Alexander McQueen Jacket - Finished! (And already worn a whole bunch of times)

It's a bit unlike me to wait so long to post a finished project, but I completed my Alexander McQueen jacket right before heading to London and didn't have a chance to photograph it until this past weekend. Apologies that it's a bit rumpled from my suitcase.

It seems like every year I sew a project that is at the tail end of it's wearable season by the time it's done. So I wear it intensely for two weeks and then have to put it away until the right weather returns. Unfortunately, this is that project for 2014. 

If you forgot that I was tackling this free, downloadable knock off of a McQueen jacket, here are my previous posts: first, second and third. Work travel and the SSS-Along meant that I had to work on it is spits and spurts. However, it's done and I really like it, despite some imperfections.

The first imperfection is the fabric. I love how it looks, but this wool/cotton blend really is too soft and mushy to really hold the pleating well. It is also a bit too thick/heavy. This is most evident on the back...

 

I can't help but feel like it has a more rumpled look than the original or other versions that have been sewn. However, now that I go back and look at some of the others, perhaps I'm being too hard on myself.  

I know I promised more construction details if things went well. The busy and small scale leopard print of my fabric made photographing steps basically useless. So, you are just going to have to wait until I sew version #2 when the weather begins to cool or when I have a chance to do a muslin version mapping out the steps with pictures where you can actually see what I'm doing, instead of the details getting lost in a sea of animal print. If you can't wait to sew this up, Blithe Stitches did the tutorial that was the most helpful to me.

A few construction details that I will share...

 

First, the jacket is unlined so I finished all of edges with bias binding and did a Hong Kong finish on the seams. I actually made my own bias tape from some black silk charmeuse I had in the stash. 

For a closure, I used two giant snaps, which I hand sewed to each side of the lapel. I think in my next  version I may make the closure higher up, which is where I think it is on the original, rather than under the bust. I think a higher closure would help with the fit across the shoulders and upper chest where it is a little loose on me.

One of the only things I wish I had done this time, and meant to do but simply forgot, was interface that long lapel piece. I think a little extra body and crispness would be a good thing since it droops a little at the back of the neck.

I have no real idea how one would significantly alter this pattern; I made very few changes. I added a bit of length at the hem so the jacked would be long enough on me. I also enlarged the seam allowances from 3/8" to 5/8" and added an extra 1/2" at the side seams, which was easy enough. I didn't need the extra room in the end (really, this is sized like a Big 4 size 10), but it was helpful to have extra seam allowance when doing the HK finishes, especially on this fabric, which was a little bit ravel prone at the edges. 

Last thoughts for now: This was not an easy sew. I was pretty realistic about how challenging the pleating would be. Where I underestimated the project was in how long it would take to finish the seams. It will take a while for me to muster any enthusiasm for Hong Kong seams or making my own bias tape again. Once I realized my fabric was not ideal, it was hard to keep my enthusiasm to finish the jacket. But I'm really glad I did.

Anyway, I wore this with a black pencil skirt and cami to work and with jeans and boots in the evening while in London. I love that it was a fun, yet professional enough work ensemble, and relaxed enough for casual wear, too.

Now that I'm back and over my jet lag, I'm back to sewing up a storm and my mojo is really in high gear. So, stay tuned for more to come in the next few weeks!