need a little help finishing please

[Auryn]

Hello
now I know technically this isn't garb, I am making it to wear in the mundane world, but it is very much garb inspired and I am making it to practice the skills I will need to make my fancy justacorps jacket for my pirate persona.

So everything you see is only pinned together as I am working on the fitting and my mannequin doesnt come in until monday. Yes it has sleeves but that is something else I need some help with.

I love the fabric and I love the inside reversed pattern.
I am only going to be lining the front panels of the jacket, the collar and the sleeves.
Its south florida and the fabric is already pretty heavy, if I have any intentions of actually wearing this jacket I can't use too much lining.

I love the edges exactly where they are now, I don't want to have to fold any fabric in to hem it (you know how you hem pants,skirts etc.) . Can I use some kind of ribbon or other finishing material to finish the edges without folding in any fabric??
I hope that makes sense.

Then for the sleeves, The jacket has a pleat at the bottom of the back in the middle, I want to duplicate a small pleat like that at the sleeve to make like a bell sleeve.


Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated




this is the inside of the fabric

[Azen]

That fabric is gorgous!  You could put bias tape along the edges,  but zig-zag or serge the edges first so it won't fray.

[Kate XXXXXX]

I wouldn't zigzag or serge the edges AND bind the edges...  It'll make the seam VERY bulky.  As this is unlined, I suggest a Hog Kong finish for the seams, done like this: http://www.timmelfabrics.com/seamfinishes.htm

You can then bind the edges of the jacket with either a folded over grosgrain ribbon, like this on a corset I did recently:   or more bias tape.  Use a good quality bias tape or cut your own from some matching silk.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Using the actual fabric for cutting bias tape is a great idea. I have been doing that for Corsets, Bodices, as well as Hat Brim edges.

Bodice edging.

Corset Edge

Hat Brim Edge

[Auryn]

thanks everyone for such quick and awesome replies.

Making bias tape out of the actual fabric was my original plan but I dont know if I have enough material.

The fabric is actually a single curtain panel I bought on clearance at jcpenny for $7 total, the panel was 60x90 after I undid all the seams.

Should I invest $50 (after the coupon) on the bias tape making machine they sell at joann's or is making it by hand just as easy/time consuming as the machine??

thanks again

incidentally I can read the forum on my blackberry so I was pouring over your responses as I wandered aimlessly trying to find a fabric that would be a good color for trim.

[gem]

$50 bias tape making machine?  What?

You should be able to find this gadget for a tenth the price.

[Dinobabe]

That fabric is gorgous!

I was thinking the same thing.  That fabric is absolutely beautiful!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Making bias out of fabric is a matter of folding a good sized piece into a triangle From there, you have the actual bias where widths of the tape can be determined. I measure 2 1/4" strips that can be sewn to make as longa  strip that is needed.

I do not use a machine.

[Lady L]

The way I make bias tape is to use a rotary cutter and straight edge. I have a cutting board that has the 45% angle marked on it. Line up the fabric straight. Decide how wide you want your bias, add for seam allowances and cut at a 45% angle. My Mom makes her quilt bindings that  way also.
You can seam the ends together if you need a longer piece. I have never used a bias machine, but I don't really see any need for one. I think Lady K and I do something similar.
Pretty jacket!

[Marietta Graziella]

There was a post some time back about using a large needle on your ironing board to feed the fabric thru then iron to the desired width for bias.  It was ingenious!

[Auryn]

Thank you everyone.
After much reading and head banging on the desk I finally figured out how to make one continuous strip of bias tape (for some reason my brain just wasnt grasping the concept of how to fold the fabric to make one tube until 9pm last night).
I ended up making 600" of bias tape from the same fabric as the coat. I think i will have plenty hehe.

Now i just gotta get a hang of pressing it all.

Thank you Kate for the link to the Hong Kong finish. Thats definitely what I am going to do.

The tricky part is gonna be figuring out how to line the inside of the collar ( I want to add some interfacing to it to keep it stiff) without it looking weird that the lining will just be floating on its own and not attached to any lining of the front pieces.


thanks to all