabric doesn't have a "twill" or similar weave that I can see, so it doesn't matter that these little pieces are going to sit 90 degrees from their original orientation. Here is one piece next to its vent.


Pinned in place, right sides together. I've lined up the pre-hemmed bottom edge of flap just slightly higher than jacket hem, so the flap won't droop beneath the jacket. I'll start stitching precisely at the top of the vent. I have already opened up this seam allowance and reinforced the stitching where the vent ends and the side seam begins.


Plunging the machine needle in just at the top of the vent. Note that the free side of vent (green-headed pin) is folded out of the stitching line, so it won't get caught up.


Flap stitched in place (there's that green pin again).


Vent flap laid flat, over the flap.


Some vented jackets have a visible line of stitching that runs from the top of the vent, at an angle, toward the "flap" side of jacket. This anchors the top of the flap and helps reinforce the area. I didn't want a visible line of stitching, so I unfolded the seam and stitched only the seam allowance to the flap, beginning at the top of the vent and angling upward. Once I get the lining tacked down in this area, I think it will be robust enough for the application -- dancing yes, caber tossing maybe not!

Then I hand-sewed the lining to the pressed, curved cutaway front jacket edges. Don't know where that photo went! But I'll continue the saga tomorrow. Thanks for coming along for the ride so far!

[Bugbear]

Sounds good, and quite a bit like the sport jacket conversions work.

I extended my vent flaps to the center of the back, then attached their upper corners to a tab I sewed to the center seam allowances. I can see how what you did would work too.

[sydnie7]

Sounds good, and quite a bit like the sport jacket conversions work.

I extended my vent flaps to the center of the back, then attached their upper corners to a tab I sewed to the center seam allowances. I can see how what you did would work too.

So far, it is much like a sports jacket conversion. My big challenge will be the "dressy" parts -- pocket flap and cuff treatments -- as I still don't know what will look best with the shawl collar. I'll be working on those later today, after a bunch of errands this morning.

Full-width vent flaps, eh? Interesting solution to the problem. I think it would add too much bulk to this jacket, but I'll keep it in mind for heavier tweeds.

I did nip in the waist, too, as MoR suggested. Probably nipped in too much over too short a run, but it will stay that way, not going to rip out and re-do it. I know it will look better after a good press and with lining adjusted to match the new curve.

On with the day!