19

I've finally begun making my jacket and I'm really excited at the prospect of making something other than a dress. I'm using a block for a women's tailored jacket which hasn't actually been tested yet and have encountered a few problems already! The first alteration I had to make was to square off the bottom of the jacket which was simple enough. I also had to change the collar from a notch collar to a shawl collar which wasn't difficult either. As i began to assemble the actual garment however, i soon realised something wasn't right. The side panel wasn't lining up and there was excess fabric on the seam down the arms. Having altered both of these we realised the 'block' I had used was actually a pattern, meaning I had added seam allowance which wasn't necessary! This turned out to be less of an issue than i had first feared and I was relieved to hear I wouldn't have to redo my whole pattern. I simply trimmed off the excess centimetre from each pattern pieces.

Once I had trimmed the pattern I decided the collar was a little thin, so enlarged it on the pattern. The last thing I needed to do was add a small amount of ease into the top of the sleeve as it was lying completely flat. I did this by slashing and spreading, adding 1cm.

The lining and facing were pretty easy as they weren't too dissimilar to the actual pattern so this didn't take long at all. I've yet to sample and add pockets and the box pleat at the back but so far its looking good. I can't seem to find the fabric I want in the exact colour but once I do I cant wait to see it finished!