Green Wool Suit

I finally put away some patterns I had scattered all over my sewing room and found the jacket and skirt patterns I want to use for the green wool. I ironed the paper pieces and organized them and then I looked at the fabric, which I had laid out on my cutting table, folded in half lengthwise. I knew then I should cut out each piece in a single layer, not two pieces at a time as it would be if the fabric were folded in half. So I unfolded the fabric and staked it down with 48 oz. cans to prevent it from sliding off the table.

I was going to write about how much extra work it was, to cut out each piece twice, but as I cut, I realized that it was just a bit of extra time and not extra work, really. As I cut each piece, I realized how nice and precise it felt, to only cut one layer at a time. I knew that each piece lined up exactly with the stripes in the fabric, and that the under piece (because there wasn't one) wouldn't be slightly skewed. I also knew that each piece would be flaw-free.

There were several flaws in the fabric, which I noticed and marked with contrasting thread as I ironed the fabric originally. Now that I'm cutting out each piece, one at a time, I can position the pattern piece carefully to avoid the flaws. It's actually less stressful to do it this way, than to cut two pieces out at once, on folded fabric. And easier on the hand too, because you are only cutting one layer of fabric. Which is not to say that I won't ever cut two layers at a time, ever again. But I am not minding this step at all, this time.

I know I've posted this jacket before, but it was easier to take a new photo, rather than find the old one. This is the McCall's 3796 pattern made in a raw silk. I won't be doing piping with the green wool but everything else will be the same.

For fun, I draped the front jacket pieces on the dummy, over the silk jacket, just to see how they will hang. I am quite happy with the fabric so far.