My First Suit!

As I'm 17, I'm required by law to go to school and at the moment I'm in a sixth form. In my sixth form, we do not have a uniform, but instead have a smart dress code which basically says that we have to wear a suit. And I've finally gotten round to making one. This suit cost me 5 pounds in total to make as the only things I paid for were the lining (3.50) and the piping cord (1.50) because the fabric was part of the huge pile given to me by my friends mum Irenee. Thanks Irenee!

The skirt pattern I used was New Look 6102 and I chose to line it by putting the outer inside the lining right side to right side and stitching all the way around the waistline. Then turn the lining inside the skirt, press and topstitch if there is no waistband. If there is a waistband raw edge of that could be tucked between the fashion fabric and the lining which will give a really clean finish. The lining was handsewn to the zip and both skirts were hemmed individually, the lining with the overlocker and the actual skirt with bias binding turned over and slip-stitched down. There is a waistband featured in the pattern, which I was fully intending to use, however it somehow ended up far too short, and I didn't have enough fabric to cut another, so waistband-less it was!

 I used the Deer and Doe Pavot coat pattern as a base, the same one pattern used for my red wool blazer also adding a full lining, however this time I ommited the buttonplacket (and the buttons) and the peter pan collar. I'm planning on doing a post later this week on showing how I added the lining as I couldn't find a tutorial in English anywhere. The buttons were removed because I found it such a faff doing all five of them up every time I want to take it on or off. Since I have 5 lessons a day, and I take my blazer off for each of them, the buttons had to go. For my last Pavot I wasn't atall happy with the fit, but I'm pleased to say that it's pretty much perfect now.

My previous school skirts are a real hassle to wear due to restricted movement so for this I extended my pattern piece so a little godet was formed at the back of the skirt. Rest assured, this allows PLENTY of movement.

Here is what the extension looked like:

Add of course, I had to put one of these beauties in there! Please excuse the stray green thread...

And finally I think this project can actually be part of the Sew for Victory because in the free download that Rochelle so generously uploaded for us there was a jacket practically identical to this one on page 15! I'm just going to ignore the fact that it was in the childrens section... Ooh and it also counts towards my vintage pattern pledge, BOOM! Two birds in one stone.

Hmm, I think this pose can only be carried off if the jacket is the same length as the sleeves... Oh well.

That's all I have to say for now so I hope you have a nice week!
Thanks very much to Ed for taking photos through your "snuffly as hell" phase and to Mercedes for taking supplementary photos where needed (No Ed it wasn't you, it was just my face that was the problem)
Lots of love,
Lauren xx