I have a black mohair that I purchased from Kashi/Metro Textiles last year that I am thinking of using with V2884. The pattern doesn’t list mohair as one of the recommended fabrics but what are your thoughts? I think a short coat will be the best for mohair since sitting on it would tend to crush the fibers and maybe cause a shine.
I also have a two sided fabric (black on one side and plaid on the other) like some folks have purchased from Michael’s. I’m not sure where I purchased mine from but it was advertised as being the same fabric. It will be for a trench and if I have time I will work on it as we go along. This fabric seems rather stiff and I look forward to seeing the sewing recommendations.
Work is slow for me now so I’ve had some time to read over all the posts. It has been great to sift through them and then see what will work for me. Thank you Marji.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Mohair for V2884? Fabricluver - Susan
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10 comments:
I don't think that mohair is a good choice for this coat. It will obscure the lines, and it shouldn't have the lining attached as it will droop and the lining won't. I think that a more densely woven wool would make a better choice here.
Susan, what weight and how densely woven is your mohair? Does it have a long surface fuzz?
Mohair, the fiber from a goat, is a lot like some of the other protein hair fibers, soft, warm, high loft,however, unlike wool from sheep, it has little or no yarn memory.
It can be spun and woven into different weights of fabric, and may have a surface that is very fuzzy. I would treat it like I would a cashmere for this jacket, if you've got one that is suitable in weight for a coat, and I'd underline it to support the fabric, and then tailor it just like any other wool.
nancy, are you thinking of a mohair knit fabric?
No, there was an article a while, a long while, back in Threads that talked about mohair being an unstable fabric on its own that should have the lining attached only with swing threads, and not attached at the bottom. The jacket in question probably calls for an attached lining. The fabric I am thinking of is pretty fuzzy and airy and in my mind would not show off the lines of this jacket, but obscure them. My grandmother had a Bonnie Cashin mohair coat when I was a girl that was unlined and had leather trim. (too bad no one kept it) It had few seams and was really a perfect fabric pattern combo.
Nancy - thank you for your comments. Since this is a pretty fuzzy fabric, I agree that the lines of the coat will be diminished but I am going for it anyway! I made my daughter a jacket last year using this fabric and Vogue 8299 but made it longer. I used a silk lining and did attach it at the bottom. I will ask her how it is holding up and if there is any drooping along the bottom.
Marji - thank for all of your research! I used More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina for sewing guidelines for DD's jacket and had no problems with the mohair. However, it did not have bound buttonholes! That sounds like fun on this pattern. I agree that that V8824 is more unstructured and probably a good fit for this pattern. I know a "less hairy" fabric would show some of the lines better but I'm going to try it. What do you recommend for underlining? And do you think a silk lining would work ok?
Oops - sorry Marji. Just saw your answers in the top post.
I made the V2884 using a napped thick alpaca wool. I was also concerned that the uniqueness of the cut would disappear in the nap, so to highlight the very interesting seaming, I added 1 cm wide trim (smooth fabric in a matching colour) along the side front, top of pocket, and back neck. I'll post a photo of it later for you.
Pattern issues: I find the collar too narrow at the top, it bothers the back of my head. I'm thinking of redoing the collar & adding a 2-3cm wedge at centre back, so it can fold outwards. I don't think this'll change the look of the jacket at the front, but it'll make it more comfortable at the back. I also found that the undercollar pattern piece was way too small! Perhaps it would have worked with a thinner fashion fabric (with the upper collar folding under a bit), but that was an impossibility with the alpaca.
Digs - thanks for your comments. I will watch where the back collar falls on me. My hair falls about collar length and I hate a short collar that keeps my hair inside. I had much rather have a taller collar so my hair stays on the outside of the coat.
The trim is a great idea and I would love to see a picture! Thanks again
This is great information from Digs. When you make your muslin you can be aware of this, and check the collar size/shape for the way it sits on you.
OK, I feel dense - I removed the comment above because the link I tried to create to the jacket pics didn't work. But, as far as I can tell, they're public, so here's the direct address:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27299810@N08/2539825326/
There's two of them so far - and if anyone could give me a teeny little tutorial on how to make the link appear more elegant, I'd be SO grateful.
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