Back Lining and Side Slits

Side Slits

Unlike the lounge jacket the Tweed kilt Jacket has added side slits of 6" for added extra movement for the wearer. This meant that I had to things slightly different. I started by sewing the side seams of the cloth together starting from the top matching the waist and chest marks and sewing until I reached the 6" mark for the side slit. I machined over this point several time to make sure it was strong.  

As I hadn't cut out the side slits within the jacket pattern it meant they would have to be added in. To this I used the jacket pattern to form the shape of the side of the slit plaques. I made them about 4cm wide and longer than the 6" so they when above the slight by about 4cm and below by 4cm. 

The front piece was made from just cloth and would fold back, making a facing. The back panel has lining and cloth as this is the piece that moves to wears movements. For the back piece I sewed the lining and cloth together along the far edge creating a clean line (this was tack rolled), I left the top and bottom raw. This was then sew to the back panel with 0.75cm SA up into the side SA and to the finished hem line for the lining, and then right to the bottom for the cloth. This will then allow me to turn the lining and cloth up separately creating a clearer sharper look. I did think about sewing them both down to the bottom though this would create extra bulk as my fabric is thick, and would be harder in the end. 

For the front I sewed the cloth 0.75cm into the SA from the finished edge right into the side SA and right to the bottom. This was rolled and tacked and finally pressed.

 

I then sewed across the top of the back and front plaques to hold them in the right position above the 6" slit. They were then pressed towards the front. I then cut the side SA above this at a diagonal so this seam allowance would face the back because of the canvas, and to make sure it lays flat.

So far I am happy with the side slit though I will be able to tell when I add the back lining so parts may have to unpicked to make sure the hem turns up neatly and to make sure the corners are not to bulky and sit correctly. 

Attaching the Back Lining 

I started by tacking in the pleats on the CB of the lining, this will allow extra ease on the back and will stop the lining ripping. In then base down the CB line attaching it to the cloth and then down either side. I then rolled the SA of the lining over on to the side seams and tacked down on either side. It became move complicated around the side slit as the lining on the front had to cut around the side slits, making sure they both lay flat. I found this part quite hard to judge the right place to cut into the lining to go around the side slit making sure there was then enough to turn. I cut little parts away at a time, though still found at the corner it bunched, I tried cutting further along though this didn't really help. 

So I did some research and found that one way was pull the fabric around and in tucking under the facing of the front slit panel. I tried this though only found that it distorted the lining and pulled the fabric and part of the jacket out of the place, this piece of research wasn't useful. But I kept looking and in a Victorian tailoring book it said to cut diagonally into the corner and smooth round then gently tacking in place rolling the lining into the inside. I tried this and found that this worked, solving this problem.

Once I did this for both side I placed long strip of canvas about 5cm wide along the hem of the jacket and baste into place this was then cross stitched to the hem when turned up.

I turned up the hems and pinned into place, following a straight line onto the side slits. I then turned up the lining to 0.5cm above the hem of the cloth and pushed up to about 0.75cm, adding extra ease. I did this all the way along and at the corners of the facing and side slit I ran the lining out diagonally to the hem. This was then tacked down. 0.75cm above to allow for a lip. I then put both sides together and found that the slide silts stack out at either end. I thought about changing the hem line bring it down, though this would have made the two sides un-symmetrical and away from the historical pattern. So I looked back at the jacket block and found the side slit goes up stopping this from happening. I un-picked the tacking and redid it, then folded one on top of the other making sure they are both the same. This solved this problem and I am very happy with the end result, this part was quite tricky to get right with the added side slits and I think in future will include them in the pattern, making it easier, with less bulkiness. though I did enjoy solving the different problem faced with the side slit and the making of them, and by doing them this way have learned much more.    

Looking at the pattern block also reminded me that the jacket style has shoulder straps, so I have made these ready to sew into the sleeve armhole. They are merely decorative not functional.