Friends, at long last, I have finished the jumper...I think. This garment was a major pain, primarily because the fabric is unstable, and let's face it, I'm not terribly stable myself. It's also a plaid.
Here it is with the blouse, but before hemming. The pattern is Hollywood 1321.
The jumper's not perfect but it's not bad either and Cathy will definitely fill it out better than I do. That center pleat has been giving me agita however; it doesn't seem to want to hang exactly the way I press it. How to do I capture the way it hangs so that I can press it correctly? Pins? I may need Michael to help me since if you bend to pin with the garment on, the pleat opens. Or should I just give up on a sharp pleat entirely? Are you supposed to tack the underpart of the pleat anywhere?
Readers, do you ever reach that a point in a project when you just have to say, Enough!? I'm at the point now. I need to put this one away for a while and revisit it later in the week. In the meantime I have a vintage Butterick coat to make out of an old wool blanket.
Cross your fingers.
Happy Sunday, everybody!
Posts
Wow, that looks really uncomfortably like my grade school uniform, in both fabric and silhouette. Uncomfortable as in, it brings back all kinds of horrible school memories of not being able to wear what I want. What does Cathy want this garment for?
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful! Might this 'wonder tape' help in pressing the plead like you want it?
ReplyDeleteYou've never done pleats before have you , Peter? At least not pressed-in pleats. Pin the pleats where you want them and hand baste them in. I tend to do both sides. Now, tale a pan and fill it with 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of water and soak a press cloth in it. Wring out the cloth until it's damp and use it to press your pleats at the highest heat the fabric can take. This will set the pleats. Continue until after all your pleats have been set, and then remove the basting stitches.
ReplyDeleteOh! I also tend to do this on both the right and wrong sides of the fabric.
ReplyDeleteI actually think it looks very smart and tailored, especially with the right accessories. I think also, when you are making these types of dresses you do need quality fabric. However, for a first attempt, I think you did great. I am sure you will get great tips on perfect pleats. I could never attempt pleats.
ReplyDeleteJosette
Josette
In addition to Bratling's suggestions, press the pleats in a flat position with no fabric hanging off the ironing board. You may need to pad a table or counter top to accomplish this. Letting the fabric completely cool and rest after pressing as she describes is VERY important, as is not putting unneccesary strain on the fabric during the process.
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys. Question: do I just press the pleat where I want it, or do I take in consideration how it hangs on the body -- which could be slightly different based on one's posture?
ReplyDeleteFranchement, I would say,Give it up! You do great stuff,but this does not do it!
ReplyDeleteIt's okaaay...great workmanship, as usual. The coat will be fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteConsider it a palate cleanser before the next cocktail dress.
ReplyDeletePeter, Gigi addressed an issue with box pleats way back when:
ReplyDeletehttp://behindtheseams.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/mccalls-5984-tweaking-the-pleat/
that might help along with the other tips above.
I can't say the dress is one I'd want to wear, but then isn't so much high fashion basically about "I'm so fabulous I make even this trash look awesome"? Cathy will, of course, rock it, and have us all eating out words. :)
Competition suggestion- write the synopsis for a cabaret in which that outfit will be a perfect costume.
ReplyDeleteI really like this outfit - we would call this a tunic in Australia, I think. A fun colour top and accessories - hey, if Cathy won't wear it, send it my way!
ReplyDeleteI like the jumper, but then, I like schoolgirl references and school uniform looks. Probably entirely due to being an unfashionable child at a school with no uniform. I wore the most random outfits for years -- a jumper would have smartened things up considerably!
ReplyDeleteI like the info in Gigi's blog and her link to Els' page is even more informative. I have read instructions for pleated skirts to stitch down the back, inside edge, of each pleat with edge-stitching that will hold the back of the pleat in place but will never show.
ReplyDeletein my experience polyester never holds a pleat. I say, learn to live with gentle pleats.
ReplyDeleteTo everyone's good advice re: pleats I can add, try stitching the inner fold of each pleat, the fold you can't see, to keep that underlay part from rolling out.
ReplyDeleteI love the jumper, only because it reminds me of one I made when I was a mere teen, for schooldays in upstate New York winters.
Can't wait to see the pink coat!
Congratulations on giving a challenging pattern a shot in plaid. One question...did the directions say to stitch the hem flat along the folded part of the pleat, on the wrong side? I have found that doing this really helps the way pleats behave...oops, I see from just looking up someone has already made the suggest. I think you'll find stitching the hem allowance to be really helpful! Cheers
ReplyDeletePerhaps not everyone's taste, but what an accomplishment and learning experience. Decades of costuming experiencere dictates polyester won't hold a sharp pleat. Customarily, readymades in the seventies, pleats were edgestitched in matching thread when a sharp pleat in polyester or poly blend was desired. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMmm, that is very prim and proper!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be contrary to a couple of comments and say that polyester will pleat well and permanently if it is heat set, however this is usually done at a professional pleaters for a few dollars. The pleats will be wash and wear and last forever without ironing!
But you don't want to know that now! I would edgestitch the inner fold on the inside, and catchstitch the outer fold on the inside between the two layers, sort of like blind hemming :)
What a beautiful job on the jumper! The reason it does not look quite right is because the length of your torso requires a longer section on top. It almost looks as if it wants to be an empire waist. If you ever want to make it again, add around 4or 5 more inches in length to the "bib" part of the jumper. The proportions would look much better on you. Lovely work on the jumper!
ReplyDeleteHey Peter! Looking good! Shame about your pleats hanging funny :( It's possible that you have one hip lower than the other. Seeing as Cathy is your identical twin cousin, she likely has the same problem. You may need an extra set of hands to baste the pleats "straight" before pressing them. Also, having made only one pleated garment (Japanese hakama), I went the edge-stitched route. Seriously, who wants to iron 4 yards worth of fabric for every wearing???
ReplyDelete