Converting a tweed sport coat to a Braemar jacket

[BEEDEE]

epaulettes (again, sp? as my French is poor)

Epaulette is the correct French spelling and also typical for the UK. In the US and Canada epaulet is also an acceptable spelling.

Brian

[DTrain]

Nice work! Um, this seems to be so---involved, for lack of a better word. I actually got a thrift store black blazer with an intent to modify it to an Argyll style jacket, but now am totally intimidated by the work shown here. Impressive, to say the least! I don't have a sewing machine (wouldn't know how to use one, anyway). Can this be sewn by hand?

[James MacMillan]

Nice work! Um, this seems to be so---involved, for lack of a better word. I actually got a thrift store black blazer with an intent to modify it to an Argyll style jacket, but now am totally intimidated by the work shown here. Impressive, to say the least! I don't have a sewing machine (wouldn't know how to use one, anyway). Can this be sewn by hand?

The first conversion that I did several years ago, I did by hand. Assisted by no-iron edging tape, iron-on seam tape, and a huge desire to go to a Scotch tasting with a jacket.

check out: http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Hems-C...404984-9155027

I have since allowed my next-door neighbor to sew up parts by machine, or I would post fix.

Iron-on tapes can really be a friend to the sewing challenged! And even some professional tailors use it.

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Nice work! Um, this seems to be so---involved, for lack of a better word. I actually got a thrift store black blazer with an intent to modify it to an Argyll style jacket, but now am totally intimidated by the work shown here. Impressive, to say the least! I don't have a sewing machine (wouldn't know how to use one, anyway). Can this be sewn by hand?

You know, it's not really all that involved. I just have a tendency to post a LOT of pictures. I am a very visual person, and cannot follow along with written instructions, so I post my projects in nauseating detail in order to be helpful to other people like me.

I did the handsewing bits today, posts to follow as soon as the pictures upload. Honestly though, things just take longer without a sewing machine, but, if you're careful, they often look much better. Most would agree that a hand sewn kilt is of higher quality than a machine sewn one (I believe that they are just different, not better/worse).

If you are afraid of the sewing machine, just buy a reasonable model at your local fabric shop-most come with several, free, hands-on lessons. I learned the basics of sewing machines when I was in college and my roommate taught me to make renaissance faire costumes on her machine. I bought my machine shortly thereafter. It is now 17-18 years old and still going strong. By the way, I don't REALLY know how to use it either-there are attachments and stitches that I have never used (AlanH and way2fractious are now sniggering at me behind their hands!).

Something I have learned in the process of taking this jacket apart is that I know next to NOTHING about sewing/tailoring. The construction of this relatively cheap/unsophisticated jacket is COMPLETELY beyond me. It terrifies me when people on this forum point to me to answer their sewing questions-I feel like such a poseur! Ask me about vaccination recommendations for your pet, or how one performs a spay surgery. I know these things (NEVER MIND, I come here to get away from my daily grind, ask your own vet! ).


Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

The pictures have uploaded! Yay! Today, I had to make an appearance at my employer's annual summer picnic, but managed to escape before the Karaoke (sp?) contest. I did get pictures of Panache playing frisbee in his Matt Newsome Galbraith kilt (sorry, these are not uploaded yet-ask him!).

All, of course, beyond the point here.

Today, I finished the jacket, except for one unexpected setback.

First, I finished the bottom hem-remember (or not, if you're not that dedicated to following my threads in detail ), I forgot to post the pictures of sewing the front part on the machine. The back does not need to continue the visible seam of the lapels, and on the original jacket this seam was a blind hem stitch (a la "Sewing for Dummies"-look it up!). Therefore, I copied this on the altered jacket.



Then, I decided to work on the epaulettes (thanks for the spelling help Brian and James!). I figured I needed to seam rip the outer shell AND lining, then insert the epaulette like so...



I discovered during this process that it really wasn't necessary to do this, and it made for a rather unkempt looking lining, when resewn. I guess this doesn't really matter, but as some may recall, I'm a bit of an anal retentive perfectionist, therefore this bothered me.



On the other side, I just seam ripped the OUTER seam of the sleeve...



And inserted the epaulatte.



I just sewed through the epaulette while sewing the seam back together. I couldn't get a good picture of EXACTLY how I did this-if you want to know, ask me to show you when you're in this neck of the woods. Tweed is VERY forgiving of stitching (in other words, you can do a lot of stitching without it showing-it just buries itself in the thickness of the fabric and the pattern).


More to come...

Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Once the epaulettes were sewn into the seam of the sleeve, I just sewed them down next to the lapels using these lovely buttons...



Here's the finished effect...



Which, apparently were the wrong size buttons, per Panache, so I had to remove them in order to sew on the smaller buttons...



The large buttons are for the single button closure of the jacket...



And also for the patches on the cuffs...



Speaking of cuffs...more to come...

Be well,

[James MacMillan]

F-H.C.A.G. - Thanks so much for these shots, and the ones to come....... You make the entire process seem logical, and somehow easier.

I think I am going to look for a garage sale/swap meet/salvation army/thrift store blue blazer, and try my hand at that!

Thanks again!

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

I had not yet hemmed the cuffs. There is a lining in the sleeves which I had seam ripped and opened up when I cut them down a little. I ironed a new hem to the sleeves and the lining and then had to stitch it together in such a way that it did not show on the outside.

Here's my slightly modified blind hem stitch...





Nicely hidden from the outside...



once the cuffs were hemmed and the buttons sewn onto the sleeve patches, I took a look at Panache's recent Braemar jacket purchase. I really liked the buttons on the pocket flaps, so copied the look...



Speaking of pockets, you may (or may not) remember that I removed the pockets in order to cut the coat down, but I did intend to replace them with cut down versions. Things are not so clear cut. More to come...

Be well,

[ccga3359]

Beautiful work thus far. I must agree with Jamie, the original epaulette buttons were too big. One other thing that I've noticed is missing that of a half empty scotch bottle, wine glass, margarita, snapps...

[James MacMillan]

By the way - That's a really neat snake necklace!