Skip to main content

Made By A Fabricista: A Velveteen Blazer


It's blazer season, people!  My pattern is Burda 8/2015 #106A.  Of course I had to choose black velveteen from Fabric Mart, it's a magnet for every bit of cat fur and lint to float through my house. But what did surprise me was how lovely it was to pre-wash. Because it's 100% cotton it washed and tumbled dry beautifully. 


Then I went and chose a faux leather for the shoulder and pocket details... which was a fine enough material but it's actually a stretchy knit that ended up being a bit of a pain in the butt after it was sewn up. Let's look inside to see what's going on in there.


I used a sew-in hair canvas for the front lapel/back neck for some structure... but oh my goodness, I did not pad stitch it! Yes, this was a conscious choice because I did not want a very stiff look, just a softly-firm structure, if that makes sense?! I used an iron-on weft insertion for all of my other pattern pieces to give the fabric a bit more umph-- but opted not to used it in the sleeves. I made sleeve heads from the hair canvas. The shoulder details have the same weft interfacing adhered to it, but I added a layer of the velveteen because it needed to be hefted up. The faux leather is super thin. But I confess this detail ended up less the perfect-- in hindsight I needed a beefier material there that wasn't a slippery mess that rumples up just by looking at it.  But alas!! Sewing is an adventure and not everything we sew is picture perfect every single time, amiright!?! 


What do I really like about this in the end? The puffy sleeves are super cute, they are nicely supported between the lining and the sleeveheads, keeping them fluffed up and full. The sleeves are two pieces, allowing for a really nice fit. I made up a muslin (which I forgot to photograph, of course) in my standard Burda size 42 grading at the hip to about a 46. I also added 1" length to the sleeves and bodice, both normal alterations for me. The only change to the pattern was added about a 1/2" extra total to the front lower bodice to fit my figure better.


Okay, so my very favorite part is the lining.  It's a super hot red poly satin from Fabric Mart.  It has more substance than a charmeuse would and feels really nice. I had the buttons in my stash, given to me a few years back.


Although this blazer isn't as perfect as planned, I'll still wear.  I flipped it inside out to take pics of the lining, and my son said to put it on... and he liked it that way instead. He's got good taste.



Happy Blazer Sewing!
~Kathy
Kathy Sews

Comments

  1. Its beautiful Kathy and so very inspiring! I love sewing jackets but I have yet to adventure into sew in hair canvas! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I looks like it turned out really nice. I have been working on a jacket/coat (Simplicity 1732) and was wondering if you could point me in the direction of some good tutorials on lining / interfacing for this type of garment. I really don't like the pattern direction for this project. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!! My go-to resources for sewing jackets are Tailoring (from the Singer Sewing Reference Series) as well as Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing a Jacket. Both easily available online.

      Delete
  3. I've been wanting a velveteen blazer for years-- I saw one on the cover of Ottobre once and fully intend to make it one day! Until then, I shall covet yours with its spicy lining. And hair canvas! I need to remember that, for sure. Snazzy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your blazer is a very creative item and I do like the idea of using faux leather in clothing. It can be a surprise, good and/or bad when using these new vinyls. I love the red lining. This looks really good and I like that you didn't stick to the "good old rules"...good for you. You may want to rethink the jeans...a little snug. I think this jacket would look perfect with a pair of slacks, yes, old fashioned, but traditional is always a winner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, uhm... thanks? Glad your taste on RTW jeans on a someone else's figure was clearly stated on a blog about sewing a blazer, anonymous person- so helpful on so many levels.

      Delete
    2. I had some trouble identifying myself with my last reply. I remarked on your jacket and that maybe you would want to rethink the tightness of the jeans. When one looks at you, it's the tight jeans that are noticed first and the jacket, which should be the focal point, is secondary. When you post your handmade items publicly you have to expect a bit of criticism, after all, that is how we learn. BTW, I have been sewing since 1966 and I do know what is a traditional look and that never goes out of style. barbnicoll@gmail.com

      Delete
  5. Kathy, what a wonderful job you did. It really is quite stunning. I love that style, and think I will have to attempt a similar jacket (or that one) some day!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Why Sew A Muslin

Here it is, my September blog post featuring Newlook N6692 and this pretty rayon challis from Fabric Mart! This pattern style is so in right now. The square neckline, cute puff sleeves and the tiered skirt are all exactly what I was looking for in a summer dress. As always I started with making a muslin first!  Let’s get into why it’s important to start with a muslin.  A muslin is basically a practice garment. It prevents you from cutting into your good fabric prematurely.  I usually use a muslin fabric (natural cotton) but you should also consider using a fabric that is the same weight as your fashion fabric. This will give you a truer gauge of how the garment is going to lay in the final fabric. Anytime I try out a new pattern company I make a muslin. This was my first time using a Newlook pattern so I need to know what the ease would be like for this pattern. Also I need to see how the bust would fit me and where I would need to make adjustments. Plus there were some new techniques

Made By A Fabricista: End of Summer Swimsuits

My kids have been in desperate need of new swimsuits this summer, but with a busy season of moving house and spending nearly a month in Australia, it left barely any sewing time! When I spotted a whole collection of Beach Riot swim fabric land at Fabric Mart, I knew it was just the motivation I needed to get new suits made! Last year my eldest was on swim team and I was floored at the cost of her suit - somewhere in the ballpark of $80! Using less than a yard of fabric and some elastic, swimsuits are incredibly cheap to make yourself! I ultimately selected three prints and four solids (one being a beige color I intended to use as lining), with input from my children to get their preferred designs. I made an initial sketch in Photoshop to get a visual on what they would look like, and then made a few more changes once the fabric arrived. The easiest suit to make was my son's - I used Jalie Gerald underwear and Nico raglan. This was my first time making Gerald and I loved how quickl

Made By A Fabricista: The Love of Sewing - Basic Pieces for a Beginner

Happy Friday All! It has been a while since I made myself a dress. I am excited to sew after not making anything since my last post (whew) and finally sharing some photos.  This past summer has been a roller coaster journey with plans to release a small collection and then deciding that right before the launch to postpone. Sewing has brought me joy over the past 8 years and the mere fact to sew daily for orders had me in a panic mode. I really don’t want to walk away from my craft due to burn out  and decided that if I do sew for others, it would be only for local clients. Moreover, If next year I decide to launch, it would be seasonal and not year round. I really want to share my talent and love for sewing with others but don’t want it to be a full time job and lose the passion in me.  After a bit of soul searching, teaching and sharing my talent with my community will always be my first love. For the past 2 summers, I was blessed to partner with two nonprofit organizations’ local sum