The "Glad to be Plaid" Sport Coat....An ode to a Plaid.

I had so much fun with my initial foray into the world of tailoring, with "The Herringbone Jacket", that when I ran across a post, on another site, concerning the patterns by Claire Shaeffer's for Vogue I was immediately interested. The post also stated that the directions for couture tailoring techniques that Ms. Shaeffer includes are worth the price of the pattern alone....when I read this I was sold. It is my understanding that Ms. Shaeffer is a very well respected authority on such tailoring techniques and since I am very eager to learn more about the craft and the techniques used in fine tailored garments I knew this pattern would be right up my alley.

Vogue #V8333

I didn't run out and purchase it right away, this was some months back that I ran across the post, I believe on Gertie's blog who by the way has never steered me wrong in the past. So I went about my other projects always with it in the back of my mind waiting for inspiration to strike...it did, on Saturday, at Fabric Town! 

I had only gone in to buy the pattern. I wanted to review the instructions, as I was prepared for them to be lengthy, and begin my "Project Planning" process. I had already looked at all the fabric website and had somewhat of an idea about what fabric type I wanted, wool for sure, and the color scheme I was after. There were a couple online I was considering but truly nothing was calling out to be turned into a jacket so I figured I wait until it found me.

It did find me, at Fabric Town....I was browsing through the wool/suiting section and there, between two nondescript bolts of plaid, wool suiting was what I had been searching for! The perfect plaid...in the right color hues....not too orangey, not too plain brown, just right for the jacket that was being formed in my mind's eye. It is 100% Camel Hair and so soft and just awesome. It longs to be a Sport Coat.

Once I found it, I just knew and the design in my mind began to really take shape. I have been drawing inspiration from men's sports coats. Primarily this one from Ralph Lauren:

Shetland Plaid Sport Coat by Ralph Lauren

There is much planning that still needs to happen before I begin the actual construction of this jacket....like making a muslin. I plan to use a plaid of similar size to practice matching. But I was just so excited about this fabric that I had to share it with the world.

Cheers!

Amelia