![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/ALIMGP1297.jpg\" "\\"FinishingTouchesAlfarmwhole\\"")
<\/a>Alastair's Farm Suit, v.2<\/p><\/div>\n
Alastair’s smocked farm suit is finally finished. \u00c2\u00a0I had completed the smocking when we were in the mountains a few weeks ago, but needed to upgrade it a little.<\/p>\n
This was a ready-to-smock outfit and I have relied heavily on them this past year. \u00c2\u00a0The quality is very good, but there are improvements that can be made.<\/p>\n
<\/a>original collar and button<\/p><\/div>\n
The shirt was a plain, serviceable and nice white broadcloth. \u00c2\u00a0In order to make it more a part of a two-piece outfit, I added a whip stitch to the collar and cuffs.<\/p>\n
<\/a>upgrade: embellished collar, pearl buttons, red thread button sewing<\/p><\/div>\n
At the collar, a 3.5 straight stitch was worked in white thread.<\/p>\n
The edge of my presser foot was guided along the piping, making the stitching line perfectly parallel to the piping.<\/p>\n
On the sleeve, there was ready made stitching below the piping. \u00c2\u00a0On both the sleeves and collars, red 12 wt. thread was simply whipped over and under the stitching line.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0I tried floche and then floss, but they were too thin.\u00c2\u00a0 Perle cotton was too heavy. The 12 wt.\u00c2\u00a0renders a subtle but pleasing extra touch.<\/p>\n
Another improvement was button replacement. The clear plastic “utility” buttons were replaced with mother of pearl 4-hole buttons, which offered an opportunity to put a punch of color by sewing them on with red thread.<\/p>\n
<\/a>machine stitched hem<\/p><\/div>\n
The final upgrade was at the leg hem. \u00c2\u00a0The machine stitching was removed and the hem was hand stitched.<\/p>\n
<\/a>v.2 handstitched hem<\/p><\/div>\n
None of these changes or improvements took a significant amount of time. \u00c2\u00a0Little touches are what make lovingly made clothes extraordinary. \u00c2\u00a0Few people will notice the upgrades, but you and I will know the garment has been made as special as we can make it. \u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
I did not “make” or construct this suit, but now, when Alastair runs around in the outfit, I can feel satisfaction in having made it more “homemade.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00c2\u00a0 Alastair’s smocked farm suit is finally finished. \u00c2\u00a0I had completed the smocking when we were in the mountains a few weeks ago, but needed to upgrade it a little. This was a ready-to-smock outfit and I have relied heavily … Continue reading