A collar pulls it together

Still need to take a photo that shows how closely this fits. 

So I added the collar.

Part of the problem with this project has been the offgrain nature of the evil poly shantung.  Remember how hard it is to work with cheap fabric? How it's not really worth the savings?

It's not. See how far off it is at the selvedge when I line up the crossgrain?

Drew up how long the collar needed to be

Made a pattern piece of archetect flimsy, made sure I had enough remnant (yes, it does pay to be a hoarder now and then)

Ironed it out and established a true line to put the collar on.

And then some other stuff happened.

The sleeve cap is much prettier than this. Only a slight rise with the seam allowance pressed towards the sleeve.

And a few hours of profanity and coffee later, there was a collar.

And you know, it does pull it together.  I would not have added one unless I was entering the PR fitted blouse contest. And I think it's going to stay. I'm seeing a nice pin on the cross now and then.   Perhaps a Star Fleet one (couldn't resist that)

Adding pockets to existing jackets

I am killing time before the Pattern Review Stash contest begins on the 16th. So I'm finishing up the stuff that I have meant to do, such as putting pockets into the jackets that need them. I've had this grey rain jacket's parts cut out for months, so I guess it's time to finish the deed.

Great jacket, but like all women's clothes, no interior pockets. My solution is to add interior panels and sew pockets to them, then sew panels to jacket.

Trace pattern from interior

Dry fit panel to interior

I'm attaching the panel to the interior seams at it's edges; the side seam, the top and bottom seams (have to open them up) and the front facing flap.

Okay, I made the pocket without showing you. Trying out where it should go.

Sew pocket to panel.

Pin fitting panel (edges finished with overcast stitching)

Zipper tab. I have learned how awful it is to try to zip the interior pocket with one hand, so a tab really helps.

First, sewing the panel to the flap from the front facing extension.

Left a long tail from machine sew to backstitch to the edge

Flipped back, lining the interior edge up to pin from inside

Flipped it over and pinned from outside to stitch in the ditch on the front (removing pins from inside)

And this side is done. The other side will happen offline.