Flamboyant
Not a fan of drama. But I do like a dramatic collar (and soft focus but that’s a story for another day-obviously I’ve been irreparably damaged by the vaseline lens style of ’90s afternoon-soaps).
Everything that could possibly go wrong with this jacket, did. It’s a bit of a blooper, but I love wearing it. I cut out the pieces two years ago and they’ve sat under the bed since. While sewing this up:
I’m sewing up the jacket that was under my side of the bed. You can vacuum under that part of the bed normally now.
C: I’ve never not vacuumed normally under there.
AUGH that explains everything!
C: Oh sorry was it all messed up?
No but the thing I’d left on top of it was.
C: Lucky you left two things down there! =D
Those metal-shanked buttons were a b*tch to sew. The (metal) shank was too large (given the thickness of the buttons) and I had trouble hand-sewing it on. Two of the buttons have loosened since then (no prizes for guessing which ones) and have had to be re-sewn. No more metal shank buttons for me. I went through all my vintage books for info on metal shank button hand-sewing but only (and for the first time ever) the Vogue Sewing Book (1970, yup, first edition, don’t hate-it’s missing the slip cover) had any information on it.
What? What? What’s with the cryptic final sentence? And I need more on the toggle insertion dammit, don’t stop! Show me pictures! *Furiously turning pages* Urrr.. That’s all there is. Damn you Vogue. You’ve failed me again. I found this video which was crap because the (nice) lady’s just looped thread straight through the fabric instead of sewing tied off stitches (i.e. if one of her stitches breaks, the button will eventually work it’s way loose and fall off- which I can’t afford because these buttons were $3 a pop and I don’t have spares XS). This video’s a little better (watching it with angry French hiphop instead of the original soundtrack helped massively).
Anyhoo, it’s done and the construction doesn’t suck too bad (I’m not happy with it, the front’s wonky-not in an obvious way but I know). A friend of mine that loves chavs loved the collar (he didn’t know what a chav was till I lent him the first two seasons of Misfits and Phoneshop-then he fell in love with Kelly and started wearing his collars popped). Pretty sure I’m safe though because it doesn’t have a Burberry lining.
Jacket Pattern: Knipmode October 2008, Jacket 6b (there’s also a Coat version of this in the same issue). If you’d like to try your hand at Knipmode outerwear, I’m giving away their winter supplement here.
Fabric: Wool melton for the main body, wool herringbone suiting (yep, blooperiffic) for the under collar and waistband.
Modifications: Shortened it at the waist, did a shoulder-swivel swayback adjustment and omitted the collar stand because I only need the collar it to keep my ears warm, not my forehead.
Omitted the pockets because I find pockets in wool fabric get stretched out/ misshapen pretty quickly.
Made the waist tie and promptly lost it because it makes the thing looks like a dressing gown.
Also that’s heavy weight interfacing in the collar.
Jeans: Knipmode 02/2006, Jeans 12, made earlier.
Comments: I sewed up the two-piece sleeves with vents by modifying these directions from the book Coats & Capes from the Bunka Fashion Series of textbooks.
Disclaimer: All non-self-generated images remain copyright of their original owners and are used here for the purposes of illustration and discussion.
Awesome awsomeness. Can’t see any of the bloopers, just an awesome coat with a fab collar!
As for the eyelet thing and stud buttons I can only assume they’re talking about these sorts of things where there’s a stop on the back so you just have to push the ball through two eyelets… Best guess though! They’re used on tuxedo shirts as well as chef’s whites.
Thanks! Re studs, I know what you mean Indian traditional wear uses something similar but I’m actually looking for something to attach to the back of the shank itself.. Might try Anita’s idea of using hooks..
love the jacket – such a great colour on you! thanks for the reminder of sherry’s useful swayback post – i am pretty sure i need to do this alteration but am only now actually understanding what it is that i am supposed to do! will get it right one day!
That is a fantastic jacket! Love pretty much everything about it: the collar is fantastic, with the perfect quilted lines going on, the color is fabulous, the shape, the contrasting wool, the fabric itself looks to be lovely, and finally the kickass buttons. So well done for a fabulous piece!
Also, thanks for the scanned pages from the last post, so much info condensed there, a gem. And congrats on the PhD!
Love your jacket especially the contrast herringbone fabric details. The yellow buttons go well with the jacket style as well! Good job!
I love the colour and am amazed at your precision with those rows of stitching on the collar – seriously impressive!
Metal shank buttons kept popping off of my daughter’s coat, too…I hated trying to locate the button(s), specific green thread, and time within the same 10 minutes everytime one (or two) popped off…
Then I learned you can take the horseshoe shaped eye of a hook and eye combo – pass that through the button shank and sew the eye onto the coat. It does not cut the thread! Try it!
P.S. Great style coat!
Wow, we both finished similar jackets at the same time! How cool is that! Also, your choice of lining fabric is awesome, I love it.
Absolutely LOVE this. What a fantastic collar – with all those rows of topstitching. I want one! And I’ve not solved the metail shank button issue myself, although that last picture from the Vogue excerpt seems to suggest popping an eyelet (probably hand-finished) at the button placement and using a clip, slipped through the button shank, to hold it in place. Come to think of it, that might work darn well if the right clip could be found somewhere. Hmmm….
Thank you!Re the Vogue version: they suggest an eyelet through which the shank can go with a stud/ toggle on the back to secure it. In India traditional wear (particularly for me) has pre-made buttons like that (which are fairly ostentatious/ highly hand-worked and therefore cannot go through the wash) and you detach the actual button off the garment before washing it. However, I’ve never seen something like that here so I was thinking to use either a snap or actually melt the plastic between the buttonhole of a tiny button and slot the shank through that. Anita suggested in the comments to use a metal hook instead of thread. Which I might try..
Its really cool and I like the drama collar !!
Thanks, means a lot coming from you!
That is one very cool jacket !
The shank buttons may have been a pain to sew on but they sure are awesome. Love that collar.
I think what they meant about the toggles is that you don’t sew the button on, but make an eyelet and then stick the button’s shank in and secure it by threading a toggle through it. I have never seen it done and really can’t understand why would one want scratchy toggles against their skin (or detachable buttons for that matter)
They make eyelets on US Navy dress blue uniforms- this makes it easy to take the buttons off and return them to the jackets easily and, save the gold plated buttons from getting scratched. However, the toggles are closed and never come off of the buttons (never get lost) and are not scratchy.
Thanks for that information, much appreciated! Any idea where I could get toggles like that? Or are they just part of the button? I’m not a big fan of gold buttons (for day to day wear) but it would be awesome to be able to buy the toggles separately. Or just hack them out of other stuff. If you have a link or a picture of those, do let me know.
I have never seen the bodkins/cotter pins/toggles unattached from the buttons as they seem to be sealed – you can see one here alternatively, you could use cotter pins – and a button hole strip like this.
OMgosh thanks so much! It would be cool to get the toggles/ bodkins separately (allowing the freedom to use any metal shank button)but I’m sure it could be hacked with a couple of wires and some pliers.. will have chat with Carl and see. Thanks for all the information, I really appreciate it.
It saves the buttons from getting totalled when you toss your clothes in the washing machine. Particularly important for vintage buttons and people like me that spend more on buttons than the cost of the rest of the make combined XD
I love a dramatic collar too. Awesome jacket! What’s on your sewing table now?
Denim skirt/ tunic/ jeans/men’s shirt/ 2 mini-trenches. I (try to) multitask XD
I can’t believe this jacket has been waiting patiently under your bed to make. I like how you’ve made this jacket up with two outer fabrics and wonderful buttons. I’m no use when it comes to suggesting how you deal with the shanked buttons.
Can admire the collar detailing some more? Wow…
Ooo- I LOVE it- Love the color… Love the panache you added with the buttons and the quilted stand up collar. It’s a beauty!
Did you do all that topstitching on the collar? I love it. Now that I’ve re-read that first comment, I’m seeing the stupidity of it. Of course she damn-well sewed the topstitching. Leprechauns certainly didn’t do it for her, you twit.
Irrespective of my dubious intelligence on this fine afternoon, you’re totally rocking this jacket. If you ever do find the magical recipe for sewing on a shank, please do so deign to enlighten the rest of us, won’t you?
hahahaha coffee time XD Thank you and I most definitely will!
That is a LOVELY collar! I would have liked the same top stitching on the bottom portion – not sure what it’s called LOL, but the bottom part.
Thanks. Yea I thought about doing that but there’s too many belt carriers in the way. Sewing them in under the drapey suiting fabric was enough of a pain XD
Your colour choice is awesome like always
I love your jacket, especially the collar.
What a stand out! (the jacket and you in it!) That collar is a work of art. If wearing the collar up like that is chav-ish, be chav-ish…it looks great.
This is a beautiful one of a kind jacket. Amazing job on the collar, just gorgeous!
Love it – just love it – nothin’ more to say!
I don’t think it sucks too bad at all! I’m with you in that I love a dramatic collar. Even in the blurry photo, which I don’t mind, I love it.
The blur is soft-focus, and I did it on camera (not Photoshop, What!) and I”m pretty happy with it, but I do realise that not everyone can handle it so I’ll be going easy on it in future XD
Oh man, gorgeous!!! You have such a flair for knowing your own style and draping yourself perfectly. I am a huge fan of jackets, and this has a real architectural structure that totally suits you, plus… RED! Love it ^__^ Also, as always, your finishing details are impeccable… I’m a fan!!
What a fabulous jacket, I am in love with the collar. And who needs waist ties anyway, I agree it would just add bulk
where you don’t want it. Love the color too..
Great jacket. Loving the contrasting outer fabrics. There’s so many interesting things going on here that my eyes are jumping all over the place. That collar is truly fabulous and a work of art in itself. Very cool.
I would leave a comment admiring your beautiful jacket–well worth the trouble it gave you–but everything ha already been said.
The topstitching must have taken forever but it looks great! The whole thing’s very you, love it.
Thank you!
Aw, this is very, very cool. I love that collar.
woah awesomeness. That collar is kick-ass.
Oh I love a flamboyant collar and your topstitching looks perfect. I also really like the contrasting grey on the collar and waistband, not blooperific at all! I am also impressed you even consider vacuuming under the bed, there is so much stuff under mine it’s not even an option.
the topstitching is great! well done on the coat.
Ooo, that collar IS nice!! I bet you’ll feel great wearing it, despite difficulties.
Awesome jacket. The collar is fabulous, with beautiful topstitching. I can’t help wondering what was the other sewing thing under the bed, there must be some other excellent projects lurking about if this wonderful jacket is the vacuum survivor
Really, your jacket is fabulous inside and out, and I can´t see nothing wrong with the buttons! All I can see is how pretty it is and how good your look wearing it!
Came over for a closer look. I am so in love with this jacket!
A bit late to the party, but I love your jacket!
Very cool! I love the dramatic collar!
Fabulous collar, colour, buttons, waist detail…
And there you are! I LOVE the collar.