One year ago I promised my husband an Edwardian coat for the ball in San Francisco. It took much of the year to find an acceptable fabric (price, weight and color). The pattern (Butterick 3721) was a size too small and needed grading as well as fitting besides being a costume pattern so it had no tailoring instructions at all.(I took the 2 piece sleeve from Vogue 8097.) I bought a 19th century pattern making book (to much work although not by much) and a book on tailoring mensware and began just after Thanksgiving to hand tailor the inner front of the coat. I now know why men can put anything in a jacket pocket and it doesn’t sag, I understand a lot more about seam control, I will never again use fashion fabric on the under collar of my own blazers and I will (probably) never do this again.
The jacket took all my free time for 7 weeks (yes around Christmas and New Years, I am fortunate to have 5 daughters). In the final week I made the vest, and my own jacket (Butterick 4954), skirt and under skirt.(my own designs) None of these were sewen to last, just look acceptable and we had a wonderful time.
He looks so distiguished!
He looks so distinguished! (Sorry for the misspelling in my earlier post)
I saw your mens coat and it was very lovely. I am in a quandry because I have to sew a military jacket for my son to be worn at a wedding. I am a little confused because the pattern tells me nothing about tailoring.Did you put interdacing in all of the coat front? I have a tailoring manual but it seems like there is so much to read and understand. I have McCalls4745 costume jacket and pants, but I only need the jacket. Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated. thanks