A Ch@nel Jacket Look Using a Loes Hinse Blouse pattern

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I don't like UFOs, so today I finished this fun and interesting jacket that I made using the Bergman Blouse pattern and some ideas from Chanel RTW that I started and wrote about in February.

Hem is mesh from Casual Elegant cut into strips

 I used a combination of steam-a-seam 1/4" and stitching to apply the mesh strips and hem the bottom piece.  I eased up the band around the neckline since the mesh is flat, then stitched at the edge of the sparkly bands.  This makes it stand up at the neckline which I think is pretty.   There are many possibilities to wearing this, including putting a black camellia pin at the neckline where it ties.   I can leave the front bands hanging, tie them or stitch them up.    Here are some of the ways to style and wear this look that are never boring.     Larger photos and other views on the Bergman Blouse and modifications Flickr Set.

With a sporty plaid skirt and 4-ply silk tank

Atlanta Expo Report

Sample garments - (L) Relax a Little top (R) new Discover Something Novel vest over 2x4 top 

We drove the 3 hours to the Gwinnett Center - Duluth GA exit on Wednesday afternoon in the fog and rain.   I could see the French Broad River way over its banks from I26.   Lots of rain and then clouds, high winds and cold temps in Atlanta.   It was in the 40's and the wind made it a lot colder.   Thursday was chilly, cloudy and very windy - no fun and the need to layer, layer, layer.   I took lots of layering pieces just like I wear in the Asheville NC area.    My husband and I spent about two hours on the expo floor both Thursday and Friday.   Although the sun came out on Friday, it was still windy and chilly.   I usually like to do some snoop shopping as well at Discover Mills so I spent an hour at Neiman Marcus Last Call on Thursday evening.   Nothing really interesting there to report on this trip.   We returned home from the expo yesterday,  leaving at 3 pm prior to the Atlanta Friday outbound traffic.

We got to the expo around noon each day, trying to avoid long lines.   I walked around a bit and spent most of my time at or near Louise's booth to meet friends, check out and photograph the great sample garments with many variations of her patterns, and fabrics, or sat down in the back of the fashion show/presentation area.   Always the restless one,  DH did his tour of the expo and brought me back reports of what he thought was interesting.

Louise knows what fashion sewers want and had a great selection of fabrics as promised.  She always brings many pieces that appeal to my fashion sense.    I selected a couple of truly exquisite coordinates from Caroline Rose in a large abstract animal print in linen and matching sheer viscose to the left of the black eyelet in photo.    The butter color in the fabric matches my new Discover Something Novel pants too!

Here's the link to the Flickr Set of photos taken at Louise Cutting's booth at the 2011 Atlanta Expo showing all the exquisite fabrics, sample garments and people.     Here are some highlights -

Cream Pure and Simple coat with no collar. Pattern pieces were taped together to cut in one single piece - no pockets

Louise with 3 variations of the Anything But Ordinary Jacket

I enjoyed getting out and greeting the friends I've met over the years at the Expos, mostly at Louise's booth.    Thanks to all you classy ladies who took the time to talk to me.

On my way to the Expo with my Discover Something Novel Pants and Vest

We're packing up to drive down to Atlanta this rainy day.    I finished the vest yesterday but with my DAR meeting and then physical therapy in the afternoon, I was just too tired and it was too dark to take photos.    I hope to see some of my friends at the Gwinnett Center tomorrow.   Please stop and say hello if you see me on the Expo floor with my husband and my walker.

I haven't sewn a pair of pants since last summer so this pair from Louise Cutting's newest pattern were the first.    I compared the fit of the Easy Ageless Cool pant that I sewed four pair of, and used the size small with 1" removed.    They have approx 4 inches of ease which is what I like.   Louise's pant draft definitely has the elegant fit without the excessive amount of ease that shouts "clown pants".    Better to see the garments on a real person vs the hanger.    

I chose a stretch silk seersucker from Michaels Fabrics in a neutral tan for the pant.    It has a nice hand for this sort of pant.  BTW, this is the same fabric I used for a tunic from Louise's Stars in Heaven pattern.     It took me one day's session to check the fit,  prepare the pattern and cut the pants out, so then I sewed them up the next day.    It's hard for me to stand at my cutting table for the time it takes to lay out and cut a pattern, so I have to break it up.     The numbness from the destroyed nerves in my legs,  and lack of muscle control in my feet makes it difficult, but not impossible to control the foot pedals of the machines.   The only problem I had was being able to feel the elastic in the casing so it wasn't twisted, and be able to pull it through since I have problems with sensation and don't have a lot of strength in my fingers.    I can do it, but it just takes me longer than it used to these days.  In the photo above, my hand is on my bookcase for support, not just the pose.

I used a cotton fabric with a brushstroke for the vest, using both grains of the fabric and motifs.    Since the lower bands and collar are rectangles, I just measured, clipped and tore the fabric pieces for those.   I then decided the placement of the backs and the front sections, and cut them out.    Doing it that way made for very little fabric thrown away, and tearing is easier for me than cutting.

When he took the photos, my husband paid these two new pieces the ultimate complement, saying they look very "Saks Fifth Avenue".

More photos on the Discover Something Novel Flickr Set.