The finished coat and lobster rolls

Hard to believe, but the wedding has come and gone.  I finished the coat with plenty of time to spare.  Thanks to my daughter for helping with the photo shoot.  The location is the lovely Juniper Hill Inn in Ogunquit, Maine.   

I truly enjoyed wearing this jacket.  All the other men at the wedding were wearing dark somber suits, so I'm sure I really stuck out.  Usually that would bother me because I'm not the most self confident man.   But I felt truly happy and joyous wearing this jacket, and shouldn't the clothes that we make for ourselves do just that?   I love the color (which my camera never quite captured correctly), and I'd like to think that I added a little upbeat flair to the event.  

I've put Roberto Cabrera back on the bookshelf, and the jacket is hanging in the closet.  Like all of my sewing projects this has been deeply rewarding.  I loved working with real tailoring materials; the various types of canvas, twill tape, pocketing, sleeve heads.  Even my new tailor's chalk was a pleasure.   My work space, which is very tiny, is all cleaned up waiting for the next project.  Until then, enjoy the lobster rolls!    

Avoiding a wedding faux pas

My lovely niece Shelley is getting married this June.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and it will be in the gardens at the beautiful Clay Hill Farm in York (or is it Oqunquit?) Maine.  It's been my plan to make a sport coat for the event.  I found an interesting 1980's pattern on Etsy that caught my eye and was in my size.  I love when that happens.  There are no overly complicated pockets, and I'm drawn to its narrower lapels. 

 I was in NYC after Christmas and hit the garment district on a mission.  It was a weekday so Steinlauf & Stoller was open.  This store is invaluable for anyone wanting to sew menswear.  The salesman was extremely helpful.  He patiently explained the differences  between wool canvas, hair canvas and french canvas.  He also set me up with some pocketing material, shoulder pads and sleeve heads.  So with a bag full of coat "guts" I went on the search for my jacket fabric.  

I crisscrossed from W 35th to W 40th finding absolutely NOTHING that said "early summer wedding".  My preconceived dream fabric was a silk/wool tweed in a chamois yellow.  No such luck, nothing even close. As the afternoon waned and darkness fell I ended up at A & K Fabrics on W39th about 3 minutes before closing time.  In the very back of the store I found a bolt of aqua linen/poly blend.   Sold.  

I was feeling victorious for about 2 weeks.  Then I found out that the colors of my niece's wedding are aqua and chartreuse.  As you can see in the photo my coat fabric coordinates very nicely with the invitations.  Hmmm is it appropriate for the gay uncle to show up matching the tablecloths and bridesmaid's dresses?  I think that's a big wedding NO.  So back to NYC I go.  

I met up with Peter (always the gracious host) and my Jersey boy/bear Joey.  I made a beeline to Gray Line Linen, which in retrospect is where I should have gone from the beginning.  This store has everything linen, from fabric to make your own dishtowels to upholstery fabric.  I quickly decided on a terra cotta linen in their Warsa range.  The picture really doesn't do it justice.  It's currently at the dry cleaners being pre-shrunk and pressed.  A new sewing adventure begins.  And a huge wedding faux pas narrowly avoided!