1. Colors: I do like the slightly nautical stripe and medium tone colors of red, white and blue. I'm sure that's what drew me to the fabric in the first place. Lesson is that medium tone colors are best for me, not too strong, not too pale.
2. Fabric: The fabric itself is from Walmart, $1 a yard, and is a cotton lycra that feels scratchy and bulky, ughh. I bought it my first season here in FL, seven years ago. I was feeling lonely and sad....Mr. Lucky was still working, my father had just died the previous year and I missed him here terribly and I had yet to make any real friends in FL. Lesson, these are not good reasons for fabric shopping.
3. Style: I was just starting to understand that I look best in darted clothing. However, it's still quite a boxy look for me. I wear boxy jackets on a casual basis but how many patterns do I really need for this look? My favorite casual jacket pattern is Kwik Sew, a jeans jacket with some nice shaping. That's my go to pattern for these woven lycra fabrics. This pattern was designed for felted wool jersey and tweeds....softer fabrics than I chose.
The lapels are a little larger than usual but I'm liking them now more than I did at first. The jacket isn't lined and I think that's also a mistake in this uncomfortable fabric. I do like how I changed the cuffs. I would definitely need to add a beefed up shoulder pad on my sloping right shoulder since I didn't adjust when I sewed this jacket. Nowadays I do take a deeper shoulder seam on the right and cut the armhole slightly lower to compensate.
When I look at the jacket length on my body, too many horizontal lines at one place...the 3/4 sleeve looks like it's almost parallel with the hem, never a good look for me since it's right around my widest part.
Now that I've written this post and looked at the picture more closely there are enough reasons for tossing this one. Blogging about sewing projects is a good way to get some distance emotionally from the project. I don't know why it's so hard for me to let go of these ideas and projects (that's a whole different kind of blog:-) I do know that I have never regretted letting go of something and moving on to the next good thing. Good sewing lessons and now....
Onward to the Vogue 1100 jacket...
The colour looks nice on you. That said - you're the only one who can decide if something is a winner or not, no matter what anyone else says. When people shop for RTW, they try things on to see if they will work. When you sew, very often the item is nearly done before you realize that it just isn't going to do. Now if you really love the fabric, you can try to salvage the piece. If the fabric is not worth it, it is best, I think, to just toss it in the Goodwill pile, chalk it up to experience and get on with another project that will put a smile on your face.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good process you're going thru: careful analysis about what works and doesn't for you. It helps to have photographs to do that. Since I started sewing clothing recently and taking photos, it is opening my eyes about what is and is not flattering. I should go through this same process.
ReplyDeleteAs to this shirt. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color and stripe on you. Goes so nicely with your coloring. If it were me, I'd have a hard time letting it go... I'd be refashioning it. But kudo's to you on being able to let go. (I need more of that) ... and I know what you mean about spending half the year in FLA gives you an opportunity to reevaluate/toss/donate items that aren't being used. (I need ot go do that NOW).