Tailoring 101, The front facing

Tailoring 101, The front facing

 The front facing

 'La Concierge Est Dans L'Escalier' blazer from Jean Paul Gaultier
Vintage, featuring notched lapels, a contrasting black trim. Circa 1988. 

    The front facing is attached to the front edge of the jacket with machine stitching from the notch      point to the front hem. The front facing can be cut from a contrast fabric such as velvet, satin, leather or a different fabric weave or pattern. 

If you are working with a stripe or check pattern the front facing will have to be shaped to keep the pattern or stripe running straight. The front facing can also be joined at the waistline. 

Shaping the fabric for the front facing

 Most lapels have a slightly curved shape. The front facing is going to copy the shape of the lapel.   Fabrics with a vertical stripe such as checks, houndstooth, stripes, plaids, etc. are going to follow the shape of the front edge of the facing. The fabric will have to be shaped with an iron so that the vertical stripe in the pattern is following the curved shape of the lapel. Cut a piece of fabric 2 -3  inches (5 - 7.5 cm) longer and wider than the front facing pattern. Place the fabric on a flat ironing surface. Make a mark at the waist line. From the waist line up ,stretch along the outer edge while shrinking the inner edge of the facing fabric, until the vertical stripe follows the curve of the front facing or lapel. Leave to dry.

Stretch and shape the front edge and
shrink the inner edge

                             

Vivienne Westwood Loulou jacket
 'No Man's Land'  SS2020
The white stripe in this tartan is the
dominate stripe .

The stripe will follow the
shape of the facing

Pin the front facing pattern onto the shaped fabric with the dominate vertical stripe along the outer edge. 

Add to the front facing

Measure out 1/4 inch (5mm) along the raw front edge of the facing from the top notch to the break point and mark with a chalk line. The jacket may have a curved or squared front bottom edge. Add 1/4 inch (5mm) to the bottom curve and from 3 inches (7.5 cm) above the squared front edge and the bottom edge of the facing.

    

With right sides together pin the facing to the raw front edge of the jacket. Evenly distribute the ease as you pin from the top collar notch point. Make sure the facing matches the waist line of the jacket front. With a stitch length of 2.5-3mm, machine stitch from the top notch point to the inner hem seam allowance. Secure both edges of the stitching with a back tack. Press the seam allowance open.

Trim back to 1/4 inch (5mm) or less
if the fabric doesn't fray.

 Place the jacket on a table with the wrong side of the jacket front facing you. Trim back the upper seam allowance along the from edge. You do this to remove bulk at the front edge of the jacket.

Using your fingers roll the under seam allowance over the trimmed upper seam allowance and with needle and thread whip stitch tit to the taped edge  around the collar and down to the break point. From the break point down the jacket front pull the seam allowance tightly onto the front tape. roll the seam allowance again around the curved bottom hem or squared front hem. 

Turn the facing though to the right side. The facing should be rolling over the front edge of the lapel above the break line, as with the hem and the jacket front rolling back onto the facing down the jacket front. With the right side of the jacket facing you, baste stitch around the front edge of the jacket.  

The front edge of the jacket could be pick stitched, machine top stitched , piped or finished with a trim. 

The front facing can also have a contrast inset. This is attached after the front facing is shaped.

Alessandro Michele's stylistic
signature took Gucci 's retro
cool aesthetic into modern new realms for AW16 

 Cut the lapel pattern in half at the waistline. This allows you to have the lapel above the waist line in a contrast fabric such as a brocade, pile, leather or color, then use the jacket fabric in the facing below the waist line.

Also you can use this method when working with a fabric that you can't shape. This is a great way of adding a buttonhole on the waist line.