Toile Diary - the manufacture process.

Manufacture of my jacket toile.

1. First I had to begin by patterning my jacket, I started off with the basic body block and traced off both the front and back, ensuring that I traced off all my markings.









2. I then cut my bodice pattern out, I then had to adapt it to move the darts that I didn't need as I wanted my jacket to be quite boxy.

Moving the darts.

3. I then got the sleeve block and traced around it, I then had to adapt the sleeve to make it smaller to the size that I wanted. I did this by using the slash and spread method. I cut up my sleeve pattern 5 times and I then pulled them in to reduce the width, when I got the sleeve to a size that I liked I was then able to tape it down onto pattern paper and trace it off.

 4. Once I had both my basic patterns I then had to concentrate on my back panel piece for my jacket, I did this by having to draw the panel onto my back pattern piece to the size that I wanted. I then broke the pattern into 3 different pieces, I had the back of my jacket, the back panel and the waist panel. I did this so that I knew which bit went where when manufacturing the garment.

5. Once I had my panel I was then able to trace each one off, I added a 1cm seam allowance to each side except the side that would be cut on the fold, I was then able to cut these out ready for toiling.

Manufacturing

1. I lay all of my pattern pieces onto my calico fabric which I had folded length ways, ensuring that anything that was needed to be cut on the fold was, Once I knew all of my patterns were correct I was then able to pin them all down and cut around each one.

2. Once I had all of my pieces cut out I was then able to start manufacturing my toile. I started off by marking off my darts on my 2 front pieces, once they were marked in place I was then able to sew my darts up.

3. When I had sewn up my darts I then had to sew my 2 front pieces onto my back piece, I did this by placing the right sides of the fabric together and pinning down the edge, I then sewed down the edge using a 1cm seam allowance, I did the same with my other front piece.

4. Once my front and back pieces were together I was then able to sew the shoulders of my jacket together, I pinned them right side to right side I then sewed across again using a 1cm seam allowance.

5. After I had put the majority of my jacket together I was then able to put my panel pieces in, I started off by putting the waist panel in I did this by placing the right sides of my fabric together, I then pinned it on, I was then able to sew down both edges 1cm.

6. After my waist panel was in I was a bit unsure of how my back panel was going to work so I decided to leave that until last, so I decided to put my sleeves in, I did this by pinning my sleeve around the edge of the armhole of the jacket trying to ease it in to fit the shape. Once I had pinned the sleeve in place I was then able to sew along the edge 1cm, I then repeated this process for my other sleeve, I then had to place the right sides of my sleeve together and sewed down to join my sleeve together, I then did this again on my other sleeve.

Arm hole and sleeve.

Sleeve.

7. When my sleeves were sewn into place I realised that the top of my sleeve had slightly rucked up so that I may have to reduce the width of the top of my sleeve on my pattern piece in order for it to fit better.

Back panel piece.

8. The last thing that I had left to do was sew my back panel piece in, I struggled with this slightly as it was sewing at a right angle, I had to place it right side to right side, I then had to pin along each of the edges, Once they were all pinned in place I was then able to sew them together I had to sew down 1cm then across 1cm creating a right angle. As I will be using lace to create my back panel I may have to add a seam to my back jacket piece to make the sewing more simple.








Front of jacket.



Back of jacket.