I’ve seen many French jackets lined with exquisite prints but finding the right print can be tough and I find myself sometimes preferring a solid. This jewelry design depicting the famous Chanel camellia rose inspired a new technique for lining the jacket.
I played with options and settled on a variation of trapunto. Trapunto designs are usually filled with soft yarn or cording to give dimension to the design. I could have digitized an image but OESD has a trapunto quilting collection. The designs are available as a complete set or can be purchased individually. I used OC870067 and 870068 for one design; 870069 and 870070 for the other.
One stitch file is the pillow used to pad the stitches and the other file is the tack down and embroidery stitches.
After printing several copies of the designs, I arranged them on the lining sections making sure to keep the design within the seam allowances. I tested several options for padding and found regular quilt batting too heavy; same with brushed flannel fabric. Thermore batting is designed for quilted garments and provided the right amount of puffiness yet was thin enough not to show on the right ride of the jacket.
First step was to hoop one layer of Thermore batting and stitch, using very fine 100 weight thread, as many “pillows” as would fit in the hoop. Cut around each pillow.
Hooping lightweight cotton lawn or silk organza was difficult. The fabric was so thin that even tightening the hoop to the max wasn’t working. I decided to hoop heavy cotton twill, cut a window, and pin the lightweight backing to the twill. Problem solved. Just be sure and place the pins well away from the stitching area. Stitch the tack down outline, shown in the right pic. I’ve colored it to show better but use the white 100 weight thread on the lining sections.
Spray the pillow lightly with basting spray and place on the stitched line. Top with a lining section, placing the design according to your paper template. A test sample is shown here. Pin again (keep the pins out of stitching area!!!) Change to regular weight thread (I like Gutterman 50 weight cotton) and stitch out the trapunto design.
Remove all the pins and trim the excess backing fabric. I quilted each lining and jacket section in the usual way except I chose not to stitch through the designs.
The almost finished jacket and matching sheath dress. The dress is not quilted but is lined to the edge with the same Chanel pink silk charmeuse.
The dress neck, armholes and hem are finished with the selvedges from this length of Linton tweed.
Jacket trim and buttons need to be added. I loved the custom zipper front closure from the teal jacket and may opt for the same on this one. Will be scouring the garment district in NYC next week for the final touches.
This is fabulous!!! I am trying to finish the muslin for my first French Jacket. I am always inspired by your postings!!!
Have fun creating your jacket. There is so much info available now about the construction of these jackets. Thanks for letting me know you enjoy reading my blog.
That is unbelievably beautiful. Chanel should be copying you!
Thank you. Maybe Karl and company will take notice.
Beautiful work. Could I ask what needles do you use for the hand stitching?
My favorite hand sewing needles are Clover black gold. They go through every fabric like butter. The only drawback is the eyes are impossibly tiny and the Clover needle threader is a tremendous help.
This technique could definitely become another Threads article. So creative and couture.
Thank you. I’m working on a few ideas for upcoming Threads magazines. They’ve asked for some garment embellishment articles so I’m busy working on new techniques.
Mary, your trapunto technique is like no lining I’ve ever seen and the selvedge trim is so delicate and feathery. What an exquisite ensemble this will be.
Thanks Julie. The trapunto idea has been in the works for some time now and I finally got around to developing it and working out the kinks. The selvedges were the same on both sides (not always so lucky) so I got double trim yardage to work with.
I love all your Chanel inspired garments.
Thanks. They are fun to create and I’m always looking to create something new.
Very nice idea – and I love that you can do as much or as little as you choose.
Thanks. I opted to do one or two motifs per garment panel. Just a little luxury touch that only the wearer knows.
How ingenious this technique and idea are! Everything about this jacket and dress is beautiful, but that lining sets it apart. This is very inspiring, Mary! Thanks so much for sharing.
I wanted a plain black ensemble and this was a way to make it special on the inside.
I love everything about this. The dress and jacket are refined elegance. The roses are like having a secret inside your jacket, that is just for you.
Yes; the embroidery detail is a special touch that only the wearer knows.
Just gorgeous and so creative. I love it. You inspire me with each and every one of your posts.
Thanks. Glad you enjoy following.
We learned Trapunto at college, but a very much cruder version. We machine stitched two layers of cotton together with a creative motif and then stuffed it from behind with woollen yarn, inserted through small holes made in the under fabric. It was surprisingly good fun. Your subtle and beautifully made lining, however, is in a class of its own.
You described the traditional method perfectly. I was afraid wool yarn would show on the right side and experimented with ways to make the embroidery very thin. Thank you.
Oh this is just so SO fabulous – I love it!
Thanks. This was fun to create.
Thank you for such a cool tutorial using embroidery to enhance a lining…who knew? Certainly wearing this jacket will feel so special and luxurious! I’d love to see this in Threads too just to get women who have an embroidery machine sitting in the corner gathering dust to perk up!
I love to experiment with ways to use the embroidery feature for designer level sewing rather than quilting or arts and crafts.
Amazing idea and absolutely gorgeous execution. Thank you for sharing Mary!!
Thanks. I envisioned this and experimented with methods to create this unique lining.
Very beautiful. Amazing work.
You are truly an inspiration. I will be attempting to make my first French jacket in the next few months and I have been saving all your posts. This one is most brilliant ! Thank you!
Thanks. Glad you are inspired