Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Lesson #5

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 5

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.  

Today we will be finishing up our coats; yay!!  We will hem the bottom of our main coats and do all the hand stitching. The hand stitching on this coat is pretty important as it makes for a professional finished result. So are you ready? Let's begin.

1. We will first prepare the sleeves for hand stitching, turn the coat inside out with the sleeves aligned. As you can see the stitching line on the main (laminate) sleeve and the lining sleeve is pressed under already. Note, the woven coat will sew just the same as the laminate coat, so follow the same steps. 

2. Bring the top of the fold on the sleeve lining up to the meet the stitching line on the main sleeve. You will notice that the sleeve lining will have extra length; this is for ease while the coat is being put on and worn by the child.

Either pin your woven coat sleeve all the way around, or if your are using a laminate fabric for main, you can use scotch tape to hold your sleeve lining in place. Tape it in several places all the way around, and repeat with opposite sleeve. You can hand stitch your sleeves in place at this point, but like I said before, I wait until the very end to do all my hand stitching at the same time.

3. Next, pin your coat lining up out of the way.  We will be top stitching our coats and sewing the hem all the way around and we do not want to sew any of the lining at this point. (As you can see in the photo we still have our main coat hem clipped in place for sewing the next step.)

4. There was no easy to to take a picture of this next step so please refer to the pattern for the stitching guide. It is on the "Assemble The Jacket And Coat Lining, Step 3."  Also note that the woven main coat (like the denim) is pressed very well and does not need to be pinned before sewing this next step but the laminate cannot be pressed so it holds together better with clips along the outer edge. Also, as I sew the edge of the coat I use tissue paper between my machine and the coat to keep it from sticking to my sewing machine while it is being sewn.

5. Next, we will prepare the coat lining to be sewn. The coat lining will be longer than where it needs to be sewn; this is again for ease while being worn by the child.  Bring the coat lining up to meet the bottom stitching line.  If using a woven fabric pin in place; if using a laminate fabric tape in place.

Continue working your way across the bottom of the coat lining in same manner.

6. Now onto the hand stitching! I recommend a nice comfy spot to sit with a warm cup of tea for this next part as it does take a bit to stitch it all. We will start with the coat's bottom edge. First tie a couple of knots into the threads end on your needle. We will be using a ladder stitch to sew the coat's lining onto the main coat. 

Insert the needle into the bottom corner of the coat's lining. Then insert the needle into the main coat only through the inside layer. The needle and thread will be sandwiched between the outer coat and the inside of the coat. We do not want our needle to pierce through the outside main layer at all. We do not want any holes in this layer so take great care as we sew across.

7. Bring your needle out again about a 1/4" away. Then reinsert the needle into the coat's lining and bring it back out again another 1/4" along.

  8. Reinsert the needle again into the coat's hem with the needle sandwiched between the two layers and bring it back out a 1/4" further.

9. Pull the thread tight and you will not see any of your stitching. Repeat steps 7 and 8 across the the entire bottom of the coat. Then, when you reach the end, tie your thread off. Sew your sleeve(s) lining in the same manner as the coat's bottom hem.

10. We are almost done with our coats!! Now we will remove our basting stitching in the coat's lining back center. (See the next two pictures for this step.)  Carefully use your seam ripper to remove the basting stitch all the way up the lining.

11. Sew your buttons into the wearer's right side button tabs. Or, if you are using snaps apply them now.

12. Time to admire your coat!!! (This really is my favorite part.) I am so excited to see everyone's coat. Please share them in the Whimsical Fabric & Me group! 

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 Five to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Thursday, April 7th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Lesson #4

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 4

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.  

Today we will sew the lining and sew the main coat to the lining coat.

1. Take the wearer's left side of the inside facing a piece and sew on the soft side of your Velcro dots. Just as before with my laminated fabric I measured the pattern piece and the fabric piece for placement but on my woven coat I transferred the dots from the pattern pieces onto my fabric piece.

2. On the woven fabric coats only, Take both your front facing pieces in hand. 

At the bottom notch, finish the raw edge from the notch down to the bottom edge of the piece. I do this with a narrow zig-zag stitch.

3. Now we will take our lining piece and clip/pin it to the front facing. They both have a curve, so we will have to do some clipping on the front facing piece to make them fit better for sewing. Transfer all the pattern piece markings onto the wrong side of both pattern pieces. Since you cannot wash the laminated fabric I recommend a disappearing fabric marker to mark these dots.

Clip or pin the two pieces together up to the curve portion and above it. Next clip into the front facing portion between the wonder clips. As of right now it looks like the front lining piece is shorter than the front facing piece; the clipping into the curved portion will help us ease the two pieces to fit perfectly together.

4. Finish clipping/pinning the two pieces together. Stitch together starting at the top and stopping at the dot transferred from the pattern piece a few inches up from the bottom. Be sure to lock your stitches well.

5. Carefully press the cotton lining part only on the bottom of the laminated coat; be sure to not press any of the laminated fabric at all.  On the woven coat press the whole seam.

This is what the whole piece will look like now.

6. Take your coat back lining piece and fold it in half with right sides facing. Baste the center fold together with a 1/2" seam all they way down. Be sure to sew with a long stitch length to make removing the stitching easier later on.

7. Press the center pleat to one side. Either side will work and it doesn't make a difference.

8. Take your lining back and lining front pieces; place them with right sides facing and clip/pin at the sides and shoulders. Stitch then press the seam open. Remember do not use an iron on the laminated fabric. 

9. Take your sleeve lining piece and sew a gathering stitch at the top between the notches just as you did with the main sleeve pieces. Again fold the sleeves in half with right sides facing and sew the side of the sleeves just as before with the main sleeves. Fold and press the bottom of the sleeve up 1/2". Do not stitch this. 

10. Attach the sleeve linings in the very same manner as the main coat's sleeves. This is what your coat lining should like at this point. (I will tell you ladies that I love the way the coat facing looks here and one day I will sew a coat for the lining to be the main side. I have planned to do this for years now.... )

11. Now take your coat lining and press the bottom of the cotton portion only, not the front facing, press it up a 1/2" 

12. Next take your hood and match up the notches to the main coats notches and seams, clip/pin in place. baste the hood onto the coat with a 1/4" seam.

13. Now for the exciting part! We will sew our coat main to our coat lining. Match up the top of the coat and the all the notches on the coat's two sides and top on the main coat and lining pieces with the right sides facing. Clip or pin in place. 

14. We will start sewing at the bottom of the coat where the wooden chopstick is pointed.  You will sew around in one continuous line until you reach the opposite side of the coat.  Notice that you will be stitching a portion of the coat main to make a nice "pocket" for turning the coat to the main side. Trim your seam allowance to a 1/4" then turn and pull the sleeve main and lining together. Finger press your laminated coat and press your woven coats.

15. In the pattern instructions it calls for the sleeves to be hand stitched at this point. I save all my hand stitching for last to be done at the same time. Take your main coat bottom and finger press up the bottom hem 1 1/2" and clip it in place. (If using a woven fabric press the bottom with a hot iron and pin place.) Do not stitch this just yet. We will take care of that in tomorrow's lesson.

We are finished for today; our coats are really taking shape and are almost done! I hope you ladies are excited as I am!!

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 Four to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Wednesday, April 6th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask. 

Sew-Along #32 - School Days Jacket - Lesson #3

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 3

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. 

Today we will be finishing up the main side of our coats. So shall we get started?

1. Take your coat back and one coat front side piece and clip/pin it in place matching your side notches and right sides together at the coat sides and shoulders. Stitch with a 1/2" seam then press the seam towards the back of the coat. (Remember if you are using the laminate fabric to only finger press the seams and do not use a iron on it).

2. Top stitch the seams in place on the coat's back side. Repeat with the coat's opposite front and back side.

3. Take one of the main pocket pieces and one of the lining pocket pieces and place them right sides facing at the short un-notched side. Stitch them together. 

4. Trim the seam in about 1" on both sides as shown. This will help to reduce the bulk on the pocket after turning.

5. Fold the pocket over, matching up the notches at the bottom of the pocket. Clip/pin in place. Now to make it easier on me while sewing the pocket, I also add the 1/2" markings for the beginning and stopping points. I also bring them in 1/2" on each side of the notches on the laminated fabric due to it not being able to be pressed. (The pattern calls for the beginning and stopping points to be at the notches themselves.) I find it easier to keep the opening smaller for pressing and sewing the pocket on in the next step.  

6. Stitch around the pocket leaving the area between the notches un-sewn or with the laminated fabric like I said I bring the un-sewn area in about 1/2" on each side. Clip into the corners but do not clip into the stitching, and turn and finger press.

7. Top stitch 1" down from the top of the pocket all the way across. Repeat with second pocket.

8. For the pocket placement on the woven fabric I just transferred the dots from the pattern pieces, however on the laminated fabric as I said before it is harder to mark the placement, so I use the pattern pieces to measure where they should go.

I use scotch tape to hold the pockets in place while I am stitching them onto the coat.  I remove the tape right before I sew that area of the pocket.

This is the pocket all top stitched into place. I like to sew mine on with a 1/8" seam allowance. Repeat with second pocket.

9. The School Days coat has set in sleeves on it. This means that the sleeves are not gathered on the finished product however with the 1/2" seam allowance we will gather the top top of our sleeves to sew them onto the coat as not to have any puckers or pleats in it. On the laminate fabric it is very important not to sew two rows of gathers threads as well. This is because when we take our gathering threads out the holes will still be left in the top of the sleeve.  Instead we will only sew one row of gathering threads with a 1/3" seam allowance. Repeat with second sleeve.

10. Fold the sleeve in half with the right sides together, clip/pin the sides together and stitch. Trim the bottom part of the seam to reduce bulk and finger press the seam open.

11. Now measure the bottom of your sleeve and fold it down 1 1/2" to create a cuff. Finger press the laminate fabric and iron press the woven fabric. To hold the laminate fabric clip it in place to sew.

12. With the sleeve still wrong side out, sew with a 1" seam allowance all the way around the bottom of the sleeve. Placing tissue paper under the sleeve and between the sewing machine here is very helpful so that the sleeve does not stick to the sewing machine while being sewn. Repeat with second sleeve.

13. Now turn the coat inside out and the sleeves right side out. Take a sleeve, both sleeves are identical so it doesn't matter which sleeve you use,and place it inside the coat so that the coat and sleeve right sides are facing. Match the sleeves under arm seam to the coat's side seam and clip or pin in place. Next, match the all the notches on the sleeve to the notches on the coat and clip/pin in place. Gather your sleeve to fit the coat opening; it will only be slightly gathered as it is a set in sleeve. Stitch around with a 1/2" seam then check to make sure there are no puckers on the right side of the coat at the seam. If there is, unpick the area and straighten out the pucker and re-stitch just above the old stitching line to prevent to old stitching line with holes to be visible on the right side of your coat. Trim the seam down to a 1/4". Repeat with second sleeve.

Now our coats are starting to look like real coats! We will leave off here today and will be back tomorrow to sew the lining portion of the coat. I hope you are getting as excited as I am! (This is where I can't put my coat down because I am too excited to see it all sewn.) I can't wait to see everyone's coats in the Facebook Album!

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 Three to this Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Tuesday, April 5th. If you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask. 

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.