A big step towards couture...

notched collar jacket - in all its half finished glory, originally uploaded by oishiiknits.

This is a jacket I am making for my construction class. It has been a LOT of work - 27 pattern pieces and a little over 100 cut pieces!!

I did not like this project at first. Way too many layers and prep work for someone else's design!

But the more I sew and press the fabric I am falling in love - with butterflies in my tummy and everything. I am creating a garment with the care and precision I have wanted to execute for years.

My dream is to be able to construct any structure out of 2-D fabric. It's amazing to think that every single piece of this jacket was once on a bolt of fabric and has been shaped and molded by my hands, an iron, a straight stitch machine, and a whole lot of time!

Wool is wonderful to work with. With heat, moisture and pressure you can shrink, stretch, and mold the fabric into exactly what you need it to be. Such a beautiful medium!

And the techniques I am learning - building foundations within the garment to help shape and hold the outer shell - will help me create the confections that now only exist in my imagination!

Couldn't be happier with my progress. Check out more pics on my flickr