A Chanel jacket! What a thing to have in your wardrobe! Well from next week I am starting to make a copy but utilising all the couture techniques that were originally used. Claire Tyler is running a workshop over several weeks to enable her students to make their jacket.

Traditionally a wool tweed has been used. Linton has been one of the preferred tweeds. I was so excited that a while ago I bought the most beautiful tweed from there and was thrilled with it. A beautiful teal colour with fabulous texture.

Isn’t it beautiful? Sadly the photo does not pick up the beautiful silver thread in it which makes the whole cloth have a subtle shimmer. I was all set to make this jacket from this fabric until I read Mary Funt’s blog “Cloning Couture“. This lady is one of most exquisite seamstresses I have ever come across. Her attention to detail is exemplary and I just wish I had an ounce of her talent. But embedded in her blog post was a lament about the loose weave of this fabric. I decided that this was not the fabric for me to start my Chanel journey. I stroked it a couple of times and gazed at it, then wrapped it back up and ordered a tighter weave fabric. I will use it once I feel more confident with the method of construction.

Here is my new fabric choice:

Very different from the teal but lovely colours (Bloomsburysquare fabrics) and I have chosen this (Beckford Silks) as the lining:

They should look good. The colours on here have not translated well but I will keep you up to date with progress.

The pattern I have chosen is this:

I intend to lengthen the jacket and may use just one set of pockets. I want it to be a jacket to wear over trousers or a pencil skirt. I also have an idea of making a dress to wear under it but would I wear it?

Claire, my tutor, studied with Claire Schaeffer, the designer of this pattern so I know I shall be learning from the best. There is no machine stitching in this jacket and the lining is quilted to the jacket. The structure of my course is that there are 5 days of tuition with two to three weeks between classes to enable us to finish the handsewing.

So, despite my anxieties, I am going to have a go and do my best. I will keep you posted!