Queen of Dots SWAP Tamotsu Jacket

For the jacket in my Queen of Dots SWAP wardrobe, I used one of my favourite Vogue Designer Patterns, 1546.  It's OOP, and very 90s, but I absolutely love the aesthetic of Tamotsu's designs with the soft tailored look. I have collected a number of the Vogue Designer Tamotsu patterns over the years but have only recently decided to actually start using them! 



The fabric is a rayon/poly/lycra blend glen plaid in a creamy white and black combination.  It is very menswear inspired.  I have made the jacket before, out of a heavier wool suiting fabric.  Since my chosen fabric for the SWAP was a lighter weight, I underlined the entire jacket with fusible Armo-Weft interfacing. 

I decided to not use the collar or faux pocket flaps, to keep the style lines even simpler.  I did not want to have shoulder pads, so I removed the shoulder pad ease from the shoulder height, and cut the sleeve cap down to accommodate this.  I also narrowed the shoulder seams by 3/4" to give a more modern feel.

I nipped in the waist a bit as well, just by increasing the seam allowance by about 1/4-3/8".  My standard adjustments include a 3/4" sway back adjustment, a 3/4" FBA and lengthening the sleeves by 2".  I also drafted my own lining pattern for this jacket, as I like the way lining helps slip the jacket on and off.

I found the Embroidered Applique lace motifs on Amazon.ca,  and labouriously handstitched them on after the jacket was completed.  I normally would have done this by machine with a small zig-zag stitch before sewing the jacket and lining together, but didn't actually get the idea for the lace motifs until after the jacket had been mostly completed.  There's one motif on the left shoulder:

And one on the right lower front that wraps around to the side seam.  I had to modify this one a bit, by snipping some of the motifs out so they would wrap with the body.

I think they add a little pizzazz and femininity to an otherwise standard suit jacket.

Only one piece left in the Queen of Dots SWAP, a matching skirt.  It's currently on my cutting table awaiting some love!