Ms. Fine Fabrics' Jacket

My coat is to be made from a cashmere and super 190 wool, which means it has an incredibly soft hand and drape, and is very, very light weight. In our Santa Barbara climate, 72 degrees and dry, except on rare occasions, one heavy coat a decade is enough. A black jacket is indispensable and I have none. Since I plan to wear this one until it is threadbare, I would like to take the time to do an absolutely perfect job. The jacket is already underway. It is based upon a Montana design made for Vogue Patterns, #2649, which I chose because I made it last year color-blocking a reversible charcoal-to-white cotton-linen blend.The pattern has already been altered to fit perfectly.

For my black jacket, I wanted a more formal look, so I have lengthened the sleeve, and plan to add a series of small buttons to the cuff. I've also dropped the safari pockets, and instead, drafted a pocket within a seam running horizontally at the hip. I plan to top stitch the seam line and pocket with a prick stitch of "heaviest weight" black silk thread on wooden spools, I bought 30 years ago at Marks Tailoring Supply at One Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles. It no longer exists, but that one time visit Mrs. Marks store is one of my fondest shopping for sewing memories. I did stock up on supplies for a lifetime.

Just as Anne suggests, I chose the underlining or "canvas", to match the weight of the fabric. I ended up using a piece of Robert Kaufman's Seacell we have here in the store, for no other reason than it felt right when I draped the two fabrics over my hand together. It is similar to a tightly woven, or satin batiste.

I have supported the shoulders with a bias cut piece of wool hair canvas that we import from England. The shoulder reinforcement is pad stitched only to the underlining. I am using Acro (70% rayon, 21% polyester, 9% hair) to interface the lapel. This will be pad stitched to the fabric, and for this I will use a very fine grade of silk thread. It says here it is 50 weight, but it sure feels right so I'm using it. I was taught to use a linen tape to support the roll line, but this fabric is so fine I thought it best to use a piece of rayon seam binding instead.

It has been awhile since I took the time to tailor a coat or jacket, so I am using for reference, my old class notes, "Classic Tailoring Techniques - A Construction Guide to Women's Wear" by Roberto Cabrera and Patricia Flaherty Meyers, that I picked up at the California Mart Fashion Bookstore, and "The Great Coat Sew-Along".