Weekly Sewing Recap

I have had a busy week.    In the sewing department,  I sewed up an interesting black and metallic Monaco Shell (Textile Studio patterns) out of a heavily textured stretch brocade knit I bought as a remnant a few years ago.      I like the TS Monaco shells because of the interesting neckline and you can make one out of a piece of knit that is the length of the pattern.    I can cut out and sew one up in about an hour too.   I always put a little tag at the back so I put it on correctly.    I even had some of the stretchy knit left over to make some cowls.    

I've got this old OOP Vogue Miyake pattern on the cutting table ready to cut out in this white shirting with a woven vertical stripe.     This blouse is sewn shut, tucked and opens above the horizontal stitch line.    I figure I need to make up some of these timeless patterns.

Next is an Of the Moment tweed knit jacket in my version of several fall Akris Punto jackets that you can see on the Saks website.   I took one look at the shapes, the fronts and how their unfaced lapels flop over and fold back, and said --  they're all versons of Louise Cutting's  Of The Moment jacket pattern that I've sewn in everything from fleecy knit to tapestry to soft cashmere since the pattern came out in 2008. 

Akris Punto wool jacket

Akris Punto nappa leather jacket

Akris Punto tweed jacket

Saks tells you the length of the jackets and how tall the models are.    For reference, my cashmere OTM jacket below is 23.5 inches long and it only took me a couple of hours to sew it up the night before heading to the Atlanta expo the next day.   Check my OTM Flickr set for the long one in a tapestry fabric, and others.  

I'm using the tweedy knit shown below.    It's chunky looking,  but not thick, as you can see from the edge of the tweed fabric in the photo.   I'm going to experiment with cutting the neckline facings and the front fold over hems from one of these soft faux leathers that will 1) contrast with the tweed and look really neat and 2) softly hold the tweed knit shape at the neckline and bind the edge at the same time.    I think I'll make this one 29" long like the Akris wool jacket.      It's interesting how the gray knit back of my faux black lambskin looks the same as that of the Akris nappa leather jacket that you can see in the photos.      There are numerous views of these  open and closed with more details in the photos on the Saks site at the links under the photos.

Black/white tweed knit and faux leathers