I’ve been writing a series of posts about my progress with this self-drafted jacket that is part of a Tai Chi uniform. Here are the previous posts:
First thoughts on designing the pattern
Cutting out and first sewing steps
Since my last post, I have completed the collar and the sleeves with their contrast cuffs. I have also finished the mitred corners and jacket hem. These were relatively easy steps given that I had worked out what I needed to do in each case. I did have to redo the collar, because I decided that I needed to work with white bobbin thread to make my slightly wobbly stitching less visible. I am now reasonably happy with the collar, although it isn’t particularly neat. I have even attached a special Kylie and the Machine “Ta Da” label.
The last month I have mostly been finishing off the Chinese ball buttons. These, along with the button-holes that complete the frog fastenings have been extremely time consuming. I also managed to replicate the very fancy top button and button-hole which are finished with spirals. I found finishing buttons and button-holes very tricky. I am left wondering whether the materials I have been using were actually the most suitable for such a fiddly job. The video I used is in Chinese and although I could follow it very easily, it doesn’t tell me in English what materials they used. I used some shiny polyester bias binding, but would silk bias binding have worked better? Is this actually easy to get hold of silk bias binding. Then at one stage some “starch” is used, presumably to stick and stiffen the frayed ends together. I purchased some starch that looked similar from the internet, but again I have no idea if this was a good approximation of that used in the video. The buttons are also quite a different navy blue, but I am trying to think of that as a “feature”. This is very noticeable in all the photos below, so I expect given time I’ll stop noticing it too.
On Tuesday the jacket had its first outing at the Tai Chi class and everyone was very complementary. I took it as a compliment (as was intended), but I do wonder why people say “you wouldn’t know it was home-made”? I mean, essentially every sewn garment is hand-made and there isn’t a huge difference between the fabrics, equipment and construction techniques used at home and commercially. Why wouldn’t it look like something you’d buy in a shop?
I was pleased with the fit of the jacket. I definitely made the right choice changing the design so that the sleeves came out horizontally, rather than at a slant. I talked about that design change here. I do notice that the jacket rustles a bit when being worn and I felt a bit conspicuous because of the noise it was making. I bet no-one else noticed, though!
At the moment I am still in the mental phase of seeing all the “faults” with this jacket. But I’m sure that in the winter I will really appreciate wearing it. Our teacher is a bit of a fresh air fiend and with COVID still circulating, even in January I bet the doors and windows in the hall where we practice will be fully open!
Steely Seamstress 
August 7, 2022 at 8:31 pm
Just wondering how your teacher likes it as I seem to remember you saying she was the one pushing you to get a ‘proper’ tai chi jacket. Yes also the whole handmade thing. I made my daughter’s prom dress and her friends (who’d been sceptical because they were all buying expensive RTW ones) were a bit aghast when they finally saw it and said ‘it looks just like a bought one’! 😔
August 10, 2022 at 9:14 pm
My teacher loves it, but I think she soon be nagging about some trousers……! Yes, it really is odd that people don’t actually believe that home made can be as good (or better) than RTW.
August 8, 2022 at 11:04 am
Yay! Very nice indeed!
Hmm…when friends say “you wouldn’t know it was home-made”, it suggests that their only experience with home made clothes has been bad or non-existent. You may be their inspiration!
August 10, 2022 at 9:17 pm
Indeed, it is odd though isn’t it. Perhaps it comes down to people’s disconnect with the origin much of what they buy. I think the same can be said for food.
August 8, 2022 at 6:24 pm
Congratulations! I think it looks great. I think clothing construction is a closed book to most people (in the UK at least) so they don’t realise how much is done at home in the same way as a factory would do it.
August 10, 2022 at 9:18 pm
Thank you. Yes, perhaps some people think that clothing comes off a production line, like a car would! I guess very few people work in the clothing industry in this country, so I think there is probably a lack of awareness.
September 9, 2022 at 10:35 am
great blog, thank you, I like your work – will try to make my own taichi clothing too.
btw. I´m becoming quite allergic to people who thinks the way that everything you need you need to buy. I´d say usually that I can make expensive stuff for myself investing my own time there… instead of spending my time at some boring job trying to save enough money to buy something worth spending money…
I´ve inherited my grandmas treadle sewing machine and I love it 😉
September 13, 2022 at 2:56 pm
Thank you , you are very kind. I think it is lovely to be wearing my own custom-made jacket, simply because it fits so much better and really gives me ease of movement.
Glad you like your grandmas old machine. Mine is electric but inherited from my great aunt – really love it and it reminds me of her too. She was a great lady.