A wide collared, square cut jacket made of chartreuse cotton with a watermelon pink lining. It has flapped patch pockets at front hip and a notched lapel. Gold brass buttons with enameled green centers are placed along the front placket and cuffs to indicate placement.

I started this flashy green Giza cotton leisure suit jacket in mid ‘24. After I hated how it made me look at the final fitting and abandoned it. But feelings change. Time to finally wrap it up so that I may have it to wear in Japan next week. #sewing #fashion #art #ElfkinCouture

Front view of bronze pinstripe (English Super 160 finest worsted) wool trousers flat on a table. They feature a cut-on waistband and fly for minimal bulk at those bulkiest of seams. The waistband is also curved to Nick’s hips for extra comfort. Hand sewn details include the fly and a plethora of bar tacks to secure fly, pockets, etc.

The sweetest little piped back pockets you ever did see on the back of the same trousers. Pockets are finished with a multitude of invisible hand picked stitches in the ditch.

Inside front of the same trousers showing the solid brown pockets with integrated waistband linings. Triangular fork stays are sewn into the crotch fork for extra strength. Side seams are pressed open along their entirety, including along the pocket area where the hip edge of the pocketing has been arranged to cover the butterflied seam at the hips. Eagle eyes will notice the little area of hand overcast raw edge of the bottom of the left bag where I made a wrong turn during attachment!

Back inside view of same trousers showing back pocket bags with integrated waistband linings. The inner left cuff has been turned up to show the hand stitched inner hem.

Here are completion pix of Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers. With a cut-on waistband and fly and oodles of hand stitching, they are a love letter to classic #tailoring. More details in the alts. #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

I’m about to turn into a pumpkin, but Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers are nearly done with the waistband now closed and the belt loops tacked down. Pinstripes + cut-on waistband = visual magic. #sewing #ElfkinCouture #tailoring

A dark brown zipper being inserted into the fly of a pair of bronze pinstripe trousers.

It’s a trip to Zippertown this afternoon as I put the fly into Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers. Is the whole affair being hand sewn for maximum precision and softness? You betcha! #sewing #ElfkinCouture #tailoring

Two triangle ended button tabs for back pockets made of bronze pinstripe wool.

“But what’s happening with Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers,” you wonder? These sweet little button tabs for the back pockets are what’s happening! #sewing #ElfkinCouture

Banded collar, button front short sleeved shirt, lightly tapered at the sides. It is made of white cotton voile with a blue floral print. The design of the print is matched across the front placket and the flapped patch pockets on the chest (which are practically invisible). To let the floral print really sing, the shirt has been minimally topstitched with fine white thread at the front placket, pockets, hem, and collar band. Pale azure shell buttons close the front over matched silk buttonholes.

Inside of the same shirt. French seams close the side and sleeve seams. The French seam on the sleeve tapers to 1/8" at its hem for comfort and also makes it invisible from the outside.

Also finished yesterday was Jeff's #SummerBrunchShirt. Just like with his #BootyJeans, here's a look at the inside as well to show off elfkin construction details. #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

For those who followed the entire saga of Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse and have been wondering the final conclusion… just got a text from the lady herself, and it now fits perfectly. She’s thrilled, and I am *beyond* relieved! #ElfkinCouture

Place a ruler so that its line runs through the center of the shoulder seam and then pivot it until it just touches the armscye. Where it touches, indicated by the awl pointing to the ruler, is the pivot point of the sleeve.

A tip from #PatternDrafting world: this is the fastest and most accurate way to find the pivot (notch) point on an armscye. Details in the alt text.

Related: any method sleeve cap drafting method that involves more than a French curve is wasting your time. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

Front view of a bronze silk chiffon blouse, unbroken at the front and gathered around the shoulders and neck, with a high banded collar. The silk is "figured" with woven on squiggles of frayed silk satin and jacquard. It is on a dressform with a black stand and neck.

Side view of same showing the sleeve with an elasticated cuff and lightly gathered head.

Back view of the same with an invisible zip up the center back seam and two beige dome buttons to close the back of the collar.

Lisa's #NeoVictorianBlouse (v1.1 ) is done! This figured silk chiffon that she found in Paris is a delight to behold but *the* single most challenging silk that I have ever encountered. I do not recommend it for a good #sewing time. #fashion #ElfkinCouture

A gathered front bronze silk blouse on a dressform.

The neckline gathers on Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse have been faffed to within an inch of my sanity, and I’m finally satisfied with them. All that’s left on her is to re-attach the collar and level the hem. #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

Closeup of the invisible zip inserted into the center back of a bronze silk blouse. Flanking both sides of the opening are tiny hand stitches in matching thread. The stitching line is marked faintly with red dots. Black basting stitches hold the assembly in place.

That's the invisible zip hand inserted into the back of Lisa's #NeoVictorianBlouse. After 42" (~107cm) of those tiny stitches, my paws aren't sure if they're ready to start immediately in on #sewing the 70" (~178cm) of blanket stitches that come next to finish the c.b. seam. #ElfkinCouture #fashion

A bronze silk blouse on a dressform.

Eleni and I are carrying on with Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse. Sleeves are basted on and the gathering at the caps is looking nice and even. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

Back trousers pieces made of bronze pinstripes wool suiting lie flat up on a cutting table next to the corner of a tailor’s textbook. One piece face up and the other down to show the attachment of welting and pocket bag pieces before turning.

Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers are getting love this afternoon. The back pockets are about to be stitched. For a fresh perspective, I’m following Antoine & Cabrera on this make. It’s definitely different from how my mentors taught me when it comes to welted pockets! #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

A bronze silk chiffon blouse, sleeveless, draped on a dressform.

Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse is back for its final stitch up (for real this time). Replacing the back panels did the trick. Eleni and I are now confirming that the shoulder gathers are the best they can be before going to the #sewing machine. #fashion #ElfkinCouture

Front leg pieces of a pair of bronze pinstripe wool trousers. They lie flat on a gridded table. One piece is face up to show the finished side slant pocket. The other piece is faced down to show the inside of the pocket bag and the super slick French seam finish.

Front pockets, French seams and all, are attached on Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers. The tops of the inner bags will become the waistband lining a little bit down the road. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

A top-down illustration of a sea turtle stitched in blue on plain muslin.

Today in the elfkin workroom: Nick's #PinstripeTrousers continue in the pocket phase. And I did a test stitch out of the turtle for the back pocket of Jeff's jeans. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

Blouse made of bronze figured silk chiffon down lying flat on a table. Its seams are basted from the top with black thread.

Same bronze silk chiffon as a fabric remnant pinned to a cardboard mat. A pattern piece for the back of the blouse lies atop the fabric.

I managed to get Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse all fixed up and basted together this past Friday. Ultimately *both* back panels were on the wonk and were thus recut and replaced. I took zero chances with the recut and pinned that shit to the board! #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

Front and back leg pieces of a pair of men’s trousers made of bronze/tan pinstripe wool. They lie flat on a table, one face up the other face down, to show the pocket pieces batted to the sides with black thread.

Moving along with Nick’s #PinstripeTrousers, slant pockets are going on the front legs. #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

Bronze silk pinned to a gridded white mat.

It’s a little too rinkydink to be a thing I would want to use on the regular, but this gridded cardboard mat that I picked up at Mood yesterday did make keeping this silk on the square much easier. #sewing #fashion #ElfkinCouture

Teardrop and rectangle shaped pocket pieces of a pair of men’s trousers lie flat on a cutting table. They are cut from medium brown cotton shirting.

I’m closing out the #sewing day with Nick’s trousers. Pocketing is all cut, and now I’m going to test the wool that I’m using to see how it responds to the fancy iron work that comes next.

#ElfkinCouture

Pattern pieces for a man’s bodice lie on a cutting table.

Rounding out today’s #sewing workroom fungenda: some pretty significant alterations to the chest/bicep line on Matt’s bodice sloper. #ElfkinCouture

A headless woman’s dressform covered in oatmeal beige fabric with a black neck cap.

Everyone, meet Headless Eleni, the adjustable dressform for gals sized US16-20. I got her to initially help fix the shoulder wonk on Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse. Hopefully Eleni is up to it as Lisa has already placed another order and is heading to Paris next month for fabric. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

Lisa got her #NeoVictorianBlouse in the mail yesterday, and the shoulders are draping oddly. So it’s on its way back for adjustment. Lisa’s very understanding, making it easier for me not to beat myself up over it. At least it’s fixable, and the only thing lost is my pride. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

A Victorian-inspired woman’s blouse made of sheer bronze silk chiffon with squiggly vertical stripes of silk satin appliqué. The strips of appliqué are frayed at the edges. The light skinned male mannequin modeling the top wears a curly red bob wig and sparkly rimmed sunglasses with pink lenses. The blouse is gathered across the top of the neck and shoulders. The sleeves have elasticated cuffs with a lot of gathering to give a ballon effect to the sleeve hem. The blouse has a high banded collar and a lightly ruffled hem.

Closeup of the blouse’s hem with the light frayed ruffling of the fabric’s natural selvage edge.

Closeup of the blouse’s back neck showing a closure at the collar consisting of two 1/2-inch spherical beige buttons and beige velvet button loops. The light beige pull of an invisible zip can be seen just below the collar.

Collar shown open at back to expose the inner construction. A tiny black snap secures beige grosgrain ribbon facing in place at the top of the zip. The ribbon protects the wearer from feeling the inside of the invisible zip’s teeth.

Praise the gods, Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse is done! Try to imagine it on a woman with a Betty Page level hourglass figure.

My favorite detail is the selvage edge hem. #sewing #fashion #art #ElfkinCouture

An inch and a half tall stand collar shown in closeup at the center back seam of a bronze silk blouse. Two U-shaped loops of beige velvet emerge from the short center seam of the collar. Below the collar, half of the invisible zip closure and beige grosgrain ribbon facing are visible. The collar is covered in an array of white basting stitches.

At long last, I’m in the final throes of completing Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse. This double sided silk velvet ribbon makes a decent button loop, no? Now for a battery of hand slip, ladder, and ditch stitches to close the collar. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

A bald male mannequin wears a high collared blouse with gathering across the shoulders and neckline and puffy gathered sleeves. The blouse is made of sheer bronze silk chiffon with opaque squiggly strips of gold appliqué.

With the collar basted on and the gathers approximately distributed, I was able to confirm that Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse blouse is not the suck. Now to undo all of this basting and properly finish up the zip/center back assembly.

Related: I need a femme dressform!

#sewing #ElfkinCouture

Neckline of a blouse made of bronze silk chiffon. It’s inside out with the center back seam on the bottom where the pull of the beige invisible zip can be seen at the top of the seam. The front neckline has three lines of long white stitches for gathering and one line of short black stitches marking the neckline’s finished seam.

I’m now going to gather up the front and baste in the collar to test before I (painstakingly hand) finish the zip and c.b. seam. Cuz if I have to pull that shit out a third time, 🤯. #sewing #ElfkinCouture

A pair of jeans and short sleeve shirt with a banded collar, both made in plain muslin, lay flat on a cutting table. They have been arranged to show front pocket placement on shirt and back pocket of jeans, both drawn in with green marker.

The muslins of Jeff’s shirt and jeans are ready for fitting.

Yes indeed, I do just draw on details like pockets at this stage as all I need to do is confirm placement and scale.

#sewing #ElfkinCouture

The bodice of a blouse made of transparent bronze silk chiffon that’s been appliquéd with regular squiggles of frayed edge silk satin. The bodice’s center back seam hasn’t been sewn, so it lays flat. It’s clear that the panel joining the front to back right has its squiggles facing in the opposite direction from all of the others.

Today’s unanticipated #sewing side quest is the replacement of the right princess panel on Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse. I realized too late that its squiggles run opposite all of the other panels. Now I get to unpick all ~750 stitches in the 2 attaching French seams. Fun. #ElfkinCouture

Bodice of a high necked blouse shown flat on a cutting table. It is made of bronze/gold silk chiffon that has been appliquéd in a regular pattern of matched gold vertical squiggles. The effect is almost like animal print.

Closeup of same blouse to show how visible the tape of a cream colored zipper is through to the bronze fabric.

The bodice and sleeves of Lisa’s #NeoVictorianBlouse approach doneness. The zipper that she brought me with the fabric is way too visible through this whisper thin silk chiffon. Gonna need to find a better match. #sewing #ElfkinCouture