Soft construction

[Terry Krause]

Hi everyone, I was hoping anybody would have information or could point me in the direction of construction methods for soft and lightweight coats. I've recently been impressed by how well some sit with such little in it.

Thank you all

[Adriel]

I watched "Making of a Coat" ages ago, toughly informative and enjoyable, maybe of some use in this endeavor of yours? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tlEoqDKT0&list=PL6wdXAvg4DOEngOR93SkkVK8Tb0AvmwJv

[Terry Krause]

Thank you Adriel!

I do remember seeing Rory's video a while back and must revisit it. I think my question might've been too vague, Ive been looking more into the Italian methods and cutting system without much luck.

Trawling through the old forum and here I have found an old draft


The tailors tips videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Er6RjwDdw

And mention of one book l'art del taglio
Actually finding them has been harder (New Zealand is so far away, and, we funnily enough do not speak Italian)

I think I will have to make a trip to the Neapolitan tailor in Auckland, and will post back with any info I find.

[TTailor]

Hi everyone, I was hoping anybody would have information or could point me in the direction of construction methods for soft and lightweight coats. I've recently been impressed by how well some sit with such little in it.

Well, I think much depends on the fabric you choose, but also the structure inside the coat.
The structure of the chest canvas makes a difference. Perhaps using a lighter weight hair canvas/hymo, eliminate the horsehair layer in the chest is one way to achieve a softer look

[Greger]

The old site had something about placing the canvas different ways. One method on the bias i believe worked best. I don't think another canvas was included. Maybe domette felt. Linen canvas is probably best. There might be a reason to run the canvas over the shoulder 2-4 inches down the back armholes. One purpose of the chest piece is so that the garment doesn't take to much of the persons chest shape there. If you put it in it needs to be big enough and not more. And not to many pad stitches, but enough to do the job. I think I would try a tear shape starting 3-4 inches below the shoulders, a couple of inches below the nipples, maybe 6-8 inches at the widest, and on a different bias. It depends on flexibility and what shape holding is desirable. Every tailor has their own opinion of what achievement is.
Maurice Sedwel and Anderson & Sheppard believe do soft construction methods.

[spookietoo]

Oh my, I'm so bad with names. Lee Marsh, I think, on YouTube has several excellent and quite detailed videos. I watched him canvas a coat front and thought I was seeing things, but he confirmed he used silesia for the chest canvas. Can't imagine going much softer than that and his finished goods are wonderful. I just enter "Lee Marsh tailor" into YouTube. I'm horrible with links, but I'll come back and correct this if I have the name wrong.

[Hendrick]

Checked out Lee Marsh tailoring. Interesting! By Googling only the name, I fell onto a jehova witnessing lady, sympathic but obviously off-topic. Make sur you ad "tailoring"in your searches...

[spookietoo]

Yep, Hendrick, lots of Lee Marsh-es in this world! Even just on youtube, but his videos  are quite detailed and seem to be softer tailoring.

Second time I tried just "lee marsh" I got lots of wackadoodle stuff!

[Gerry]

Trawling through the old forum and here I have found an old draft

Out of interest, I ran the text through various online translators. Some of the terms are archaic (I took 'round'/'curve' to mean armhole), which didn't help.

This needs some work in a couple of places, so I've pasted the original Italian beneath (please post corrections).

Single breasted jacket. Close to the hip with two buttons, one at the waist and the other below, controlled by the perpendicular.

Chest 48; waist 44; shoulder 21

Important Notes

This jacket performs as perfectly as the previous one, differing in the grip at the waist and in the adjustment that should be done in event of abnormalities. The measurements demonstrate how it is applied, that is, it is measured from A - 12, this measurement being taken from the tip of the side of the front, up to the perpendicular 9.6, which must have 2 cm more than the back length.

The curve [roundness?], for those who wish to lose the fold under the arm hole, is kept wide on 1/4 of the chest plus 1 cm. For those who need the two seams [darts] under the arm hole, a quarter plus 2 [darts] equal to 14 centimetres [in total?].

The buttons must be distant from each other by 10 cm to 11 cm and may vary according to the length of the jacket. The last buttonhole should be in the direction of the pocket, and the front of the pocket is lowered by 1 cm.

The back, then, from A - C, for all those with protruding shoulder blades, in addition to widening the curve, must be indented with a double thread in order to deconstruct the curve, then it is pressed, sewing the centre back by hand so that the indentation remains fixed.

In these curves this process has not been performed.

Original Text:

Giacca ad un petto
Aderente al bacino con due bottoni, uno in vita e l'altro in giù col controllo dell' appiombo

Note Importanti
Questa giacca si esegue perfettamente come la precedente, varia per l' aderenze  in vita e per il controllo che si dovrebbe fare in case di anormalita.
Il centimetro dimostra come viene applicato, cioè si misura da A - 12 e questa misura si porta sulla punta del fianco del davanti fino all' appiombo 9,6 che dovra avere cm. 2 in piu della lunghezza del dietro.
Il giro per chi usa far sperdere la ripresa sotto al giro, tenerlo largo su 1/4 di petto piu cm. 1. Per chi invece consuma le due cuciture sotto al giro, si fara un quarto piu 2 uguale centimetri 14.
I bottoni dovranno essere distanti fra di loro da cm. 10 a cm. 11 e potrebbero variare secondo la lunghezza della giacca. L' ultimo occhiello dovrebbe venire in direzione della tasca, e la tasca sul davanti viene abbassata di cm. 1.
Il dietro poi da A - C a tutti quelli con le scapole sporgenti, oltre a maggiorare la curva dev' essere rientrato con un filo a doppio in modo da distruggere la curva, poi viene stirato col ferro cucendo il centro schiena a mano cosi resta fissato il rientramento.
Nei curvi non viene eseguita questa lavorazione.