Friday, December 7, 2007

Two muslins

No progress on the skirt at all. I've been busy Tuesday evening and a part of Wednesday writing Sinterklaas "poetry". In Holland the 5th of December always is the moment in the year when children get presents. Sinterklaas is our Santa so to say. In the past 20-30 years the Sinterklaas event is getting less important for teenagers and grown ups, as with us too a lot of people give presents with Christmas. My family in general keeps to the old tradition, and Christmas to us is a feast of light, going to church on Christmas eve or morning, have a family diner, but no presents. Hard to understand for those grown up in another tradition I guess.

But the 5th of December is special if you do it with older children, like ours of 14 and (almost) 12 years old. We give presents and write a text that has to rhyme. And it is OK to make little jokes about someones habits or hobbies. It was great fun to hear the rhymes our children wrote, they're getting older, seeing and saying more and making good rhyming texts. I got quite some remarks about time spent on sewing sites, packages arriving with orders from overseas, and of course the time spent on sewing in general.

Enough sidetrack, back to the muslins for the BWOF jackets.
The first is for the jacket I want to make in the stitch and flip jacket class I'm going to take on Pattern Review. This class starts the coming week, so it had to be made now. The picture in the magazine doesn't do this jacket justice.

































From the linedrawing I thought the neckline might be what I was looking for and it certainly is. It is a bit standing away from the neck. I tried a jacket recently in a shop with this neckline and loved it.
I traced a size 40 and did an FBA. It's still a bit snug, and I'll add another centimeter or two in the bust. Further I'll add 3 cm in the length. Though I do that by default for blouses or t-shirts, I didn't do this now.


The other is BWOF 2007-08-115, that I loved by the picture of it in the magazine. But I'm not so sure now I made the muslin whether it is for me. This one is snug too (but I cut a 40 and did no alteration, so that's not so strange). Before taking the pictures I forgot to open the pleat in the back. It has to be longer by at least 5 centimeters for me, but my feeling is that the pleats are not wide enough for a stiff fabric. The muslin is made from remnants of light denim fabrics, and the fabric I want to use is a bit crisp brocade. I'm in doubt.

What do you think? Are there any other changes necessary for the first jacket (back?) and what is your opinion on the second one? I really appreciate your opinions.





















Q/A: Nancy asked what I wanted to use for the tabs. I planned to use a leather closing, but if I am making it, I might consider bound buttonholes and rather large buttons.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your customs! I find it interesting how each country has it's own traditions at the holidays.

    I really like the first jacket on you. Your muslin looks like mine sometimes do, made out of whatever fabric is of similar weight and not always the same print! I like the second one, but maybe it should be the same length as the first? For some reason, I like length of the first one better. I think you could just lengthen it and retain the rest of the original style of the pattern.

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  2. With the first muslin your left shoulder at the back has loose fabric. Maybe a bit of a tweek there. Otherwise it looks good.

    The second one - I think I would like it shorter. I like being able to see the waist with that style. I am planning to have a go at that one some time too.

    Thanks for sharing your customs. It sounds like a much better one that the one we have where the spirit of Christmas is lost with the gift giving.

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  3. I like the first jacket better on you. I also think that the back is maybe a bit too wide. Did you fit this with shoulder pads? That might be part of the wrinkles in the back.

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  4. I have to concur with the first 3 comments that the first jacket is the better of the two. The shape seems to be more flattering on you. The second doesn't look long enough and might bee too wide at the waist and hips for your frame.

    Also, I love to know about other holiday traditions from around the world! Thank you for sharing and I love your blog!

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  5. I also think the first jacket works best. Love the collar.

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  6. I also like the first jacket better, specially the collar; it looks perfect on you. It needs a little tweaking on the back, I think, but other than that it looks perfect to me. I love the stylelines of the second jacket but I worry that on a heavier fabric it might stand away of your waist too much... I will have my turn with this jacket soon and I'm quite curious about the way it will turn out.

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  7. Wow! The present giving part comes really early in your country...don't know if I would be ready for that! *LOL* Especially since my presents seem to happen the last 10 days before Christmas!

    As for the jackets, I think you have received really good advice. I second, Vicki's comment about removing some of the excess fabric on the first jacket.

    My only thought on the second jacket is that I wouldn't put too much effort into it because it is a very trendy jacket that might look dated even by next winter.

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  8. Thank you for sharing about your traditions. My great-great grandparents immigrated to America from Holland (Driel) over 100 years ago, so I love learning about Holland. I agree with everyone else that the first jacket is the best.

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