Learning something new…

For the past few weeks I have been working on my Islander Sewing Systems, “MotorCity Express jacket“. I received this pattern when I purchased the Craftsy course “Sew Better, Sew Faster: Smart Construction“.  

I have worked on the facings and lining layer, my sleeve gusset zippers and zipper pockets, and last week my fashion fabric layer. 

This week I bagged the lining!  I have, sort of, bagged linings before.  But this pattern had a final step for the sleeve layers that I have never done before, one that made for less hand sewing and more machine sewing – always a bonus!

My lining and fashion fabric layers were completed.  I did sew some shoulder pads in as I thought the shoulder seams sat better with the padding.  I double checked that my lining layer side seam had not been completely sewn shut – that is where I am going to pull my jacket through to turn it right side out.  

I sewed my two layers together at the hem, right sides together.

I sewed together my two layers, right sides together, along the two front edges and the neckline.  Remembering to use my zipper foot on the front edge that contained the zipper.  I slid one layer of my sleeve into the other and pinned them together to keep them out of the way.

Clipped my four corners to reduce bulk and slipped my hand inside my side seam opening to grab one corner at a time and gently pull it through the hole.

After pulling all my corners through I had my jacket lying flat with the wrong sides together.  In this photo you can see the opening in the side seam of the lining.  You can also see a small hole in the front inside where the facing and the lining meet.  The pattern had proper instructions on how to sew this area to close the hole before you pull the jacket through… but I literally gave up on reading the pattern instructions at this point and decided to pull my jacket through and hand sew the small area closed instead.  Maybe someone else will have better luck understanding the instructions and diagram to close this hole, but I was just too anxious to get the job done and knew that I could hand sew the hole afterwards!

Now when it came to the sleeves, I did really read the instructions carefully.  I have bagged a lining before, but not sleeves.  Usually I just hand sew the sleeve layers together afterwards.  This time I did as instructed.  I pinned the sleeve hems lining up the seams.  Then I pulled the sleeves through my side seam opening and re-pinned them carefully, this time right sides together, ensuring that the seams were still lined up.  After sewing the two layers together, I pulled the sleeves back through the side seam opening and it worked!

Finished MotorCity Express jacket – just needs some hand sewing on the side seam to close it up!

We had the weirdest weather today – beautiful sunshine, thunder and pouring rain, then sunshine again.  I took advantage of the sun to take these photos.  Too bad I was wearing a Tee shirt and yoga pants and pink fuzzy slippers with my MotorCity Express Jacket!  Islander Sewing has come up with a lovely jacket pattern.  I like it just as much as their previous jacket pattern, the  Jacket Express!  (And, as usual, no one is paying me to say that!)

So what is my next project?  Well… my family has been neglected.  Mr. Green Thumb wants the long sleeves on three shirts shortened.  My Lovely Daughter wants a button sewn on.  I need new elastic put in a skirt.  Thrilling, huh?  What are you up to?

Happy Sewing!