Sewing Shouldn't be this Hard (WTH)

I finally finished my lined jacket contest entry. I like to leave things down to the wire for suspense... It isn't exactly what I imagined, but I know that it could have been a lot worse... I will get better, natural light pictures tomorrow when there actually is natural light.

Burda has really outdone themselves with this one. I love this collar, the way that is it inset is so Marfy, but the fit is more like Butterick. This graced the cover of October 2008, it is incredibly stylish, yet there have been no reviews... What could be the problem?

Personally, I have traced, looked, contemplated, cogitated, and inquired, but I don't think it is possible with a complete neck facing. Or, even and incomplete neck facing, as you may notice the only facing is the lapel facing and the band on the collar. Look closely at the pattern, the only facing alluded to is the front facing which doesn't continue to the side seam.

You will notice on the front/facing piece posted here, the facing part of the front only extends to the point (the X in orange towards the bottom of the picture) that it connects to the sleeve and the band of the collar.

As per Burda's instructions (which we all know are written in German, then loosely translated into English by people who don't sew), you sew the collar together and finish it. Then you "stitch onto inside edges of facing, from seam number 8, and onto neck edge from corner of neckline." Now, you Burda lovers out there know that these things don't come with seam allowances, and the X in the picture is about 2" below the seam line of the lapel, but it lines up with the edge of the facing. So, the collar band is only sewn to the facing on the front edge, and only sewn to the neckline on the bottom edge? Huh?

Well, it does say "Stitch lining to inside edges of facing and collar band." Like this:

The lining is then sewn along the edge (that borders on point 8) that is on the right side of the orange line.

Well, it makes much more sense now that I have had the second glass of wine... I should have started yesterday. Even though my typing was better, I would not have needed to pull out the Trig book, or call the engineer. Seriously, my sewing guru Peggy L was even confused.

I still have a problem with this. The collar band only measured 15" for a size 40. The short piece that I needed for my jacket didn't extend down the front and still had to be lengthened by 3/4". So, the neckline edge for a size 40 would have to be lengthened by 4".

I like the obtusely shaped buttons. I almost picked some nice shell buttons that looked like they matched in the dining room, but when I took a picture they magically turned purple: I went with the gold, I can change later.

For now, that was enough fun for one night. the cats have given up on me and went to bed, I shall follow.

Moving Forward

I think I have worked out the collar question, at least in theory:

I like the look even though it is a tad shorter than the lapel I don't think I will be changing it. However, I do need to take it apart and sew the convertible collar in correctly. By that I mean the body and the undercollar, the upper collar and the facing need to be sewn to each other. I think that I will like the way that they look though.

I was up pretty late working on those pockets, but they are in, and thanks to Peggy those sleeve bumps are gone. I also have the lining together and ready to sew to the facing. I like the placement of the hem, and I need to bring those sleeves up a couple of inches.

As for that BWOF jacket that I was trying to morph, all I ended up with was a great big WTF, even Peggy didn't understand it so I didn't feel so badly.