My Mom Saved My Baseball Cards and Threw Out My Bespoke Suit
In college I majored in costume construction, I made tutus, sketched costumes for opera, drafted patterns, made pleated skirts and measured and hand tailored an entire suit for myself. Hand sewn button holes, hand rolled and pad-stitched lapels, chest padding ( which I didn't really need as a 20 year old male), hand stitched twill taping, that suit had the works. By the time I finished it, it looked like hell but I was so proud. By the end of the class I received the top grade, calloused fore fingers and extremely strained vision.
After I graduated and moved to New York my mom (like moms do) cleaned out my room and accidentally threw out my suit.
I still have all my Johnny Bench, Rod Carew, Joe Morgan, Dr. J, and Earl Campbell cards but I sure miss that suit.
All I have left is a 1/4 scale size practice undercollar with full hand stitching. Notice the extreme evenness and consistency of the stitches, that ruined me for future sewing. I still only know one extremely involved way to sew, so to this day, I still don't hem my own pants. I just don't have the extra time it takes (about 72 hours!) to do the job.
Comments on "My Mom Saved My Baseball Cards and Threw Out My Bespoke Suit"
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Anonymous said ... (7:26 AM) :
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The Sartorialist said ... (7:55 AM) :
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Anonymous said ... (10:35 AM) :
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The Sartorialist said ... (2:25 PM) :
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An (ex) alien in new york said ... (8:21 AM) :
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Anonymous said ... (12:49 AM) :
post a commentThat is some pad stitching O_o
if you were a tailor by trade, you really wouldnt make any money...that would take you half a day!! And then there the chest, lapels....oh dear...2 days work :P
Right!
My teacher insisted in 1/4 inch stitches
Thats why I'm a photographer now.
I must admit that after all this time that undercollar still rolls perfectly.
mr. sartorialist, i was wondering if you could recommend a book and/or source for patterns for the construction of suit jackets?
We had a book but I don't ever remember using it, we learned everything from our great teacher, Mrs. Karla Kunoff
I'm so pedantic about sitches it's not true. My mother better not throw out my dresses when I leave home.
I would cry. I always issue very stern warnings about my hand-made stuff and then my mother knows I will cry if she throws those things out. I still have my first issue of Burda.