Simplicity 2446 - Finished

Inspector 1 on the job

This post is a continuation from here.

I finished up my blazer the other morning.  I am quite happy with the final result.  It is definitely wearable.  I think the fit could have been a little more fine tuned but that is probably my perfectionism kicking in.  The length of the sleeves and the bodice are perfect, so I am glad I trusted my instincts and lengthened the sleeves that half inch.

I did really struggle getting this jacket finished because I was trying to add sleeve heads and shoulder pads with the lining already in place.  I was getting very frustrated and walked away from it more than once.  I initially bought some felt thinking it would give good support as a sleeve head, but as you can see in the pic it is too firm.  You could see the scalloped folds through the sleeves.  Of course I sewed them in place a couple of times before admitting they just won't work.

I finally used a piece of flannel I had on hand (pattern side in so less likely to show through) and it worked really well - not too bulky but gave some support.  The other mistake I made with the sleeves was to press them completely, but it turns out you should only press the seam allowances.  Again, it looks ok, but I think the sleeve tops would stand better if I hadn't flattened them out.

I will give the pattern credit for a beautiful turned collar.  I had no problem getting it to lay nicely.  I steamed the collar when finished and again I am happy with it.  There is one little hiccup where the right lapel meets the right collar but I may have another go at it with the iron to see if I can't get rid of that crease.  I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.  I do feel my lapels are a little too wide, which makes me wonder if there is still too much fabric across the front, although it fits well across the bust.  Or perhaps I just need to close them higher up.  I will need to consult with my sewing expert (looking at you, Mom!)

I tried doing my buttonholes with Bob (I had sewn the whole blazer on Bob) but after three tries (and ripping out three times) I turned to Phoebe who sewed perfect buttonholes for me.  It just goes to show how different machines can have different strengths.

Finally, I did topstitch the top of the pocket flap before closing up the lining.  This was a last minute decision but I'm glad I did.  I used Phoebe and her 1/4" stitch guide to get a perfect straight line.

Oh, and did I mention?  I got the job from the interview that the blazer was intended for.