Tailored Jacket Workshop- Day 2

I'm just picking back up where I left off in my last post. Day 1 of my Tailored Jacket Workshop entailed all of the prep work for the jacket. On day 2 we went full on into construction. With everything prepped and ready to go the construction part went pretty smoothly. I had the students connect the lining to the jacket. The lining and jacket went together perfectly since we created our own pattern. No fiddling with a commercial lining pattern hoping it will work ok. Afterwards they attached their collar. I have several tricks with collars. I taught them how to convert a collar into 2 pieces and create a stand along with a few others. The most interesting things I relayed was how to prevent "roll-out" in the jacket and how to connect the sleeves to the jacket so the sleeves wouldn't shift later. Again I was all too delighted to share my tips with my students. I love to make other's sewing easier! Here are some shots of us in the workroom.....

Sharon and Mr. Jim analyzing her jacket

Sharon showing off the inside's of her jacket after attaching the lining.

Looks so professional!!!

Bev hard at work preparing to attach the sleeves

Next post....day 3, the final workshop day.

Tailored Jacket Workshop Day 1

Please forgive my extended absence! I PROMISE not to be gone away for that long again. I missed you all TOO MUCH!!!  In the midst of my absence from you guys I was planning and hosting my first "Tailored Jacket Sewing Workshop". Can you believe it, June came so fast? Seems like I was just advertising it. The Tailored Jacket workshop was June 5-7. Well let me start off by saying that it was indeed a HIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've said it time and time again, I live for my student's "AHA Moments"!!! And trust me there were plenty of them. Each of my students walked away with a clearer and easier understanding of jacket fitting and construction. I tell my students all of the time that most garment construction isn't that difficult. It just depends on the methods you're employing. After 53+ years I just so happen to know garment industry/tailoring methods that are FASTER and yield BETTER THAN GREAT results! We got a great deal done in 3 days. Well I'll spend the next few days giving you the details. I hope you enjoy seeing the pics and reading the commentary. And on day 3 you can hear my students reviews I captured by video. Here are the details.....

The first day of the workshop was on June 5th.  I had a nice intimate group of 3 students that I was able to give extensive one-on-one attention to. They were Sharon, Bev, and Victoria. Sharon lives in Jacksonville and Bev came all the way from Nebraska. Victoria you've seen before. She's one of my local students whose blog is at Ten Thousand Hours of Sewing.

(Here's a picture of all 3 ladies as they were nearing completion of their jackets. From left to right: Victoria, Bev & Sharon)

 The day started with me taking a few moments to get to know the ladies and familiarize them with the area. Then we jumped right to business. The workshop was divided into 2 parts: Jacket construction and Jacket fitting. We tackled the jacket construction portion first. I provided pre-cut jackets and all of the supplies the students needed. For the jacket fitting part I asked the students to bring pre-cut muslins from home so they could sew them together and I could help them work on properly fitting them for their figure. Ok, allow me to get back to the jacket construction part. Day 1 focused on what I like to call "framing" or interfacing the jacket, creating the lining and pre-assembly.

 (Laying out the jacket pieces....... )

 (......and discussing jacket construction)

 (Showing students where and how to apply interfacing. All of which are SO important. Even the brand you use. I gave them all of my little secrets).

 (Moving on from interfacing to cutting out the lining.......)

 (....I have my own tricks with cutting out the lining too!)

(Victoria cutting out the lining in her jacket. I don't think she'll ever use a pattern's lining pattern again. Especially not after figuring out how to make her own!)

The day concluded with the ladies pre-assembly their jackets. I think they were pretty shocked at how fast things go when you do it in stages and don't spend all of your time pressing after every operation. With jacket facings, jacket body, and sleeves assembled we ended for the evening. Next up---Tailored Workshop Day 2...... Also, if you're interested in attending my next Tailored Jacket Workshop in July 24-26. I've opened up re-enrollment for all of my workshops so feel free to email at gentlemanjimmt@gmail.com to get registered!!! 

Tailor's Tip #49: Pre-washing Fabric with Shampoo

I thought it would be good to create a special set of posts dedicated to my tips. After 53+ years I have a good plenty (smile). This is my first such post but my tips will be randomly numbered. There's just simply no fun going in chronological order. Ok, now on to my tip I get asked all the time what is a good detergent to prewash fabrics in. And to that I give the same reply I've been giving for years-----Hair Shampoo! That's right, I recommend hair shampoo. And not just anyone---I recommend my favorite which is Creme of Nature.

(Older packaging some of you may be familiar with......)

(....newest packaging but the same great product!)

 The reason being is it's not only a cleaning shampoo but also a conditioning one. It's perfect for cottons, washable silks and rayons. I recommend testing a scrap in wash if you're unsure of the results. I have to admit the conditioner acts as a fabric softener as well. Not much is needed since it's concentrated and depends on your load size. A medium load usually calls for 1-2 cap fulls. So I recommend you give it a try- you won't be disappointed. And of course my disclaimer is please test any fabrics aside from the one's I listed. Enjoy this tip and look out for more in the future!!!!

Summer Workshop Registration Deadline Approaching.....

Hello All! We're 6 days away from the May 20th Summer workshop registration deadline.  UPDATED 6/21/14: Registration is OPEN until classes fill up. Please register at least 7 days until the event. A 50% class deposit is due upon time of registration. Please email me at GentlemanJimMT@gmail.com to do so.I'm excitedly preparing the studio and getting ready for all who have registered. If you are planning on attending and haven't registered yet please email me asap so I can secure you a seat in your workshop of choice. Again here are the workshops I'm teaching and corresponding dates.  You can also read workshop descriptions at  this link HERE.

2014 Summer Sewing Workshop Schedule

Tailored Jackets ------------June 5-7 (Thur-Sat)

           Pants Fitting/Construction-----June 19-20 (Thur-Sat)

             Master Skill Sharpening ----------July 10-12 (Thur-Sat)

    Tailored Jackets-------------July 24-26 (Thur-Sat)

         Tailored Coats (outerwear)--August 7-9 (Thur-Sat)

     TBD*------------------------August 21-23 (Thur-Sat)

*I'm taking suggestions for this class. Let me know your ideas!!!!    

I hope you will consider attending! These courses are a worthy investment and will improve your sewing/fitting skill dramatically!

More Tailored Vests......

And you thought I was kidding when I said IN THIS POST I was always sewing vests for Mr. B! He LOVES his vests!!! Here are the latest 2 and by the time you read this I would've cranked out at least another 2. The work a Tailor is never done! And I love it!!!

 (Notice the purple colors in this vest. It looks so rich)

 (I love to match my patterns up! I know the tricks on how to do it!)

Also, thanks to everyone who have already registered for the Summer Sewing workshops. If you haven't registered trust me you don't want to miss this! The schedule is listed on my last post. Seats are limited so be sure to register as soon as you can before the May 20th deadline.

Have a Wonderful sewing day!!!!
~Gentleman Jim

Finalized Dates for Summer Sewing Workshops!

Thanks so much for all of your feedback! Looks like things are getting geared up and I'm excited about this Summer's sewing workshops. Here are the finalized dates. As you've noticed I've shifted all workshops to Thursday-Saturday per your requests. I know that makes for a much easier travel schedule. Also, I've posted class descriptions below. Thanks to all who have registered. Remember, workshop spaces are limited so you want to register right away. Remember the registration deadline is May 20th.  UPDATED 6/21/14: Registration is OPEN until classes fill up. Please register at least 7 days until the event. A 50% class deposit is due upon time of registration. Please email me at GentlemanJimMT@gmail.com to do so.

2014 Summer Sewing Workshop Schedule

Tailored Jackets ------------June 5-7 (Thur-Sat)

           Pants Fitting/Construction-----June 19-20 (Thur-Sat)

             Master Skill Sharpening ----------July 10-12 (Thur-Sat)

    Tailored Jackets-------------July 24-26 (Thur-Sat)

         Tailored Coats (outerwear)--August 7-9 (Thur-Sat)

     TBD*------------------------August 21-23 (Thur-Sat)

*I'm taking suggestions for this class. Let me know your ideas!!!!    

             

Class Descriptions:

Tailored Jackets                         cost $550 (regularly $695)

-You can wear jackets for most occasions and in all seasons. They're one of the most versatile clothing items. Come learn how to properly fit a jacket and sew it. Jackets can be made with relative ease. When you know the time saving techniques you can build structure into a jacket and still get professional results. You'll learn how to properly mix machine and hand sewing to achieve super results, which supplies to use, etc. This workshop will have you feeling confident about sewing jackets!!!

Pants Construction/Fitting          cost $550 (regularly $695)

-I've heard from the masses on how frustrated they are with properly fitting and sewing pants. That's what compelled me to come out with my Pants DVD where I demonstrate that pants can be sewn in less than 3 hours. This workshop will focus on taking the correct pants measurements, selecting the right pattern an altering it to get a great fit. Students will learn how to conform any pants pattern to their shape. They will be able to make a muslin and sew up a pair of pants to even wear home if they like. This workshop will provide invaluable information. Are you tired of pants fitting/sewing frustrations. Well come to this workshop so I can help you resolve those issues!

Master Skill Sharpening                cost $375 (regularly $550)

-This is an EXCELLENT workshop for the beginner, intermediate or advanced sewer a like! I highly recommend this for everyone. So many times we settle into fitting and sewing methods and need a fresh new approach to how we do things. We pick up sewing techniques here and there and to be truthful alot of them aren't the most time efficient. This class is all about my tailoring tricks! As a Master tailor of 53+ years of experience I'll show you pattern manipulation and sizing methods. You'll also learn how to convert patterns into different styles. I'll show you how to properly cut out patterns, align plaids and patterns. In addition I'll introduce you to my sewing techniques. Also, bring all of your questions and clothing items you've had trouble sewing so we can resolve those issues. This will be a fun and interactive workshop you won't forget!

Tailored Coats                               cost $550 (regularly $695)

-This will probably be the only coat workshop you will ever need to take! Not to be too forward but I've been making professionally tailored coats for over 50 years and I know what it takes to get a superbly fitted and finished coat. Learn all of my time-saving and tailoring techniques. With the information gained in this workshop you'll be able to confidently sew coats for yourself and family members for years to come!

For additional workshop questions and answers visit my blog post HERE http://finetailoringbyjim.blogspot.com/2014/04/summer-summer-workshop-question-and.html

Also, to go ahead an enroll in the workshops please email me GentlemanJimMT@gmail.com to get the ball rolling! Remember the registration deadline is May 20th. I look forward to seeing each of you this Summer!

Please pass this info on to your sewing buddies and sewing guilds!

Summer Summer Workshop Question and Answers!!!!

Thank you for all of your interest in my Summer Sewing workshops that I mentioned in my last blog post!!! I know some of you have had some question so I'll try and cover the answers in this blog post. Please be sure to post additional questions in the comment section below and I'll answer those below as well.

Summer Summer Workshop 

Workshop Dates

Q: Are the sewing workshop dates finalized?

Yes, effective 4/25/14. Based on you guys' feedback here are the classes and dates!

2014 Summer Sewing Workshop Schedule

Tailored Jackets ------------June 5-7 (Thur-Sat)

           Pants Fitting/Construction-----June 19-20 (Thur-Sat)

             Master Skill Sharpening ----------July 10-12 (Thur-Sat)

    Tailored Jackets-------------July 24-26 (Thur-Sat)

         Tailored Coats (outerwear)--August 7-9 (Thur-Sat)

     TBD*------------------------August 21-23 (Thur-Sat)

*I'm taking suggestions for this class. Let me know your ideas!!!!    

A: Not entirely. I threw some dates out to see the response I would get. If the majority of attendees prefer a Thur-Sat or Fri-Sun schedule then I'm completely comfortable with shifting. I'm at my sewing studio daily so any day(s) would work for me. So if you're interested in participating but the mid-week dates don't work for you please email me and let me know.

Q: How many more sewing workshops do you plan to have in July and August?

A: As many as are requested. I have 2 set for July and 2 set for August but can add more based on requests. Also dates are flexible and can be changed as needed. I can have as many workshops as anyone wants to attend. My time is open!


Workshop Topics

Q: Will you only be doing the Tailored Jacket and Pant workshop?

A: The workshop topics are completely based on demand. Many folks have been asking about a Tailored Jacket and Pants workshop which is why I've gone ahead and set that up. I'm planning to add additonal workshops but am awaiting feedback from those who are interested.

Q: What other types of workshops are you planning for the Summer?

A: I'd like to to a workshop centered on new or intermediate sewers who would like to sharpen their technique---you know learn to sew faster and more time efficiently. I'm also doing my Tailored Coat workshop toward the Summer's end. Other workshop topics include whatever you guys want to request. I can sew nearly everything. I can do one's centered on sewing skirts, vests, tailored shirt, menswear. You name it! If you have any special class requests please let me know.


Workshop Instruction/Sewing Schedules

Q: What can a participant expect to experience at your workshop?

A: To learn an insane amount of great sewing/tailoring information in 3 days. My workshops are chock-full of information. I have an unique ability of simplifying complicated sewing tasks. I have 53+ years of experience and have refined my technique and skills in such a way that produces the best results. That's EXACTLY what I look forward to passing on to my students!!!

Q: How much hands-on training will be involved?

A: There will be non-stop hands-on training! . Workshops will be from 10am-6pm with a break for lunch. . I will demonstrate each step and will allow for students to apply onto their own garment. I will be there to help if they have any difficulty.

Q: Will I have a final product at the end of the workshop?

A: That of course is my aim! I want all of my students to have a well constructed and tailored garment to take home with them. Everyone sews and works at their own pace so I don't want to rush anyone. My methods are so concise that students should have a completed or at least near completed garment at the very end!


Enrollment

Q: I'm interested in enrolling in your class what do I need to do?

A: Please email me at GentlemanJimMT@gmail.com to initiate the process. I will send you an enrollment from and take your 50% deposit.

Q: How many students are allowed in each class?

A: Class space is limited to 5-8 people to ensure each student get's personal one-on-one training. These classes fill up so don't hesitate to sign up asap!

Q: Do you allow groups to attend such as a sewing guild or sewing group?

A: Yes, we welcome them. There's nothing like sewing and learning along side a bunch of your sewing friends. If you'd like to book a date not listed please let me know. Again my schedule is open and I would love to schedule your group's visit.


Sewing Workshop Supplies/Studio

Q: What do I need to bring with me?

A: I will provide all machinery and equipment to use in addition to the pattern we will be using. Student will be given a list of supplies to bring which will likely be fabric & muslin and any other necessary notion. None of the items will be expensive unless you choose to work with expensive fabric. I will have "Workshop Kits" available for anyone who would rather purchase their supplies from me. Also participants can bring their own sewing machines if they feel more comfortable sewing with them. I have both industrial and conventional sewing machines.

Q: What is your sewing space like?

A: I have 1600 Sq ft of space so all participants will be more than comfortable. I have a room with a large cutting table and gravitational feed iron. The room behind it has several sewing machines and a sitting area. Off from that I have a couple of cubicles that contain industrial machines for individual sewing space. I have a kitchen equipped with a microwave and fridge for those who want to bring their lunches. There is more than enough comfortable sewing and work space.


Lodging

Q: Are there lots of choices for lodging in Savannah?

A: Yes, there are lots of options just depending on where you want to stay. My studio is located in between midtown and downtown so the location is perfect and easily accessible no matter where you decide to stay.

Q: Where do you recommend we book a hotel

A: I recommend the midtown area (on or near Abercorn or Bull St.) . It's a straight shot from there to my studio. To help with your search here's my address......
The Savannah Sewing Academy
1917 Bull St
Savannah, GA 31401


Payment

Q: What forms of payment do you accept?

A: I accept all payment options---cash, check, credit card, PayPal payment. If you need me to send you a PayPal invoice just call or email me to let me know.

Q: Do you take payment installments?

A: Yes, a 50% Deposit is required when you enroll in the class by the May 20th . You deposit is non-refundable and is due by May 20th. And the remaining balance is due before or on the first day of class at the latest.


Sightseeing

Q: For after sewing workshop hours is there alot to do and see in Savannah?

A: YESSSSSSSS!!!! Savannah is one of the loveliest cities. My sewing studio is located less than 10 minutes from downtown where there are wonderful shops and restaurants. The architectural structures and historical and lovely scenery makes Savannah an idea tourist location. So if you come you can consider your visit a "Sewing Vacation"!!!! There will be lots to do after hours and the trip will be well worth your while!!!


Ok, if you have any more questions please leave them in the comments section below and I'll provide answers. You're also welcome to call me or email me 404-213-6684 / GentlemanJimMT@Gmail.com. I look forward to seeing many of you this Summer!!!!