• Jacket
• Trousers
• Chemise
• Lute

Stuff I bought for the sewing:

I dyed the white trim to olive to match the fabric.

Jacket

The jacket. This may take a while. Grab some water, stay hydrated.

I used the pattern I already had adapted for my Imperial Office uniform jacket. It was made from McCall’s Costumes M4745. You don’t have to adjust much for this jacket. You can use pattern A, just make sure to shorten it to the proper length and – oh. The back panel. Alright.

You need some cheap no-stretch fabric for the test sewing.

Test sew.

Adjust pattern if necessary. Now, take the back and make one pattern piece from it. Don’t forget the seam allowance. I had the one-piece because my officerette had no princess seams. I then put another layer of foil over the pattern. Gauged the proportional width the back panel has and marked the beginning and end points on the foil. I drew the line free hand because I wasn’t sure it was actually straight.

Then I folded the new pattern in the middle and took the middle path between both new lines. Unfolding I now had a central piece and two side pieces, all nice and symmetrical. I drew the piece neatly and noted where it had no seam allowance.

Then I went ahead and sewed the sleeves because can do.

I prepared the front pieces with vliseline and ironing into shape. I prepared the collar. I dyed my trim. Then I was out of procrastination and had to tackle the back panel. I got really great help on facebook. The lady drew me this explanation how to fold the pieces of fabric to sew on.

I measured the length of the back panel. I counted the number of fake pleats on Jaskier’s back. I divided the length through the number and got the VISIBLE height of each pleat. To that I added the seam allowance. Ten I added the part above and below and again seam allowance. I got out my trusty foil and drew the lowest part of the back panel onto it. Then I added the pieced that would later be invisible. Cut the pattern, cut it from fabric, neatened the fabric ironed the edges away. Sewed the pleat onto the jacket.

Then I drew the next part of the jacket onto foil where the visible part of the pleat would be and did everything as above.

Rinse, repeat.

NOTE: After the second fold, I did not add seam allowance for folding over to the part of the pleat that didn’t fold up. Reasoning: the neatening will vanish in the seam then sewn together. It works and makes everything so much easier.

For the top part I simply cut out a piece of fabric to match the remaining height to sew over the last pleat. Then I sewed the side back panels to it. Tadaa!

Sewed fronts to backs as one does.

Then I prepared the collar. Since I had two sides of it anyway, I only had to place the slim creamy crotched trim carefully between the fabrics at the top. (No, I did not sew it in wrong the first time around, what are you implying?!?) So, reminder: when sewing the trim in and sewing right-on-right, remember that the trim is INVISIBLE because inside the two layers of fabric looking in. ^.^’

Sewed the collar on as instructed.

Hand-measured where the last line of trim ended on the jacket and marked the point. (I was being a good girl and actually used chalk for that). Hand measured the topmost trim as well. Measured the length between the two points and distributed the five lines of trim evenly.

Gauged where the lines of trim vanish into the seams. Marked the points. Pinned on the trim. I only sewed it down on the top, where the trim had a thick crocheted edge. You could probably sew it down along the lower edge as well.

Did the same for the three lines of trim going down to the sides on the front. Folded up the hem and sewed in place. I know you see no seam in the costume but I had no time to get vliseline that will glue on both sides…

Looked at the trim on the sleeves and cried for a day.

Sat down and stared at the sleeves to figure out how the trim goes. It doesn’t make a V on the top of the sleeve but vanishes alternating under the trim coming from the other side, giving the impression of a V down the sleeve.

I pinned the sleeve to the jacket. I did not care much for ‘no folds’ because I planned to hide all the bunched up fabric under the shoulder pieces. I marked where the trim on the jacket went so I could line up those trims from the sleeve.

Took the sleeve off. Drew a line with chalk down the top centre of the sleeve. Pinned the first lines of trim from where they were marked to a little over the middle line. Pinned the one line of trim above that. Make sure it will vanish under the shoulder piece in the end.

I then sewed on the first trims and kept going like that. Pin two lines, sew on. The original has nine lines of trim going down the sleeve. I have very short™ arms. So I only had space for six… Once I reached the end of sleeve opening, I made sure to pin the trim in advance under the trim it vanished under at the back of the sleeve. It’s the same pattern but reversed. So what goes under on the top goes over under the sleeve. (Yes it is complicated and I was swearing two days straight while sewing this together.)

Fool that I am, I did the edge of the sleeve with the cream trim first. Be smart, don’t. Then you can fold over the last lines of trim and have the ends vanish under the sleeve. When all lines of trim were sewn on and blood shed for the sewing gods because ouch. There’s ALWAYS blood on the clothes in the end.

Anyway, set the sleeve, put all the bunched up fabric at the top where the shoulder piece would hide it and sewed it on. Repeat with second sleeve.

For the edges I used the creamy crotchet trim again. I pinned it under the sleeve’s edge and folded over some fabric of the sleeve to the bottom edge was all covered. It’s probably unnecessary, I think it just looks neater. Also, because of my very short™ arms I always have extra fabric on sleeves.

Then I took the shoulder pad. I put foil over it and drew around it. You should leave some extra for neatening. I didn’t. Sucks, but okay. Neatening allowance will help. I folded the foil in half lengthwise and again went with the middle path between the two shapes. Then I drew the averaged half onto foil as a neat pattern. I bent the shoulder pad at the curve I wanted and traced the outside on foil.

Then I connected the ends with a straight line and added seam allowance. That gave me a roughly half-circle pattern piece. I pinned the round side to the straight short side of the other piece. After turning it over, you should have a neat shoulder piece. I sewed the shoulder pad into it so it would STAY.

Then I placed the lower trim all around the shoulder piece and just sewed it on except at the back. Through the shoulder pad. I know. I did the same with the upper trim which I let vanish under the lower trim which goes around once. Sewing through the shoulder pad is tricky but works. I needed pins on each side of the bends and it was difficult to remove them during sewing. But yeah. It worked.

Trousers

So, here we go. What I did: first I frankenpatterned a pattern for the trousers.

I had a pattern that fit me from an Imperial Office from Star Wars but it had jodhpurs that needed to go, so I cut wherever I though sensible. Which didn’t work as well as expected. So I added some jeans that fit me well because they had no stretched and patched them together with the other pattern.

I ended up with 4 leg pieces, the two for the front being narrower than the two for the back. I also had the waistband piece from the first pattern and extended the front parts where the zipper goes because I just wanted to put it in visible. I also just added a hand’s breadth upwards because I needed a high waist.

Now. Fabric manipulation,. Bring time. Bring A LOT of time. It took me 1 ½ evenings to do this. There are probably other ways to get those stripes on the trousers, but I am not that good at sewing, so I took the easy way out. My leg pieces were about 1m long. So I took 3 pieces of fabric that length and one that was approx 30 cm longer. You’ll need to measure the length from the crotch to the high waist to determine the length you need.

You’ll need sewing chalk and a ruler. I chose a distance for 6 cm for the stripes. So I marked 6 cm from the edge of the fabric. Then I drew that line with the ruler and the chalk. For the next width, it’s really up to you. I chose 2 cm because it is easier to wrk than smaller width. Also, my ruler had marks 1 cm in, so I just had to draw 2 lines and was all done. (I hate putting dots and connecting them.)

When you have your 2 (3) lines, line them up (line up the 1^st and the 3^rd) and pin. Make sure it’s as precise as you can get it. Iron that bitch into place real well. Now you need to sew down the fold to get your stripe. You need to sew really close to the edge. I did my best to sew between the needle and the little mark on the foot of the sewing machine.

It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’ll look amazing. Also, you get used to it after a while and it goes faster. I also recommend something to moist your eyes with because staring. So. Much. Staring. In the end I had to do this 5 times (mark, pin, iron, sew) for the front panels and 6 times for the back panels.

If your panels are all the same width, do three of them as long as you need and on (or two if you wanna be extra safe) with the crotch coverage length extra. If you have wider panels for the back, make one 8or two) of the pieces of fabric longer by the length of your crotch cover piece.

Once you have sewn enough stripes to cover your pattern piece, cut the piece and neaten it. Repeat until all four leg pieces are done. I’ll leave you to it and be back in a day or so. ;-p   I really liked how sturdy the fabric became with the folds. My taffeta was rather flimsy and this gave it a stronger feel that I like for trousers.

When you have the pieces, sew them together and sew in the front zipper. If you can do real sippers, you’ll probably just have to adjust that some to make it look right. Since I cannot sew in a jeans-style zipper if my life depended on it, again, easy way out.

I sewed in the zipper, simple style. I put them on to see how many darts I would need to keep it up. Marked and pinned the darts. Took off the trousers and sewed the dart. Rinse and repeat as necessary. (No worries, it won’t really show at the back and under the doublet…)

Then I put the trousers on my table, put my clear patterning foil over it and drew the piece I wanted to put over it. That I extended by seam allowance and on the side that would stay open by a flap to fold over and strengthen with vliseline.

I cut the piece and neatened it. All of the neatening with these bits or I guess the sewn lines will just unravel. Then I folded over the seam allowance and the fold and ironed it real well. The I ironed on vliseline to the flap I folded over. This will be important later.

Pinned the piece to the front and sewed it down on then right side. I am not quire sure how I have sewn up a little on the left but somehow I did. I didn’t want the flap to open all the way down to the crotch. Then I marked where I wanted to put the snap fasteners. With the folded over bit strengthened with vliseline, the snaps will hold nicely and not show on the top of the flap.

Now I measured the length around the waistband from the end of the flap to the zipper. I cut the waistband and ironed vliseline onto one side to strengthen it. Then I pinned it to the trousers and sewed it on. Almost done now.

To close the flap I chose snap fasteners which work fine for the lower bit. Me being lazy did the waistband with a snap fastener too and it kept unsnapping. Be smart and chose a hook as used on trousers instead. I’ll have to change mine now…

Add the closure and you are done. Enjoy your buttercup trousers.

Chemise

The Chemise

I used chiffon, but it is the wrong™ fabric. Might be a cotton blen. Definitely no stretch and should be soft. Anyways.

I heard all the evil talk about chiffon and it was actually ok to work with.

I had no pattern. I have nice men’s button downs. So I went ahead and used my see-through foil (on which I draw all my patterns) and traced a shirt. Added sewing allowance. Marked where I wanted the front to split.

Took the chiffon double. Cut out the pieces. Cut the neckline in the front.

I didn’t plan to have sleeves so instead of neatening, I just rolled up the hem at the hem and sleeves and sewed it down.

Then I decided I did want sleeves. I just used the cut from the Imperial uniform I also used to the jacket. It fit surprisingly nice. I never had less trouble fitting a sleeve. Colour me surprised. I also made the sleeves a little longer so I could shorten them as I want. In the series they poke out of the jacket now and then…

I left the sleeve ends neatened. I had planned to put trim on them but I don’t have the right one, so.

The trim around the neck is extremely not-accurate. I took the broad trim and just placed it around the neckline. It is folded under at the bottom of the neck line in the front. Which also looks neatly square so I left it like that. Also just folded at every bend.

Sewed it down though the thicker crocheted edge and then another time with longer stitches at the outer side to hold it down. Lighter thread would have been better.

Then I added hook and eyes, hiding them in the trim.

The trim collar is actually unnecessary™ and only added since I plan to wear a necklace with the outfit. I cannot wear necklaces on my bare skin without getting a rash, so collar.

If you want one: I marked the starting and ending point on the shirt while wearing it. Then I measured the trim I needed by laying it alongside the neckline and taking that double. Plus half an inch to sew it together.

Sewed the edges together and turned the seam inside. Folded the loop so that the seam is at the back of the neck. Pinned it to the neckline so that the thick edge of the trim matched on both sides of the neckline about ¼ inch up. I just let it ‘come up’ at the ends and made sure the last stitches were through all fabrics.

Sew on. There you are. All done.

Lute

I bought a cheap and slightly damaged mandolin because an actual lute costs A LOT of money and at least a mandolin is 2-coursed as well. Took off the strings. Painted the front brown. Drew on the pattern with gold pen badly. Put new strings on.

Sewed ad simple bag from a piece of leftover purple velvet.

And thus, my Jaskier costume came together and allowed me to hand out chocolate coins at events so people can give them to the various Witchers in attendance.

THE END