Well, shall we get back to it?

 Good Question. Shall I get back to it? What is it I want to get back to? Not to make this tailoring blog  a confessional, but these are questions that I am asking myself.

Where do I go from here may be a more pointed question. The past three years (that is shocking!) since I last posted seem have flown by in a mishmash of illness and stress and just carrying on as best as I could. The past year has hit our industry particularly hard and I have friends and colleagues around the country reeling from the blow. Almost all avenues of making a living as a theatre professional have disappeared, although film and tv work is continuing on, not all of us are able to, or desire to tap into that side of the business in a full time manner.

So, standing at the edge of 2021, looking over the edge, I think that I need to come up with a plan, and I hope that I can come back to the blog and perhaps with a few adjustments, move forward with learning some new things and bringing you along on the journey.

I wish you all the best in the year to come, stay safe, be kind.

Cheers.

Art installation  Entre Les Rangs  by Kanva architecture at Place des Arts/Quartier des Spectacles Montreal

paned breeches updated and finished

Home again home again jiggity jig.
That month away felt so long, yet went by so quickly if you know what I mean.

It is refreshing to go to Montreal. There were so many wonderful cultural experiences to see and do. Here are some of the things I did while there.
AURA amazingly breathtaking! watch the video!
Leonard Cohen exhibit at MAC , Centaur Theatre,  Boys with Cars , McGill music concert , Redpath Museum , Souk à SAT , Cité Mémoire , Salon des Artisans Récupérateurs, Beautys, wandering the old town of Montreal and Griffintown, watching the Grey Cup with friends down in Lasalle, shopping, restaurants, Loving Vincent and The Other Side of Hope

I did work too. Really! No wonder I am a little tired!

so a few work photo updates
the paned trunk hose.
This is what I did with the tulle/net to create the shape under the "paned" layer. I forgot to take photos of this.

After applying the netting, sew the base layer up. 

I had already created a zip fly in the base layer before I applied the netting, so my fronts were actually joined together as I applied the net. Sew the inseams, then sew the centre front/centre back seam.

Sew the CB seam completely up before applying the waistband. The next steps can be modified, but this is how I did it, as I needed to have a fitting before finishing. I am also trying to think ahead as to how alterations could be easily made after the fitting, or in the future.

I interfaced and applied the base waistband (just a single layer), sewing it on so the seam allowances are facing outwards. This will make sense, I assure you. I turned the top edge of the waistband and pressed it.

Next, sew up the paned layer, inseams first, then cf/cb leaving the fly area open. Sew the waistband(single layer of fabric) on as usual. You now have two pairs of "shorts"

Slide the paned layer over the base layer. Baste the CF fly opening to the base layer.

Finger press the waistline seam allowance open, pushing the seam allowance of the panes downwards and baste the waistband seam allowance of the pane layer to the waistband seam allowance of the base layer. Machine these together close to the seam.

Slip stitch the centre front fly of the paned layer to the base with a permanent stitch. 

Baste the leg openings together flat.

Fit

make any alterations- I had to take a few small tucks in the back under the seat towards the inseam. I put the tucks in the base layer and gathered the paned layer to the new size.

Finish them!

I used premade bias tape to finish the leg opening. I sewed it on, cut my seam allowances down, wrapped the bias to the inside as a facing, and slip stitched the bias to the base fabric.

joined the waistband layers together on the top and front edges.

Sew on hooks and bars.

Voilà. 

Production photo credit Maxime Cote

More from Montreal

First, a little photo from this evening as I was walking home after work!
I love the light installations here in Montreal and especially these illuminated teeter totters at Place des Arts. They also make sounds as they are played on.
It is so much fun to see so many people enjoying them.
There was a Christmas craft show at the maison Durable, vendors there were selling crafts made from recyclable materials, a Christmas Market at Place des Arts, with outdoor vendors of crafts and food, and the souk à SAT across the street from us with local craft and food and artisans showing their work. It is all very festive.

 

I am going back from the last post to show you the base pattern for the short trunk hose. I need to take out some fabric below the seat in the back, either by gathering or darting ( I am already into the fabric so I have to make it work from where I am at now)

This is the base, with some netting applied and the paned pleated fabric draped over top, and put together for a fitting. 

I basically constructed an inner trouser base, and an outer trouser, and melded them together. I slip stitched the paned layer to the base at the fly front (yes I put a zip fly into these) I made sure the waist seam allowances of the outer layer turned down at the waist so the waistband itself is nice and flat. The two layers are then caught together at the leg opening. I need to make an alteration, reducing extra fabric at the hem/leg line so I will probably gather that edge on both layers.

Then I think I will face the leg opening back with bias as a finishing technique.

I am struggling with posting using my ipad, so forgive the short posts and any horrible spelling mistakes.

I will post a fitting photo soon.

Cheers!