Attacking the Stash--Unfinished Object #1--Wool Jacket

Last winter I bought some blue tweed(ish) wool melton to make a man's vest and when
it arrived I realized that no man needed a vest made of fabric that was so clearly meant for me.

I used McCall's 6441, a Palmer and Pletsch pattern because (a) I loved the lines and (b) I could squeeze the jacket out of it. Fortunately I'd bought extra "vest" fabric.





I didn't do anything fancy, except to put in a back stay made of cotton batiste, since wool tends to give.

I used hair canvas interfacing, which gave the front nice body.

Someone tried to add a little extra hair when I wasn't looking.

I'm always concerned about zipper installation--perhaps because of my early sewing days when zippers went in and came out at least once before they stayed in the garment. This time I saved myself some heartache and actually basted the zipper in by hand before doing anything else.

The zipper tape is then turned to the inside sandwiched between the jacket front and the facing and stitched with a zipper foot. It worked beautifully.

Here you can see a glimpse of the charmeuse lining--a remnant from my son's Dicken's frock coat lining.

I put in 1/2 inch shoulder pads and finished the jacket in all of a day and a half. It kind of makes me wonder why I didn't just muscle through a year ago when I first cut it out, but upon reflection, it might have been the 80 degree days.