Waistcoat Evaluation

Waistcoat Front

Waistcoat Back

I am very pleased with my finished waistcoat. This was an interesting garment to make because it was a cross between a tailored waistcoat (like the one we made at the beginning of the year) and a costume waistcoat. I was able to use many of the skills learned in tailoring while making the waistcoat like tacking in the canvas and general techniques for precision and accuracy. I also was learned a different type of pocket for a waistcoat besides a welted pocket. This was a success and after making a sample first I fully understood how to make them on my waistcoat. It was a new skill learned. Just like breeches there is a lot of hand-sewing as well as machine sewing, I think this turned out to be very successful, and I think the stab-stitching is a very neat and crisp way of finishing an edge. One of the areas I struggled with one the waistcoat was slip-stitching around the arm-hole. I think it could have been a little neater and more even the whole way around. I also found it difficult fitting the lining into the waistcoat, once the hem was bagged out, when I couldn’t find a mannequin that fit. These are small challenges I feel I could correct were I to make another period waist-coat. 

Returning from Break/ Next Garment

After returning from a restful break it was back to work on the pieces for the National. First I finished a few things on the waistcoat. The button-holes had been made over the break and part of the arm-hole had been un-done to put those in. So I re-sewed that bit and then finished prick-stitching around the arm-holes and along the hem. It wasn’t a big job, but I’m happy I waited til I came back because I was more focused.

My plan for when I returned and finished the waistcoat was to begin the male shirt, and finish that around Wednesday May 4^th. I was hesitant to start the male shirt as planned because our tutor was unavailable for questions and the pattern was something I wasn’t used to. Instead of pattern pieces it was simply a graph without much instruction or guides. I wanted to talk over the process with our tutor before I started but I also didn’t want to waste too much time. So instead I changed my time plan and started working on the blouse, which I wasn’t originally scheduled to start until after the male shirt was finished. On my original time plan I had allowed myself about a week to finish the blouse so I planned to allow myself the same amount of time, just a week earlier. I think this is a good compromise because I won’t feel rushed on the blouse and will still have enough time to make the shirt with a little assistance when I finish the blouse. 

Blog Tutorial

Creating this blog has been a new technique learned in this project. Today I had a second tutorial about this blog and progress. My first tutorial for the blog was before I left for the holiday break, but it left me more confused about what I was supposed to post and how to label things. In general my lay-out was okay, however my labels were a little unclear. Also my description under the title of my blog should be more clear so that anyone looking at this blog can know what it is about. I needed to add more to my Planning blog post about what this project is really about. All of those things were easy to correct. I added a different description under my blog name that is more clear as well as adding to my original planning post. To make the labels on the side more clear I changed it so along with the general descriptive word first followed by what specifically the post is on. For example: in my research I have the term Research followed by Breeches ( SDP 004: Research: Breeches) This way if someone was interested only in the breeches research they wouldn't have to look through all the research posts to find what they are looking for. What confused me in this tutorial is how to include evaluations on our work. At this tutorial I understood it to be that we were to evaluate every post we make in a separate post and if we make a post that included descriptive and evaluative writing we were to copy and paste that same little evaluation into a separate post. Also that I need to post every day about what I am doing in class. Needless to say I was a little confused.
I was able to have a second blog tutorial today and I was able to go with specific questions about my blog. I think it was successful tutorial because I feel confident in re-arranging and continuing a well organized effective blog. I can continue having descriptive and evaluative posts without having to copy and paste the evaluative parts to a separate post. Instead I need to gather all those mini evaluations and use them to make one cumulative evaluation at the end of the project. Also it is the quality of the blog posts and not the quantity of them that is important. For my project specifically the days that I work sewing using skills already learned are important but not really necessary to evaluate. It is more important when I learn a new process to record it on my blog. With a little tidy and a few technical adjustments my blog is more successful than when I originally started it.

Waistcoat Review

I had a lot to complete before leaving for my Easter Holiday. Overall I am happy with what I completed. My waistcoat is complete, except for a little hand-sewing. I decided that instead of rushing through the last bit of hand-sewing on the last day I would save it for when I came back and was more focused. I didn't want to rush something and then have it not be neat. I had wanted to completely finish my waistcoat before the holiday but on my original calender I had put finishing off the waistcoat as the 28th (after the holiday), and in that sense I am really sticking to my time table. I was, however, able to fix a few little things on my breeches before I left. I inserted hanging loops and did a few reinforcement stitches around the points and a general press. I'm glad that the breeches are now completely finished and I am happy with how they turned out. I know that when the holiday break is over I will have to be very focused in order to complete everything on time.

Waistcoat Pockets

Waistcoat Pocket Trial

This is my example or first try for my waistcoat pockets. I wanted to make sure I did a trial before I worked on my real waistcoat front pieces. This was a new process for me and after having our tutor explain it I thought I should experiment to make sure I really thoroughly understood the process. Unlike the welted pocket and cash pocket of the breeches this cash pocket was as easy as it sounded. Having said that this pocket is not perfect by any means. It is a little too big and obviously uneven. The sides/ends are uneven and is pulling the fabric. This trial run was such an important step for me do before starting the real pocket. It gave me the chance to try without the fear of failure and helped me better understand elements of the pocket like the pocket bag size and the size of the mouth.

Finished Pocket on Waistcoat

Finished Pocket Flap on Waistcoat

These are the finished pockets on my one side of my waistcoat. They are much more successful than the initial try and I am very pleased with the result. I think this pocket is much neater and more even. For things like pockets, especially when they are new, it is so useful and helpful to create a sample first. It is something that I can now keep, long after I turn in the waistcoat, that will remind me of how I made this pocket.

Jigger Fix

If at first you don't succeed try try again! I think this is a good example of how being honest and consistent self evaluation can help a project stay on track. The first pair of jiggers (or back lacing detail) is my first attempt and has many things wrong with it. The corners are not turned out well and the eye-lits sit too close to the edge. The bottom second set of jiggers is my brave second attempt and a much better more precise out-come. With any project, but especially this one, it is important to re-do anything that you don't feel is up to the expected standards. I am learning that looking at the garment I am making objectively is helping me complete it to a higher standard and preventing me from rushing through even the small details.

Waistcoat Progress

This is the very beginning of my waistcoat and sort of reflection for the beginning of this garment. The process for this waistcoat seems to be somewhere between making a tailored waistcoat and more costume sewing. The main differences being the amount of seam allowance (on a tailored waistcoat has very little on this it is more to allow for any alterations), the pockets ( welted pockets for tailoring and a simpler cash pocket with flap for this waistcoat), and the back detail (on the tailored waistcoat it was a strap with a buckle on ours it is an eye-litted jigger). But one of the most useful techniques from tailoring is the precise and careful assembly of each piece, which I am trying to carry-over into this waistcoat. And that includes securing slip stitching threads and lightly pulling stab stitching threads, something carried over from the breeches. So far I have completed the pockets on the front as well as the facing and putting in cotton tape around the arm-hole. The cotton tape, something not used in tailoring, is to prevent too much stretching in the armhole. Something that will be key in prolonging the life of this theatrical waistcoat, but something I hadn't considered doing before. It is useful in a waistcoat because it has no sleeves (which would otherwise prevent it from stretching) so it is a process that could be carried over into any garment made without sleeves that runs the risk of stretching. Like I found tailoring earlier in the year I don't think the processes for the waistcoat are radical or hard to understand but they must be done with precision and focus in order to look well made and correct. Things like the cotton tape, canvas, and stayflex (around the pocket mouth) will ensure that this waistcoat stay shapely throughout many a production.

Breeches Reflection and Tutorial

Breeches Complete aside from Buttons

Breeches Full Front without Buttons

Breeches Full Front Open without Buttons

Mini Evaluation 

In sticking to my goals set in my calender I (mostly) completed the breeches on Thursday March 24th. The button holes, buttons, hanging loops, and name tag are what is left to complete on the breeches before turning them over to the National Theatre Hire Department. I am very pleased with how the breeches turned out. Initially I thought that making these would be an identical process to how we made our breeches for Candide (see first Costume post) with the only difference being the pockets. However this was a very different process; we were given the patterns instead of drafting them and did not cut a calico layer first for the first fitting and then line the breeches with the calico. Although the core techniques were similar it took an adjustment to a process I thought I already knew about. Probably the biggest challenge in putting the breeches together was putting in the cash pocket hidden along the waist-band. Unlike the welted pocket it actually affected the way the garment was put together (at least on that side) making sure the pocket bag was sewn to the leg of the trousers and then working it into the waist-band. [The welted pocket was completed on the waistband before the waistband was attached to anything. I wouldn't consider it a simpler process but it was a bit more straight forward.] However I am proud of each pocket and how they work with the rest of the garment. The example pair of breeches the National Theatre Hire Department sent were very useful in finishing the breeches to a high standard. They were able to give us the amount of seam allowance left in the leg seams and what was over-locked or hand-sewn, ect. I really think that having made a pair of breeches before was really important in helping me complete this pair. Since there were no written instructions to accompany the patterns a combination of previous study, tutor assistance, and an example pair helped me complete these breeches to a high standard.

Tutorial

I had a tutorial with my tutor (Dexter) on my breeches this past week. They are to a good standard and made well, which was incredibly rewarding to hear. But I do have a few things I could adjust and few techniques to perfect. Making sure my hand stitching is really secure is very important. I think in some areas I was afraid of pulling the thread too tight and pulling the fabric. In areas where it is stab stitched (cash pocket, full front flap, ect) the thread shouldn't be pulled really at all. However where slip stitching is used to secure something ( like the arrows on the full front) the thread needs to be pulled tightly so it is actually secure. Recognizing the different needs for different stitches is important and something I am putting into practice for the waistcoat. The welt on the welted pocket on the waistband is gapping just a little. In order to fix this I should have tacked the welt loosely before slip stitching the sides to the waistband. I also had some issues with the knee-bands at the bottom. The knee-band and the over-hang for the button are not the same width. To correct this I will sew my button on so the smaller width sits more in the middle of the knee-band instead of aligning one side and making the inaccuracy more noticeable. In the future I need to be more careful and precise when bagging out the knee-band before sewing it onto the knee of the breeches. Even with a few changes and things to fix I was really happy with my tutorial and I feel like the breeches are a great success and good first garment for this unit.