Purple Haze

I have had it in mind to make a velvet suit for years and when I saw this purple cotton velvet I knew it would be a perfect choice. The only question was what style to go for. I considered a biker style jacket, puff sleeve jacket but then settled on this more fitted style with a curved front hem and patch pockets. You'll notice that there are not any pockets on this - that’s because I didn’t like the look of them when I pinned them on and decided to leave them off.

I had initially planned to make wide trousers, but as this fabric is relatively narrow, that would have meant a lot more length was needed and you do tend to end up with a lot of waste fabric in these situations. So I opted for slim-leg trousers, but not too fitted as this fabric has no stretch.

The fabric is glorious but quite delicate. As it is cotton velvet, it can be very easy to fray on the edges along the selvedge edge. It’s also worth overlocking it before prewashing to prevent any unnecessary fraying of the cut edge. It does wash beautifully and presses well. I recommend using a towel against the pile side of the fabric to prevent it becoming flattened during pressing. I also used a press cloth on the reverse.

It is super important to cut all pattern pieces in the same direction so that the ‘nap’ or pile of the fabric lays the same way, as it can appear to be a slightly different tone otherwise. This will require more fabric. For this project, I cut all the pieces in a single layer. It takes longer, but it stops the fabric shifting and allows you to make the best use of pattern placement to avoid wastage. The Jacket and trousers used a total of 4.5m of this fabric and I had a square of about 30cm square left.

Both of the patterns I used were from my stash of Burdastyle Magazines. I haven’t made either before and didn’t make a toile before sewing up. I usually sew a size 38 in Burda and sometimes grade to a 40 at the hip. For this make I made a straight size 38 for the jacket and a size 40 for the trousers, grading to 38 and the waist - I didn’t make any other changes to the pattern.

I think I could have sized down the body of the jacket as it does feel quite big across the bust. I did use some structural elements to support the fabric and improve the fit. The front of the jacket and the upper back is interfaced with a traditional hair canvas and the seems are catch stitched down to create a secure flat seam. An additional layer of batting is added to the upper chest and I used layers of batting from my stash to construct the shoulder pads. This allowed me to tailor the height exactly to what I needed.

I used traditional pad stitching to help shape the collar and lapel. This technique doesn’t work quite as well on this fabric as it does on wool, but it does help. I decided to use bound buttonholes and instantly regretted it. On this fabric, bigger buttonholes would work better in this technique, but the style of the jacket wouldn’t support it. I also felt they were too far from the edge. However, these are small points. The jacket is fully lined with pale pink satin, which I like with the purple velvet. I had enough left from a previous project but had to piece a couple of sections. The instructions for lining the jacket were rather clunky and I’m still not 100% convinced I like the double back vents. I’m going to let these simmer for a bit and decide if I like them or not. I can always sew them closed if I decide they are not for me.

Due to the amount of hand stitching the jacket has taken ages, and family issues have also impacted life recently, so It was a relief when the trousers came together in just a few hours of sewing. In my rush to get them finished, I didn’t really do any fitting and mock-up. Instead, I sewed the side seams with a long basting stitch to allow me to check the fit. I was happy with the outcome. I know they could be more fitted, but I need to be able to sit, walk and bend in them, so I actually like how they have turned out. I didn’t follow any instructions for constructing these as the construction of trousers is pretty straightforward once you’ve made a few pairs! I did make sure the pocket bags were secured in the centre front seam as I can’t stand flappy pockets!!! I used the last of the pink satin for this.

The waistband is interfaced with a firm iron-on interfacing and the inside is hand stitched as top stitching on this fabric can be rather distracting.
Overall I’m pleased with how these turned out. I think as a suit it might get an airing next winter in the run-up to Christmas, but as separates, this will be a lot more versatile. I already have outfits planned for the jacket!

I had to wait until a bright day, as this fabric is almost as difficult as black to photograph!