A poll on jacket details

**sydnie7** · 24th February 10, 03:24 PM

I'm working (early days and slowly) on a from-scratch daywear blue tweed jacket and vest for Bob. Much inspiration has come from Tim's beautiful set, shown in his thread.

I'm waffling between the "flattened ridges" that Tim used on cuffs, pocket flaps, and epaulettes vs. the seemingly more popular raised ridges -- see the image "cuff detail of charcoal grey jacket" at this Scotweb link.

The Scotweb photo shows the ridges going up past the button; I have other photos that clearly show the ridges stopping at the button.

Opinions? Other options? Historical notes?

Thank you for your input! And yes, there will be lots of pictures of the process and final product, once it's finished to my satisfaction.

**piperdbh** · 24th February 10, 03:30 PM

I've been wondering about this very thing, too. Couldn't the ridges be done as a really long line of buttonhole stitching, which would stop at the button?
I like Tim's flattened ridges, but if it were for me I'd prefer they stop at the button.
You might want to search here for button options.

**Lyle1** · 24th February 10, 03:57 PM

Does Bob have a preference?

**Farlander** · 24th February 10, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Lyle1

Does Bob have a preference?

Good point. If not, then any of the three options are good options. I would personally be delighted with any of the options!

**Mael Coluim** · 24th February 10, 05:03 PM

Whatever MOR says, has my vote.

**sydnie7** · 24th February 10, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Lyle1

Does Bob have a preference?

If he does, he can vote here like everybody else!

Seriously, yes I will run all this by him -- but he wasn't home from work when I got the itch to post.

As for MoR, not to put words in his mouth, but we have already had an exchange on the topic buried in another thread -- and, at the time, he didn't express a strong opinion one way or t'other.* That was one of the factors in the creation of this poll!

* I know some may find that hard to believe, so I'll try to dig up the link!

**sydnie7** · 24th February 10, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

I've been wondering about this very thing, too. Couldn't the ridges be done as a really long line of buttonhole stitching, which would stop at the button?
I like Tim's flattened ridges, but if it were for me I'd prefer they stop at the button.
You might want to search here for button options.

Good to know I'm not alone in this

Thanks (she said, heavy with irony) for the Button Shoppe link. . . just what I need, more sites to shop! In truth, I already have the buttons that I think are going on this outfit.

The wool fabric is, as usual, an eBay find from last year. The other side of that cool tag says "Attn Mr. Joseph Brody" and IIRC the seller said the fabric had been delivered to her father for a suit, but never made. The only search hit on Barrie-Morell (quick glance) leads to a U of Nebraska-Lincoln archive of the American Quilt Study Group. It includes a box of samples from B-M including "Cashmere coatings, made in England; Tropical flantwill, made in England; Sportvue shetlands, made in Scotland; Flantwill unfinished worsted, made in England; Executive worsted coatings; Granbay worsted shetlands; Toluca worsted shetlands; Cashmere castings, made in England; Sunbeam mohair and worsted tropicals." Seems they were a big mill, would be interesting to know when they went TU.

Long ways to go on this one!

**MacLowlife** · 24th February 10, 07:26 PM

I poked around and examined about 10 jackets before trying to post once and erasing that by voting. IMHO, the ridges are the result of wanting some trim similar to the braid on uniforms, only done in a "self" colored, low key style. The first thing that comes to mind is that certain fabrics might lend themselves to the making and applying of cording or casing trim sewed on like the braid is. Of course, plenty would not. Similarly, the fullness of the self-trim ridges is directly influenced by the thickness of the fabric.

Having said all of that, I believe Tim's flattened fatties must go all of the way to the edge, or else bizarre puckering would ensue. I suspect you'd have to be careful with buttonhole stitching or any other type of embroidery, though there must be dozens of techniques for surface embellishment using thread only, thread and fabric, or thread and ribbon ( or some other braid or trim). A veritable Pandora's Box of choices awaits the sewer who would consider them. Better, probably to stick to the choices offered in the poll.

I sense your fabric is a hearty doeskin, beefy enough to support those tunnels of texture Tim has transponded. Don't settle for anything less.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 24th February 10, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by MacLowlife

I poked around and examined about 10 jackets before trying to post once and erasing that by voting. IMHO, the ridges are the result of wanting some trim similar to the braid on uniforms, only done in a "self" colored, low key style.

MacLowlife is, as is often the case, 101% correct.

**sydnie7** · 24th February 10, 08:13 PM

Tim's "tunnels of texture" would certainly need to go all the way from edge to edge. I also think they would be easier to pattern out, to form in fabric, and to deal with at the edges than either of the ridge versions. The more I look at them, the more I like them -- and not just because I think they will be easier!