Replies

1. 
   karen_morris_ | Nov 18, 2001 12:06pm | #1

   *
   Personally, I don't think I'd want to fuse to 100% camel hair; I'd use a sew-in....hopefully someone who does a lot of tailoring will offer their suggestions.

   This sounds like it's going to be a beautiful coat.

1. 
   silkscape_ | Nov 22, 2001 06:07am | #2

   *I dont' think you should have too much trouble finding flannel-backed satin. I think the major dressmaker supply catalogs have it (sewtrue.com, atlantathreads.com, oregontailor.com). If not, I know that a place called Felson Fabrics in NYC has it b/c I got some there a few years ago.As for the interfacing...I fuse just everything but the kitchen sink...but I don't think I'd fuse that!

1. 
   Lucky_Weddigen | Nov 27, 2001 06:12am | #3

   *I definitely would not fuse camel hair! This is a time for tedious but effective pad stitching and good quality hair canvas. Make sure to select the appropriate weight - too often sewer's err with one that's too stiff. You don't want to change the drape of the fabric, just stabilize it. Take a large sample of the camel hair when purchasing the interfacing. Work the two pieces together over your hand. The interfacing should "grab" the camel hair but both should flex the same way. Good hair canvas is expensive but worth the price. Save all your scraps - cut into true bias strips for interfacing hems and vents on this coat and future projects.

1. 
   Koushite | Dec 04, 2001 09:29pm | #4

   *Thanks everybody for the repy re: the 18% camel hair. I'm sure you're all right. Guess I'd better hunker down for some real handwork for a change with that hair canvas. As for the flannel backed satin, Atlanta doesn't have it, but I live in NYC so I'll hop over to Felson fabrics for it. If I recall, Threads had an article sometime ago on how to tailor a coat. I'm sure I filed it somewhere. Thanks for all the info.Koushite

1. 
   Liz_Kemble | Mar 07, 2002 07:06pm | #5

   *Koushite, to make your life easier on this first coat project, I recommend a raglan sleeve coat -- it's a lot easier to tailor. And I recommend the book "Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women's Wear" by Prof. Roberto Cabrera and Patricia Flaherty Meyers. Prof. Cabrera was my tailoring teacher at FIT years ago, and I got the book in the bookstore there. I don't know whether it's still available new, but the secondhand book sources on the Internet might be able to find it. The publisher is Fairchild Publications and the pub date is 1984. And I want to say here what a great person Prof. Cabrera was! And funny too -- if anyone cut a thread longer than 18 inches to sew with, he would say, "Come here, everybody, and help her pull!", and he made the motion of a sailor pulling in a long line.

2. 
   karen_morris_ | Mar 08, 2002 09:08am | #6

   *Liz, was Cabrera suggesting that we shouldn't sew with threads longer than 18 in.??I'm beading tonight with this loooong thread, so I don't have to work a new one in anytime soon.

3. 
   Shannon_Gifford | Mar 08, 2002 03:43pm | #7

   *My Grandma used to do the same thing; "A long thread means a lazy tailor" she used to say:)I have both of Cabrera's books (Men's and Women's versions) and they are worth every dime. Definitely the most dog-eared publications (besides Threads:)) in my collection.

4. 
   karen_morris_ | Mar 09, 2002 10:25am | #8

   *Yea, but with beading, at least peyote stitch, it's such a hassle to join in a new thread. It can sometimes take me 1/2 hr. to do it! So I've had teachers say to cut a 4-5 yd. thread, and then double it. I guess tailoring is different from beading....

5. 
   Ghillie_C | Mar 11, 2002 02:33pm | #9

   *I bought Cabrera'a Men's tailoring about a year ago. It is still in print. I have been trying to tailor from it but there is so much detail I fear I will relapse into my slightly easier methods. One thing bothers me a lot. It appears (and I have looked very hard) that he leaves the pocket bags between the fashion fabric and the canvas. SURELY not! please, someone tell me I am mistaken!Cheers,Ghillie