Yes, I promised you. Here is it.
A while ago, I bought two jacket patterns and some lovely red polyester knit, not too stretchy, and a green embossed polyester. At least I think they are polyester – I can’t even remember where or when I bought them, let alone anything else about them. But I loved those fabrics and the chosen patterns would be perfect for what I wanted.
I happily sewed the green fabric up, but I unfortunately lost my sewing mojo trying to put the zipper in right. The zipper was so heavy and the fabric so light, after a couple of tries, I just put it aside for another day and moved on to my next project.
A while later, I was happily sewing up my lovely red, unfortunately losing my nerve when it came to the single buttonhole. That single buttonhole was killing me – so I just put it aside for another day and moved on to something else.
I know these are the “Oldest UnFinished Objects” in the World because I bought the patterns brand new, along with the fabrics and started sewing them up right away.
The Simplicity 7311 is dated 1996 (if my eyes can see that tiny print correctly), therefore the green jacket is 19 years old.
And, the Simplicity 9138 is dated 2006, so the red jacket is 9 years old.
Why did I never finish them? I did manage to get the zipper in correctly eventually, and the buttonhole sewn in nicely, unfortunately I lost my enthusiasm for these jackets in the process. I also have managed to gain a wee bit of weight in the last few years and I did not feel like unpicking and fitting two jackets that were already almost finished. What’s the point of finishing them if I can’t wear them?
Here’s the point – apparently they do fit my sister, as is, so they have become part of my “Sister’s Sewing Projects”! Remember The Clark Gable, Picasso’s flowers, and the Snake skin? Renewed sewing mojo given to me by my sister!
When my sister tried the jackets on we decided the only change would be to alter the sleeves slightly on the green one. I just raised the sleeve cap a smidge.
I happily “bagged” the lining on both jackets – something I did not know how to do ten years ago, instead I would have had to do a lot of hand sewing at the sleeve and jacket hems. Here’s the sleeve hems pinned carefully so that when I pull them through they are sewn in and properly finished.
This mess below is a very organized mess – inside out and pinned, the lining is ready to be sewn in. Afterwards, I will pull everything through the hole I have left in the side seam. Then the side seam will be sewn by hand.
Finished green jacket.
Finished red jacket. Well almost finished.
You might have noticed that I did succeed in sewing in a lovely large buttonhole 9 years ago. Now I just have to find the 9-year-old button I purchased to sew on the other side! I swear this is not going to continue to be a UFO!
I am happy to say that this 19-year-old zipper pull has finally found its home though!
Are these not Two of the “Oldest UFOs” in the World? I dare you to prove me wrong!
Oh yes, Dear Sister, your jackets are ready to pick up! Don’t take too long in visiting or I might just lose those few pounds and keep them for myself!
Happy Sewing!
Yay! Well worth waiting for, your sister’s very lucky! They’re both wonderful jackets and very classic which is just as well! 😃
😀 Thank you!
I have 2 UFO’s from 1993, the year of my divorce. One is a silk blouse and the other a Folkwear Pattern project (Chinese style top and pants) (http://www.folkwear.com/114.html) made out of silk sari material. Both need sleeves and cuffs and piping but they have been moved around the world as I have moved. Every so often I take them out, try them on and hang them back up.Your sister is so lucky to have her own seamstress in you!
So I am not the only one with such UFOs! Your’s sound lovely. I will have to go take a peek at the site. And thank you for the compliment. My sister used to sew all sorts of things for herself, their boys, her husband, but she has arthritis now and finds it too difficult. She did lovely work when she did sew. Her insides were as good as her outsides!
The great thing is that they are both styles that haven’t dated. I would wear both but specially like the green, lucky sister and don’t you feel great they’re done!
A tip for future lined jackets. leave the bagging out opening in one of the sleeve seams of the lining. You can hand or machine stitch it and it’s never seen!
I do feel happy they are done and going to a good home! 😀 that’s the first time I’ve heard about leaving the opening in the sleeve. Great tip! I’ll do that next time. Thanks!
Look in the RTW coats or jackets at home or in the shops. I can quite often be found picking at something on a shop rail to see if I can recognise how they do it! My favourite at the moment is coat hem corners!!!
Well if you have a tip for coat corners, let’s have it! I only saw once in a pattern a unique clever way to put the coat corners together nicely! Do you think I can remember it now? Nope!
May be a post soon, but never trim down the corners
When I did my winter coat I didn’t trim the corners. It worked out fine. It wasn’t too bulky and had some stiff shape to it. With these, I noticed that I had trimmed the corners and the hem. I should have left it alone (don’t tell my sister) because they are rather thin at the corners and edges. Oh well! Live and learn.
Pressed too soon!? Use the seam allowance to form the corner. I do this on waistband facings too. Now done
Are you sure you’re done? Funny Lady! 😄 It’s going to bug me now… Which coat pattern did I have that had a different clever way to construct the corners! 😖
Never done! Like you I want to know as much as possible!! Haha I think it never ends
👍
How wonderful to both finish two beautiful jackets and then give them to your sister. Well done!
Thank you!
Oh what a lucky sister you have! I’m always amazed to see how well the old patterns still work, these look very current….with RTW, old is usually just old. Love the zipper pull! And your bagged lining looks great (very nice sleeve tip from Linda Wilson), mine ended up being a bit, well, baggy.
Thank you! (You are a funny girl, aren’t you?) I guess a baggy bagged lining is fine, if it’s all hidden inside! 😄
How wonderful to have these UFOs finished. I bet it feels great! The jackets look lovely – not dated at all considering their age 😉
Thank you! I guess, like the saying, “Everything old is new again”!
Those jackets look great! The colour and pattern of the teal one, the collar of the red one. Very nice.
Thanks! I don’t see many shawl collars anymore actually, but I always did love them because they were different. (That’s right! TEAL! I kept saying GREEN! 😄)
The UFOs look great. Your sister (who happens to be my sister too) is very lucky to get them. BTW, if she’s wearing UFOs does that make her an alien? Hahahahaha. 🙂
Good one! Let’s talk about her when she is not here! 😜😂
Success at last! And people wonder why we keep things for so long…
😉
Ya, I’ll finish it SOMEDAY! 😂
Wow, two new jackets at once, lucky sister.
Ah well, someone’s gotta use it! 😊
I can hear you, ya know, you two. But, that’s okay, cause I am the lucky one. The UFOs look beautiful, I will have to come visit with a half empty suitcase again. I get all the beautiful treasures. Thank you sis.
Oops! Shhh! She’s listening! … Hello Rose! Glad you like them. Also glad that they can go to a nice home!
Doesn’t it feel great to finish longstanding lurkers like this? Your jackets look surprisingly current given their history. Your sister is a lucky lady.
Thank you!
Your sister must be doing the happy dance. Not only is the style of the red jacket current, but red is the color of the moment too. I discovered a UFO of my own this summer, stashed in a dark corner, a dress I cut out about ten years ago but then lost it!?! I kid you not. I wondered where it went, but eventually forgot about it. The story? My husband (innocently) stashed it in a dark cupboard during a ‘OMG company’s coming’ cleaning frenzy. Unlike your lovelies, the style might be too dated…but I’m determined to save that fabric :).
Oh no! It would be great if you could save your’s too. I can’t stand wasting fabric myself. Let us know if you come up with a rescue plan!
I can relate to the UFO;s. I had to look in one of my many boxes and found that I had your Simplicity 7311, the whole suit all cut out from 19 years ago. Hmm maybe you have given me incentive to just finish it though no way I can fit it.
That is a great pattern, with all its choices! I found I had to alter the shoulders a bit – you can’t find shoulder pads that big anymore to fit that pattern, I think! I always give to charity second hand stores if I can’t find a relative to fit in my handmade clothes. I am sure there is a lovely lady out there who needs a suit – maybe to go to a job interview even?