Ultimate Tennant Suit -lining the calico test

So far I have cut the Pattern for the body of the Tennant Suit, this time with allowance for the limited fabric available when I cut the GAP trousers (see right).
There was a lot to think about, but I got there in the end.

Next up is doing the sleeves.

First I draw a block for the sleeve based on the measurements I need (see below, left).

From this I have traced off the two parts, smoothing the corners at the elbow, and adding a cuff allowance (see below, centre).

Finally this get traced off onto tissue paper, adding seam allowances as I go (see above, right).

Once I’ve cut what I need from calico, it’s then a simple process to make the sleeves up and set them in the jacket (see right).

NB:
Don’t forget that at the moment the hem isn’t turned up, so it looks a little long.

I can now move onto the lining.

Most of the pattern for this is a simple repeat of the body of the jacket, with a little extra capacity added here and there as I cut.

I am using up some cheap lining I bought a while back (see left).
It is actually intended to line sleeves, and is quite an old-fashioned design. You don’t see it being used much these days.

I bought it because I thought it looked just like the material used in the sleeves of Christopher Ecceslton’s leather jacket, but annoyingly it wasn’t quite right. (I have an old German U-Boat jacket just like the one he wore, with wool-lined sleeves. Plan was to reline them. Another time perhaps.)

It just so happened I over-bought and have enough to line the jacket!
I need to cut the sleeves (upper and lower); the back (in two parts); and the side panels.

By juggling the pieces I can get them all to fit – just! (see right).

The only part that needs to be patterned specially is the inside fronts, as this needs to allow for the lapel facing.

To do this I return to the original block for the body and add a vertical line to indicate the join between the lapel and lining (see left).

This is then traced off for the two parts, adding their respective seam allowances before cutting them in calico and lining.

After joining them together, and before united it with the rest of the lining, I can now set any internal pockets I want.

For the purposes of this test I am just going to set one pocket: a narrow sonic pocket in the left hand side (see right).
This needs to be very high up – higher than you would conventionally set a pocket. This is because I need to be able to reach it without unbuttoning the top button, so it has to be above the level of the top-most buttonhole.
You can see this marked on the jacket block, near the top of the breast pocket (see above).

I will plan out the other pockets I need once I have finished the test jacket, and feed that back to the block and pattern.

Here is the body lining half assembled, with the back sewn down to the top of the vent; attached to the side panels; either side of which are the lapel and inside fronts.

All I need to do now is join everything together and set the sleeve linings.

It’s then down to the dreaded collar . . . .