Good morning lovely people!
Sunday was the one year anniversary for Brian and I. We celebrated by staying at home and nursing my cold. I've been sick all week and apparently I'm not alone. Los Angeles has some wicked colds that go around, and I've never been sicker (caught the flu the first time in my life in LA) than I have been living here. I guess that's the reason for more bundling up.
Last we met I was going over the choices of what to do with this white corduroy jacket I made. It was partially finished and at a state for dyeing without having to worry about matching thread for button holes, stuff like that.
On a whim I decided to dye the jacket at night. I scrounged for my last cup of salt in my cupboard, and got out the old trusty black plastic bin. Memories.
Dyeing this jacket I went for the kelly green but also added 1/3 of the steel gray packet I had. One thing I MUST recommend is that little jar of fixative I got. It's amazing. I have not had much run from iDye, but this fixative stops even the minimal run you may have. I added a spoonful of the fixative to a clean wash in the bin and the water ran clear, like no color clear. It was great. Highly recommend it.
I'm quite pleased with the final jacket color. I worried that the pile of the corduroy might come out uneven, but it dyed so well and vibrant. I do wish the water I used were a bit hotter, then the color might be deeper but that is a small quibble.
I cut the inner facing of the collar opposite the grain and decided to fold out the seam allowance to create a rather nice detail.
The buttons are late 20s and wood. So glad I FINALLY got to go through some of my green buttons. I have so many.
The final touches were the ribbon tape that I actually had just enough for and the stabilizing fabric for the buttons.
Corduroy isn't the strongest fabric and I decided on the stabilizing fabric after I made the button holes. That is the only part I regret on this jacket.
The green of the jacket is a bit warmer than pictured (and not as vibrant) and it works real well with my skin tone. Warm greens do well with me.
I have enough corduroy to make another jacket and I'm sure I will, but I have a blouse to finish and tons more natural fabric to make stuff and dye.
I. Can't. Wait.
Have a great day!
Wow, the jacket looks terrific! Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on that jacket -- corduroy isn't the easiest fabric to work with. I love the color too!
ReplyDeleteWow! It dyed so well! I love the kelly green. Whenever I need to dye something I'll be running back here for tips.
ReplyDeleteThat is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, so beautiful - I love the turned facing done cross-grain. I have some wide-wale corduroy I'm obsessed with making into something - and your jacket is an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAfter your experience with this fabric, do you recommend making bound buttonholes, or just stabilizing machined buttonholes? Any advice you can offer is appreciated!
Beautiful jacket--love the color and the details--especially the wooden buttons. A rtw jacket like that would cost about $150 - $200 dollars. You are sew skilled!!
ReplyDeletelove love love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteI've worked with corduroy many times, skirts and pants mostly, it just isn't very durable and if you are going to do something to it that requires a lot of touching (buttons), then I'd add a stabilizing fabric.
I really only do noun buttonholes if I'm lining a jacket, wigamajig, otherwise it's just too much hassle in making the inside stay flat. I thought about adding cording to the buttonhole, but then decided against it at the last minute. Corduroy isn't really thick in my opinion, so I treat it as nothing more than a very light denim.
Miss Shelley, this is a lovely jacket. You did a beautiful job, and the dyeing is excellent!! I may not have been your intention, but the color combination with the green background and pink hanky-corsage, puts me in mind of those wonderful old 1930s-esque Flower Garden quilts. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteYour jacket really is beautiful...and that green is soooo lush!!!
ReplyDeleteGREAT choice! The green really brings out the texture in the corduroy
ReplyDelete