Sunday, July 13, 2008

Good tools make half the work

That's a Dutch way of saying that it's good to have good tools, as they make your work so much easier. It's always true, but especially with sewing machines. My Bernina sewing machine is such a fine machine to work with, especially when it comes to buttonholes. I didn't make bound buttonholes as Joyce thought. If I had wanted that, I should have made them in an earlier stage.

I made ordinary machine buttonholes, but added a thread while sewing them, so that they would stand out a bit more clear. The special buttonhole foot for my machine makes making buttonholes so easy, and for the extra thread you just fasten it and sew. No need to hold the thread.

After sewing the buttonhole, you just pull the left thread until the loop is at the start of the buttonhole, in this way the opening of the buttonhole is reinforced and its a bit thicker. Just cut away the remaining thread.

The result: 9 (including sleeve) identical buttonholes in half an hour.

The lining took me another evening, but the jacket is completely finished now.


Pictures of the finished jacket


Extra space - Don't know what happens here.






















And to finish this post: thank you all for your nice comments on the jacket when it was not even finished yet. It's was inspiring to know that some of you were following my way through this project.

A special thanks to Kate on her comment made this week telling that she got interested in sewing again. Kate: I did make clothes too that I should have known from the start that they wouldn't suit me. It does happen occasionally still. But in the end you just know what styles suits you and what not, either rtw or not. And when I doubt a style, I've learned the past two years just to make a muslin. It saves money and frustration.

32 comments:

  1. Beautiful jacket, Sigrid! What a wonderful color for summer and fall. I know you will enjoy this and wear it often.

    Great job!

    Lynda

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beautiful, classic jacket. I imagine you will get a lot of wear from this garment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful jacket. Enjoy wearing it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You look awesome! Great jacket.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely jacket, Sigrid! Very flattering on you too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pretty pretty jacket

    ReplyDelete
  7. STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a Bernina and my buttonholes don't look that good. The jacket fits to perfection and is so classy looking. did you adjust the settings for the buttonholes? Gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gorgeous jacket! I bet you'll get a lot of wear out of it. It's such a beautiful, timeless design.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Outstanding! Such perfect fit, so it looks wonderful on you.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh Sigrid, what exquisite work! i just love the fabric and how beautifully the jacket fits you.

    I am a big fan of good tools, too. I don't play very often, but I was a professional musician in early adulthood. It was the same thing- having the very best instrument possible made it easier, therefore the most beautiful music possible.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your jacket is just fabulous! I loved your mini-tut on buttonholes also.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Perfection! I know you'll enjoy wearing this jacket for many years to come! You look terrific in it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The jacket looks great and suits you beautifully - it's a real keeper.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh it's such a wonderful jacket...I love the color, styling, lining and of course the buttons and buttonholes! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  15. The jacket is so pretty! I agree with you about the good tools. Just last week I bought a binder foot and a piping foot and they have changed my sewing already!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful Sigrid! Just beautiful. I wish my Husqvarna had a buttonhole foot like your Bernina.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I absolutely love this jacket. I hope to make some jackets for fall and I only hope they turn out as great as this one.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Gorgeous jacket, it really looks wonderful on. Buttonholes are the only thing I don't like on my old sewing machine, it might be time to upgrade soon....

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wat een mooi jasje is het geworden!

    ReplyDelete
  20. lovely touch on the sleeves...the extra button. looks great. nice look to the lining (even if it's not seen!)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow Sigrid, your jacket is really perfect. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wonderful jacket!

    I agree about Bernina's buttonholes. Every other machine I've owned promised perfect buttonholes, but Bernina is the only one that produced them. Do you have the buttonhole leveling attachment for bulky fabrics? That's another tool that w ill save you work.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sigrid, your jacket is so beautiful. What a classic style and color.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sigrid, your jacket is lovely. The fabric is classy and the lining is just right. Perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  25. So elegant! The corded buttonholes are just the right touch for the texture of the fabric. I'm sure you will be enjoying this jacket for a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Beautiful jacket. I love the extra attention to the button holes. I've never made corded buttonholes. You make it look so easy. It's definitely on my to try list. Thanks for reviewing the process.

    ReplyDelete
  27. It's amazing what a good pressing will do for a jacket. You were concerned about the extra room at the back, but it looks perfect now that it's finished. It really is perfect for your figure and beautiful, and I am jealous of those buttonholes!

    ReplyDelete
  28. This is quite, quite nice. You're going to love wearing this elegant jacket!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sigrid .- nice jacket. the result is wonderful. Thanks for the tutorial on the buttonholes, is perfect. greetings, Paco

    ReplyDelete
  30. The jacket is absolutely beautiful, Sigrid, and it looks great on you! I also loved how you picked the darker shade in the fabric for the buttonholes thread. Very stylish!

    ReplyDelete
  31. your jacket is just beautiful. Great worksmanship - as usual :-)

    ReplyDelete