The Mens Suit Jacket (and five days to go...)

Friends, it's cut.  Not the lining, not the interfacing, just the cranberry corduroy.  (Yes, that is a Laugh-In wastepaper basket.)

Will I regret not making a muslin?  I suppose in a way, this is the muslin.

If I covered this earlier, apologies; my mind's a little hazy.  Here's the pattern I'm using.  It has two lower patch pockets and a single welt breast pocket.  In an ideal world the lower patch pockets would be welt pockets with flaps.  I don't think I can manage that this week.



Wanna laugh?





Got that?  A weekend. 

Now I've used this pattern once before, about this time last year, when I attempted my first jacket.  I never did wear it out of the house but it is recognizable as a mens jacket -- albeit badly misshapen and fitting poorly in the back. 





I need to take some width out and I should have done this before I cut my fabric, I know, I know.



I have Don McCunn's How to Make Sewing Patterns (but not his number on my speed dial, unfortunately) and he addresses some of these issues: in particular, how the mens basic bodice pattern (which I made over the summer) is adapted to make a suit jacket pattern (and how to draft the side piece that one finds under the arm of a mens jacket), and then how they are then shaped along the seams.

I think I can successfully take out a little width from the shoulder and mid-back without screwing everything up.  Cross your fingers.

I'm not using fusibles on the front even though I've read there is fusible interfacing you can use with corduroy.  I intend to use the haircloth I bought for Michael's suit project, and I'll probably do most of my stitching by machine.  The procedures are explained in both my Simplicity Sewing For Men and Boys and Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket.





I'm shooting for something akin to this (from the Barney's jacket I demolished last August).  Most of the interfacing was attached by machine.  The corduroy is already spongy so I'm not sure I'll use the lambswool for the chest piece; maybe flannel or something with less loft.





I have a LOT of information, readers, probably too much.  I'm going to do the best I can with the time I have: basically five more days.  If it's a wearable garment by Saturday night, great.  If not, there's always the rose print cocktail dress.

This is what I'm shooting for (albeit brighter) -- soft, but structured. We'll see how close I get.

Caveats?  (Prayers?)

Have a great day, everybody!