Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Lesson #2

The School Days Jacket by Oliver+S

** If you would like to see an image on our blog in a larger format, just click on it to enlarge.

Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.

You can find the Oliver + S School Days Jacket pattern in the shop. Kits are available as well. Click on the links below:

School Days Jacket PDF Pattern

School Days Jacket Fabric Kits

Welcome to Day 2

For day 2 we will sewing together the hood, the front coat pieces together, and the back of the coat pieces together. I will show you some great tips along the way. Before we get started, one tip that might be useful is taking regular scotch tape and putting onto the bottom side of your presser foot where it meets the fabric while sewing. It will help the sticky laminate fabric glide through much better while sewing. So let's get started!

As we begin, both the laminate and woven coats will be sewn in the very same manner other than I use wonder clips on the laminate fabric (remember pins will leave holes) and I use straight pins on the woven. Be careful while sewing the laminate fabrics as even when seams can be ripped out the holes will remain in the same place. If for any reason a seam needs to be taken out be sure to sew right over or just to the left of it to prevent a line of holes in your rain coat. Also, do not press the laminate fabric as it will melt. A pressing ham is a great tool when sewing with laminates.  

You will need to read the pattern directions before you start today's lesson and will need them in hand to sew it as well. 

1. Take one of the hood's sides and the center hood piece, place then together with right sides facing. First match the notches together and clip/pin in place. The pieces are clearly marked front and back by one or two notches so you can make sure you have the front and back of the center hood in correctly. Clip/pin the hood in place then from the notches to both outer edges.

2. For the center part of the hood center pieces now looks like it is too small to fit, but it does and just right. To help ease it in properly we will cut some small notches into the fabric between both clips.

Now gently pull the two pieces together clipping as you go.

3. Sew the seam with a 1/2" seam allowance and then trim the seam allowance to 1/4". Finger press the seam to one side (if using a woven use your iron on this step) and then top stitch the seam into place. If you are sewing with laminate fabric I highly recommend sewing the top stitching on each step. The top stitching helps keep the seams looking tidy and the finished coat very professional. The top stitching does not make your coat leak, so don't worry. Repeat with the hood's opposite side piece.

Repeat with the hood's lining pieces but do not top stitch the seams.

4. Place the hood's lining over the hood's main with the right sides facing and matching up the seams. Clip/pin the front only of the hood. Stitch in place. Trim the seam and turn. Finger press the seam  while rolling the main fabric slightly to the lining side.

 5. Clip/pin the front seam in place and top stitch. I like to use a 1/8" seam on this part. I think this part is very important as it keeps the hood/lining in place very nicely.

6. Now clip/pin the bottom two hood pieces together (wrong sides facing) and baste together using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Set aside.

7. Now take the front yoke and front side panels and place them together with right sides facing. Stitch in place. (see next two photos)

8. Finger press the seam up, then top stitch the seam into place.

9. If using Velcro dots, take your front placket, right side. Now I cannot get my markings to stay on the laminated fabric, so for my laminated to get the right placing for my Velcro dots I measure the pattern piece and my right placket, then hold my dot on the fabric, and sew in place.  For the woven fabric I just transfer my marking with a fabric marker.

If you are using snaps wait till after to apply them.

Set these pieces aside.

10. Transfer the dots from the pattern pieces onto the wrong side of your tabs, and mark your buttonholes onto the right side of your tabs. (If using laminate fabric, just as before the marks will rub off, so I measure for buttonhole placement as well). Take your tabs and place them with right sides together. If using the laminate fabric do not use the interfacing on the button tabs. On your woven tabs only, fuse the interfacing onto the button tabs wrong side. 

11. Place two tab pieces together with right sides facing, stitch around three of the sides, pivoting at the dots on the short side, leaving the opposite short side un-stitched. Trim the seam allowance. Turn and finger press the laminate or press your woven tabs with a hot iron.  

12. Top stitch around the three sewn sides of the button tabs. If sewing with the laminate fabric place a piece of tissue paper under the tabs while sewing. This will keep the tabs from sticking to the sewing machine while being stitched. When done sewing, simply tear away the tissue paper. (Wait till after the buttonholes are stitched to tear the paper away though).

13. At this point we will stitch our buttonholes. For the laminate fabric, I measure where the buttonhole should sit and use my buttonhole foot to ensure each is sewn in the same place. Repeat with two more button tabs for a total of three button tabs with buttonholes on them. 

14. We will now take the wearer's left side of the coat front side panel and three of the button tabs with buttonholes on them and place them over the markings on the pattern pieces. The top tab will sit directly over the top yoke's seam line, the two remaining tabs will sit over the notches on the bottom of the front side panel. Baste in place.

15. Now take the left front center panel and place it with the right side together over the left front side panel. Clip/pin in place, then stitch together stopping at the bottom portion of the front center panel. Be sure to lock your stitches. Repeat with opposite front coat side. Finger press the seam towards the side panel and top stitch the seam into place.

16. We will now take our coat back yoke and back bodice pieces and place them right sides together, matching up the notches, and clip in place and stitch.

17. Finger press the seam up towards the top of the back yoke and top stitch the seam in place.

We will stop here for today and come back tomorrow to sew the sides, pockets, and sleeves.  

Happy sewing,
Sharon 
www.whimsicalfabric.com

*If you would like to earn entries into the prize drawing, please make sure to submit a photo of your completed Lesson Two to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Monday, April 4th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask. 

Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Lesson #1

The School Days Jacket by Oliver+S

** If you would like to see an image on our blog in a larger format, just click on it to enlarge.

Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links.

You can find the Oliver + S School Days Jacket pattern in the shop. Kits are available as well. Click on the links below:

School Days Jacket PDF Pattern

School Days Jacket Fabric Kits

Welcome to Day 1

Today we will be cutting out our coats, for those of us are using laminated fabric I will show you a few ways to cut out your pattern pieces. The laminated fabric cannot recover after it is pierced with a needle, so we have to be very careful where we put them.  I will cover this a bit later down in today's lesson. You will need to read the pattern directions before you start today's lesson and will need them in hand to sew it as well. So let us get started with our coat lining!

For all of the kits, the coat linings are a woven fabric, so we cut these out the same way. For a PDF pattern, I like to print and cut each size that I need, so no tracing is needed. I find this easier for me, but you can trace off the size you need as well; do what works best for you.

Lay the pattern out according to the pattern's layout guide. When cutting out the pattern pieces be sure to cut all of the notches out. These notches will help us to line everything up just right as we sew our coats together.

Also please note on the sleeve lining, It needs to be 1" shorter than the main sleeve. To do this I measure up 1" from the bottom of my sleeve pattern piece and fold it up to give me the correct sleeve lining length. Then pin the pattern piece as normal.

  
For the coat lining you need:

• 2 sleeves

• 2 outer hood pieces

• 1 center hood piece

• 1 coat back cut on fold

• 2 front coat sides lining

• 2 pocket lining

Now onto cutting out our main coats. If you are using a regular woven fabric, continue as normal.  I will be showing you two different ways of cutting out the laminated fabric.

Method #1: Use a pattern weight. It doesn't have to be fancy, but anything that will keep your pattern piece in place for cutting out your fabric.  I use heavy coins for mine. Just cut around the pattern pieces as the pattern weights hold the pattern pieces in place. This is a great time to use your quilting ruler and mat to cut these pieces out.  Two pattern pieces need to be cut on the fold; I did fold my fabric in half but do not crease the fabric while it is folded. If you do, it will give your fabric a permanent crease. Mine is gently folded. Also, do not lay your fabric out with it folded in half until you are ready to cut out your pattern pieces.

 I cut out my two pattern pieces that are on the fold first then lay them out flat as not to cause a crease in them. Be sure to cut out the all the notches on these pieces as well.

Method #2: Using Straight pins. The next way of cutting your pattern pieces out is using your straight pins. This pattern has a 1/2" seam allowance so we can pin the pattern pieces in place as long as we pin within the 1/2" seam allowance. Try to keep the pins at a 1/4" from the pattern piece's edge. This will give plenty of clearance so there will be no pin marks on your pattern pieces.

Lastly, for the button tabs I used my good old quilting mat and rotary cutter. I find it easier and faster to cut them out this way. I did the same for the denim kit as well.

For the Coat Main you need:

• 2 sleeves

• 2 pockets

• 2 hood side pieces

• 1 center hood piece

• 1 back yoke on fold

• 1 back bodice on fold

• 2 front side pieces

• 2 front center pieces

• 2  facing pieces

This is where we will stop for today. Tomorrow we will start on the coat hood and outside. I will show you some great tips on sewing the laminated fabric as well. If you have never sewn with it, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how fun it is to work with!

Happy cutting,
Sharon 
www.whimsicalfabric.com

*If you would like to earn entries into the prize drawing, please make sure to submit a photo of your completed Lesson One to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Friday, April 1st. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask. 

Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Preparations

The School Days Jacket by Oliver+S

Items to Collect 

*Note: Links to products within this post are either links to our website or affiliate links. 
 

1. You must have the School Days pattern to be able to take part in this sew-along.  If you have not yet purchased this, please do so here. This pattern is an instant download and you will have access to download it as soon as your purchase is completed.

2. If you do not have fabric for the project you will want to purchase some.  At the time of this writing we have have lots of fabric kits available.  We also have lots of nice fabric selections on our website.

Note: We greatly appreciate your purchase of patterns and kits from us.  These purchases help pay for the sew-alongs and allow us to continue to offer them, along with the great prizes we give away. Thank you for your support!

3. The jacket requires three 3/4" buttons.  Again, fabric kits came with buttons, so if you purchased one, you are set.

4. If not using laminate, the button tabs require fusible interfacing.  All non-laminate fabric kits come with this.  If you have not purchased a kit from us you will want to make sure you have enough interfacing on hand to complete the project.

5. You will need Velcro for the inside of the jacket.  All kits came with Velcro coins for this purpose.

6. You will also need pins if you are not using laminate fabric.  If you are working with laminate it's best NOT to use pins. Wonder Clips will be your friend.

7. A disappearing ink fabric marker. This will be important to have on hand if working with the laminate. 

 8.  When working with laminated fabrics it's very helpful to have a nonstick presser foot.  If you do not own one or can not purchase one you may also use scotch tape and tissue paper.  Sharon will be going over this method in our sew-along lessons.

9. And finally, you will need a sewing machine, a good iron (if NOT using laminate - DO NOT iron laminated fabric!), a pair of fabric shears or a rotary cutter and mat, and a quilting ruler. 

Things to Do 

 1. Make sure to download the pattern PDF onto your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Your pattern will be located in your order history on our site.  Log into your account, then click on the My Account at the very top right hand side of our site.  You will then see a list of your orders.  Click on the correct order and a download link will be available.

2. Please make sure to have printed your pattern pieces and taped them together before lesson 1.  We have not included this part in the lesson. Do NOT cut out your fabric yet.  Sharon has a tip about cutting out your fabrics that she will be sharing in the first lesson.

3. To prewash or not to prewash?

Laminated Cotton Kits - If you ordered a laminate kit DO NOT prewash your fabrics. You CAN NOT wash laminated cotton or you will ruin it. If your laminate becomes dirty later, just wipe it down with a damp cloth.

Twill and Denim Kits - If you ordered a twill or denim kit please make sure to prewash and preshrink all of your fabrics. I wash my fabrics on warm or hot and then I dry my fabrics in the dryer with no softeners. I always preshrink in this way when I am using fabric for clothing construction. I would hate to work hard on something only to have it shrink and not fit when I was done.  

I also prewash my fusible interfacing to preshrink it. This will prevent any wrinkles or waves that might arise when you iron or launder your garment.  To prewash your interfacing simply soak it in a sink for about 5 minutes in very warm water.  You don't want the water too hot to avoid removing the iron-on finish, but you do want it warm enough to shrink the interfacing.  After soaking, just pat it with a clean towel and hang it to dry. 

4. Don't forget to join our Whimsical Fabric & Me Group so you can post your progress pictures.

The Prizes

Did someone say something about a prize? I love prizes and I know you do also. At the close of the School Days Sew-Along we will be giving away a year's worth of Oliver+S PDF patterns to one lucky winner! The winner will receive 4 patterns of their choice upon winning and then 1 pattern of their choice each month for the remainder of 2016! Make sure to join the Facebook Group so you have a chance to win this amazing prize! This prize package is worth over $200! Wow!

We will give out entries for the prize drawing at the end of the sew-along. There are three different ways to earn entries into the prize drawing.

1. At the end of each lesson posted on this blog there will be a link to add a picture of your completed lesson into a photo album on our Whimsical Fabric & Me Facebook group. Each day that you turn in an assignment on time you will receive 1 entry per item you create. Thus, the more items you make, the more entries you will receive.

2. We will also award 1 entry for purchasing the School Days pattern from us using the coupon code SewAlongSavings from the Sew-Along #32 Category. 

3. In addition, if you purchased a kit from the Sew-Along #32 Category we will award you another 4 entries for each kit purchased. That's twice as many points as you normally get, so grab yourself a kit (or two) today!  *Note: Patterns purchased within the kit count as pattern purchases outlined in step #2 above. 

 
Happy Sewing,
Danielle Storm
www.whimsicalfabric.com