Refashion Runway Season Two: Week 3, Peplum

Out of the entire gauntlet of Refashion Runway challenges,

when I saw 'Peplum' was on the list, I knew exactly what I wanted to make!

It was with that clear vision that I selected this huge, coral blazer!
 

 

Help, I'm drowning in coral!

 

Funny story.

As the Goodwill clerk was ringing up and folding this coral creature,

he gave me this look and said, "Now ma'am, do you see this tag...?

Just leave this on, and if anything doesn't fit, you can bring it back."

 

Obviously he was concerned.

I just smiled and thanked him for the advice...little did he know

that I had most specifically selected the biggest blazer I could find.

 

So first things first...

 

 

 ...I cut off that 'tag'!

There is no going back now.

 

 

Before proceeding, I feel I had better warn you this is a very long post!

This project was pretty detail intensive...I took lots of pictures.

 

 

To get started, I set to work removing the pockets.

 

 

 

These were sewn in to the side seam and the bottom hem,

so it took a little extra work and left the side seam open.
 

  

Then I ripped out the football jersey-worthy shoulder pads,

and removed the sleeves.

 

 

 

 

Taking some measurements,

I marked where I wanted the bottom of my blazer to end and the peplum to begin,

factoring in a seam allowance.

 

 

 

 

*Snip, snip*

I had great plans for that precious bottom piece, so I laid it aside for later.

 

 

 

 

Focusing on the upper part of the blazer,

I trimmed the armholes/shoulders down so they would fit better.

 

 

Next, I spent hours meticulously measuring, tracing patterns,
pinning and repining in order to create a thin, curving pin tuck,
running from the shoulder all the way down to the waist.

 

 

 

 

I did this on both sides of the front and back of the jacket.

 

 

 

 

 Next, I fitted the blazer by taking in the sides.

 

 

  

 

 I made a few more fitting changes later on, but this is basically what it looked like.

Now I needed to create a button hole.

 

 

 

In the past, I hand stitched or fudged my way through making the button hole,

this time I actually used the button hole foot!

 

 

 

 

It took a few test runs, but in the end I think I got it figured out.

 

 

 

 

Moving onto the sleeves, I knew I wanted my jacket to have puffed sleeves.

 

 

 

 

So before taking them in, I sewed a gathering stitch across the top of the shoulder portion.

 

 

 

 

With that done, I proceeded to take in the sleeves and cut off the excess.

 

 

 

 

Once finished, I attached them to the jacket.
 

 



 

After doing some research,

I was able to use this tutorial and chart for drafting a circular pattern for my peplum.

 

 I altered the pattern by creating a graduating slant so the peplum was longer in the back,
 as well as enlarging the radius of the arch so I had excess ruffles with which to create pleats.

 

 

The original peplum pattern calls for one arch cut on the fold for a seamless back ruffle,
and two more arches for the two front ruffles.

 

I wanted to be certain I liked the peplum before cutting into my precious remnant pieces,

so I cut out some experimental pieces from an ugly fabric first.

 

 

 

I didn't like what I saw.

Once I had all the ruffles pinned onto my blazer, I felt like a fat ballerina! 

 

 

 

 

After some experimenting, I altered and drafted a different pattern for the two front panels.

 

  

Armed with my two tried-and-true self drafted pattern pieces, I was ready to proceed.

 

Returning to the bottom half I had cut off earlier,

I unpicked the invisible hem and ironed it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you see now why I chose this huge blazer?

Look at all the fabric I have to work with!

 

 

 

 

I proceeded to lay out my pattern pieces and cut the peplum sections.

 

 

 

 

The back arch was laid out on the fold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Next came the two front pieces.

 

 

 

 

 All cut out!

 

 

 

Pin them all together...
 

...and sew.



 

 

Then I pulled out another previously unused wonder...the hemming foot!

This created a tiny, folded hem at the bottom and sides of my peplum.

This fabric was fray-crazy, so for extra measure, I did fold it over again and sew it down.

 



 

There remained one last thing before attaching the peplum to the blazer.

For some extra pop and detail, I sewed rows of varying width at the bottom of the hem
in rust metallic and burgundy thread.
 

 

 

 

To keep my edges and rows clean, I did not back stitch at the end.

Instead, I caught the loop and pulled the top thread through to the back, then tied several knots.
 

 

 

 

 

 

See?

Much cleaner finish.

 

 

 

 

 

Now the peplum and blazer were ready to be united.

 

 

 

 

   After attaching the peplum, I was left with an ugly, exposed seam.

Doing some more research, I discovered a technique called Hong Kong binding.

Wow, talk about a lot of work!

There had to be an easier way.

Using Hong Kong binding as a spring board, I came up with an easier method.

I have no idea what it is called, but I'm sure it must be an actual process,

so if you know, please let me know!

 

 

 Using bias tape, I pinned the right side of the bias tape

to the wrong/back side of one of my seam edges.

 

 

 

  

I pinned the bias tape the entire length of the seam,

then sewed it down.

 

 

 

 

After that was done, I flipped the bias tape over the seam and ironed it flat.

The stitching I had just sewn is covered under the fold.

 

 

 

 

With the bias tape folded over, I pinned it to the other seam edge and sewed that down.

This last stitch line was visible on top of the bias tape, but I didn't see any way around that.

 

Iron again, and voila!

A much neater, completely concealed seam!

 

Almost done, I promise.

 

For the final finishing touches,

I repeated the same metallic and burgundy thread pattern on the cuffs of the sleeves.

 

 

 

 

For my first line, I measured in 2 inches from the cuff and marked it all around.

 

I decided to unstitch the seam of the sleeve so it would lay flat while sewing,

this made it much easier to sew in straight rows.

It was simple to stitch it up again when I was finished.

 

 

 

Stitching all done,

I added a button as well!

 



 

Buttons were also added to the points of the lapel for a rounded, finished look.

Finally!!

It was done!

 

 

 

Lovely lines!

I love how this blazer turned out!

 

And there is the pleated peplum back!

 

 

See how it angles and slants downward?!

 

 

 Here is a close up of the thread detailing on the hem...

  

 

...and the cuffs, along with the added buttons. 

 

Here, you can clearly see the pin-tuck lines running from shoulder to back.

My dad calls them 'angel wings'!

 

 

Didn't those puffed sleeves turn out adorable?

And the front pin-tucks add so much!

 

Once again, my brother is obsessed with lens flairs...and he wanted

to play up the fashion model vibe I was channeling...hey, the peplum brings it out of me!
 

 

This blazer was such a beautiful challenge and gave the opportunity to try lots of new techniques!

 I am so pleased with how it turned out!

To date, I think this is possibly my most intense refashion!

As you can see, I'm happy.

Very happy!

 

Now head on over to The Renegade Seamstress

and cast your vote for what floats your boat (sorry).

And if you happen to like the coral you see while floating about (sorry again),

well, that would be grand!