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I am a mother, a grandmother, and a teacher. But whatever happens in my life, I keep sewing. I have worked as a political communicator and now as a teacher in my formal life. I have also written extensively on sewing. I have been a frequent contributor and contributing editor of Threads magazine and the Australian magazine Dressmaking with Stitches. My book Sew.. the garment-making book of knowledge was published in May 2018 and is available for pre-order from Amazon
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Friday, November 9, 2012

The TNTs march on, this time in lace

A while ago I shared with you my discovery of the London Jacket as a nice well-drafted Chanel type jacket without all the heartache.

You know the one I decided was going to be my go-to collarless jacket after having spent about 15 years and $1500 on other patterns.

Well all fired up with this thought, I went looking in my sewing room for something different to try next in this pattern.

I am not generally a saver of remnants. 

Let's face it my chances of ever crazy quilting a scrap quilt out of garment fabrics are slim to none. I am sure those ladies who used to do that weren't online, didn't have paying jobs, and probably were exploiting someone in the kitchen.

Besides if it doesn't have a centre front I am not really interested in sewing it.

That said there are a few left overs from past projects I just can't bear to throw away. 

Sort of like that last few inches in the champagne bottle that turns up when you are doing the dishes. I mean it's champagne, do you pour it down the sink before you toss the bottle into the recycling?

Exactly.

So I have been holding onto most of a yard of sand-washed silk (remember that stuff?) and some weird but really wonderful heavy wool crepe with a sort of beefy bounce to it, not enough to make anything, and a random yard of lace that I bought from Fabricmart because I thought I needed a lace skirt. It was described as having a "felt- like texture" which I understood to mean it was not thin and polyester looking like a bridesmaid's dress and in fact was nice and substantial and suitable for a classy skirt, where in fact it was just felt-like therefore capable of adding inches to my lower half.

Well back to the TNT.

I used the lace for the sleeves and front of the jacket.

I used the wool crepe stuff for the back and to underline the front.

I used the sand-washed silk for facings.

And here it is:

Usual disclaimer.

Photographically this blog isn't exactly Vogue. Or even National Geographic. Maybe in particular not National Geographic.

In fact it would be fair to say that if my very nice husband and I ever have issues it is during one of our photoshoots.

He claims for example that my head is always blurred because I don't stop moving, by which he means talking.

I think it is the lens.

Anyway in the interest of world peace we shot this in the kitchen which he has been laboriously tiling with stainless steel tiles. Which look great but of course call for new stainless steel appliances. Which is something I am not going to be mentioning so close to a photoshoot.

I'm stalling.


The classic range hood shot with an attempt to hide now inappropriate white stove, a tactic that went unnoticed.

Felt-like lace close-up

The sleeve view, felt-like is perfect
I love, love this jacket. The lace is pedestrian enough that I don't have to hold this for New Year's Eve or similar events and it fits.

Also it cost me zero owing to the International Bilateral Agreement on pre-existing fabric which states that if you already have the fabric and pattern then it can be considered free owing to the statute of limitations on Visa records.

I am going to be re-using this pattern a lot.

23 comments:

elke said...

I really like this! Why didn't *I* see felt-like lace at Fabricmart? And did you imply that you are *not* exploiting someone in the kitchen? (He cooks, he tiles, he takes your picture...). Great pattern and inspired fabric combination.

Lee

velosews said...

Wow. It's a killer jacket. I'm love lace at the moment and you've done a top job on your TNT jacket.
BTW I do love your range hood. It's stylish=D

annie said...

Your cost-of-fabric theory is kind of like the no-calorie content if it was eaten from someone else's plate

Bunny said...

Your felt like lace is gorgeous, I mean gorgeous!Fabulous jacket, Barb!

The Hojnackes said...

The lace is perfect for this jacket! Your stainless steel tiles in the kitchen are very nice. I am a bit jealous. Of both.

Angela said...

This is a great jacket! Totally inspiring! I have not yet sewn with lace, but just bought some today for a dress. I am also really glad to learn about the International Bilateral Agreement on figuring costs of a garment:)

Martha said...

Wow! Just gorgeous.

kbenco said...

A gorgeous jacket. It looks wonderful on you.Only someone really organised would have just the right shades of all those marvellous fabrics for the same jacket. Stash is good ;).

Janine said...

Beautiful Jacket - inspired choice of your fabrics.

wendy said...

Lovely jacket, it looks like it could be a real bonus to any wardrobe. I love all your versions of this jacket.

Branka said...

I love it, it's beautiful and you look so elegant wearing it!

Mary said...

Great jacket. And I love your free visa-record-gone theory. Remind me to shred my visa bill today.

Patty said...

Sometimes the leftovers taste better than the meal.....

Kathie said...

WOW! (btw, the jacket shown on the pattern envelope, with the multi-fabric collar and pocket trim, is a dead ringer for one I clipped from a Boden catalog about 2 years ago... and is on my to-do-someday list!)

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

Barbara, copy this pattern immediately onto some tracing paper to preserve it because this is another amazingly fantastic jacket! I love it!

jirons42 said...

This is beautiful and fits so well. Very nice job of using those leftovers and making them into something wonderful!!!

CarolinasCallin said...

What a wonderful jacket! I confess to being obsessed with lace this year - haven't made anything yet, but am dying to try! You'll get so much wear out of this little freebie...LOL at your IBA! I'm going to have to remember that one :)

Well done!

RebeccaHoward said...

You make me laugh. Such a way with words! Love the jacket. Lace can be so tricky to use so that it doesn't look like you're Cinderella going to the ball but you really nailed it with this. Love the stainless steel tiles too! Must have a look in some of the tiling places here (Aus) to see if we can get them.

Joyce in NC said...

I agree with everyone else. Your jacket is fabulous! You should make more from this pattern.

KathyS said...

Lovely jacket. That pattern is definitely a winner for you. The lace sleeves look fantastic. And all free too. What more could you want?

a little sewing said...

Your free lace jacket is very pretty! And I also have a lot of free fabric and patterns! Same thing with the statute of limitations on the VISA card, ha! good one!!

Teri said...

International Bilateral Agreement. Amen! :0)

SewRuthie said...

great jacket!!!!!!!!!!!! and love the agreement :-)