Plum Cloak: Piping

The cloak pattern calls for a facing from the fashion fabric that abuts the lining fabric. I have a ready-to-wear coat that has this construction with piping between the facing and the lining. It's a look I like, so I decided to use it.

I picked up some 1/4" cording and white silk charmeuse from my local favorite Colorado Fabrics. I cut 1 3/4" bias strips from the silk, intending on 5/8" seam allowances. I tried to be as precise as I could with my somewhat limited cutting surface and skills. I knew that as long as my strips were roughly 1 3/4" wide and the angle was bias-y, it shouldn't matter too much. Then I stitched one time down the length of the cording with my zipper foot. I didn't start with the needle flush against the cording, but I found that to work much better. Then I basted the piping to the facing, seam allowances roughly matching so that the piping was just past the 5/8" line.

I am incredibly pleased with the result! More pleased than I ought to be probably, since it certainly isn't perfect. But I think it looks very classy. I love the iridescence of the silk and the polish of the trim.

On the downside, I continue to struggle with my lining pieces having stretched out of shape. I actually hung my lining pieces from a trouser hanger after stitching the first seams. I don't have space to leave out my sewing projects in between my hour-or-two sewing sessions, and I was tired of having to iron them over and over again. I hung them up for about 10 minutes before I realized that probably wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done. Boy did they stretch out of shape! I let all of the excess go to the bottom, figuring I'll just hem it out. Hopefully it won't come back to bite me later. I did hold it up to the cloak outer fabric, and the opening for the arms seem to match up still. So maybe it'll all work out. I'm not pulling on the fabric in the below picture, just holding it out for dramatic illustration.

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Frivolous photo: My three-year-old got a hold of my camera the other day. Luckily he didn't cause any damage, but he did take some interesting photos.

Plum Cloak: Interfacing

The instructions call for the facings to be interfaced. I picked up some medium-weight, fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply. I cut the interfacing first to the pattern pieces for the facings. But the pattern instruction looked like maybe the interfacing didn't go into the seam lines.

I did some research and found support for the idea that the interfacing not go into the seam allowances, especially where bulk is a concern. This fabric would definitely be classified as bulky. So I decided to remove the seam allowances from the interfacing before fusing to my facings.

After some further digging on the internet, I found a suggestion to sew a quick stitch at the seam allowance line all around the interfacing and then use that as a cutting line. I sewed a scant 5/8" seam, which somewhat awkwardly pulled the interfacing and gathered it slightly.

Not to worry! Once I cut off the stitching line, it laid flat again.

I then merely eyeballed centering the interfacing on the wrong side of the facing pieces and ironed on, pressing both sides before I was done. I didn't get a picture of the interfaced pieces hanging, but the drape is definitely stiffer. Not tons, but enough to make it feel kind of firm. More stable.

Next up is making my own piping for the seam between the facing and the lining. Then just a few more lining seams and then I get to put the whole thing together. I'll probably finish just in time for the cold weather to be done until October. Or maybe it will be October before I get it done, who knows...

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For today's frivolous photo: My boys playing in a cradle that my grandfather made for my dolls when I was a little girl.