tailcoat finished

Here is the tailcoat all finished- We were still waiting for the shirt to arrive but took the picture anyway. I found another stand to put it on- one that is longer in the body but it has a strange shape overall and very square shoulders. Maybe the state of stands/dummies should be addressed! That's another post.

Well, I'll get to see this being worn this week so I hope I'll be just as happy then.

I find that doing this kind of work with two fittings is a bit pressured, but the time constraints don't ease up and we try to do the best we can in the time we have.

I also try to take a look when a coat is finished and analyse it a bit, looking for areas that I, as a cutter can improve on for the next time. On this it's the sleeves....I think I should tweak the pattern a bit- something for next time.

Susy did the tailoring on this one and I think she's done a fabulous job, as usual.

I am continuing to wonder about the term in my reference to French press the pleats- (in the text image).

Evan and I think it means to press the back skirt pleats of the tailcoat so they form a ridge rather than a soft pleat. He is going to try that press on his tailcoat and I am going to leave mine as is and we'll see if it makes any difference on stage. I have one more person I think I can ask about that because I think his tailcoats are pressed that way so I'll have to give him a call when I get a moment.

Next up for us is a bit of late eighteenth century menswear, which I haven't cut for a number of years. I've already started by drafting some fall front breeches and I'll keep you posted.