Chanel-inspired Jacket by Glenda
This jacket is part of a Chanel Inspired Sew Along. Our references for this project were Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaeffer and several articles found in Threads Magazine.
My pattern is from PatternMaster Boutique
Glenda used the following style options and settings in PatternMaster Boutique:
- classic jacket with a curved vee front neckline and jewel back neckline
- fitted sides and back, single breasted, and a straight hemline
- front and back shoulder princess seams
- shoulder pad setting was 1/2 inch
- sleeve is a two piece sleeve which I modified
- the curve of the neck opening was reversed and the cuffs were curved in Pattern Editor
- The inspiration for the curved cuffs came from Vogue pattern V8259 and Coco’s Cuff’s by Claire Shaeffer in Threads issue # 151
The fabric is woven plaid cashmere. I found the fabric at an estate sale and had a limited amount. Matching plaids starts with the cutting of the fabric. To make this easier I printed a left and right pattern. I had no fabric to spare.
One of the articles we referenced for construction techniques is Inside a Chanel Jacket by Susan Kahjle Threads issue # 121. One of the trademarks of a Chanel Jacket is it subtle quilting. The quilting is usually done by machine. This fabric did not lend itself to subtleness when machine quilted. As a result, all the quilting in this jacket was hand done. With this dilemma I decided to construct the jacket first and the lining second, and the quilting somewhere in the middle.
Another trademark of a Chanel Jacket is the trim. I searched for trim in around the area but was unable to find anything that went with the fashion fabric. I then decided that cording might be the solution. I went to Fabric Mart and found some wool crepe to make the cording. I cut bias strips and sewed a soft rope from my stash into the cording with a zipper foot. I attached the cording. As I went to put in the lining, I discovered that the jacket had grown. By adjusting the cording I was able to fit the outer part of the jacket to the lining. I did have an issue with the length. I used the fabric from the cording to make a facing and I was able to complete the lining.
The last construction technique is the chain at the bottom of the jacket which helps the jacket hang nicely. This was sewn on by hand where the lining meets the fashion fabric. The key to sewing on the chain is that it can be neither to loose or two tight.
Glenda has also written an article on Shoulder Pads - the thick and thin of it.