Tien Chiu

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Cutting and basting

Yesterday, after a deep breath, I took my courage in both hands and started cutting the fabric.  First I cut out the mohair (I botched one cut, so there was just barely enough fabric to finish!), then I cut the organza backing.  Then I started basting the organza to the mohair.

I had planned to baste the organza to the mohair initially using a rather expensive wash-out glue, that being easier to “stitch” without distorting the fabric.  However, I rapidly discovered that the fabric was too nubbly, and too loosely woven, for this to work.  The glue vanished into the crevices.  So I settled for hand-basting every piece.  I’ve finished basting nearly all the pieces and expect to start preshrinking/cutting the interfacing tonight.

I discovered along the way, though, that this beautiful mohair fabric was woven using a loop yarn!  No wonder the brushed surface is so lofty, and the back side so nubbly.  It also has long floats carried along the edges, that I’ve never seen on machine-woven fabrics before.  I’m starting to wonder if this fabric was handwoven, too!  (The original price was $90/yd, from Britex, so it was certainly expensive enough to have been.)

Anyway, I took a few shots of the backside of the fabric, to give you the look of it.  It’s impossible to catch the nubbly  soft “hand” of it, though – it really is delightful stuff.

I also took a few photos of the work-in-progress:

The backside of the brushed mohair fabric, showing the boucle yarn used to weave it. Click on it to get the closeup version.
The backside of the brushed mohair fabric, showing the boucle yarn used to weave it. Click on it to get the closeup version.
I was pleased to note that I had successfully matched the stripes on the two parts of the two-piece sleeve.
I was pleased to note that I had successfully matched the stripes on the two parts of the two-piece sleeve.
Top, the public side of the lower sleeve piece; bottom, organza-backed private side of the upper sleeve piece.
Top, the public side of the lower sleeve piece; bottom, organza-backed private side of the upper sleeve piece.

I almost forgot to mention that I bought some suede!  It is a dark hunter green, and complements the fabric beautifully.  It will make great lapels + collar.  Pix tomorrow, or in the next post, whenever that is.

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