I’m think about making a suit jacket. I’ve never done any real sewing, besides stitching up a pair of jeans if they ripped. Does anybody know how I’d go about doing this? Is it really difficult?
I would think a suit jacket involves pretty advanced sewing ability. But you could try it…it may be difficult to make it hang right. Lots of lining and facing and…ugh! buttonholes!
Not to mention the silly foam shoulder lining that suit jackets tend to have (with the exception of the Don Johnson/ Miami Vice style jackets, which were very stylish 15 years ago…). If you’ve never done any real sewing, maybe you ought’a start small, like a shirt? Get the hang of it before you tackle a major project.
Your question is somewhat comparable to these examples:
–“I’m think about overhauling a General Electric F-100 jet engine. I’ve never done any real engine work, besides tuning up my Honda Civic. Does anybody know how I’d go about doing this? Is it really difficult?”
–“I’m think about wrestling an alligator. I’ve never done any real gator wrestling, besides pretending to be Steve Irwin with an alligator pool float toy…”
–“I’m think about racing at Indy. I’ve never done any real racing, besides trying to beat a yellow light on my way home from work…”
Or, the final example:
–I’m think about writing a set of prequel movies. I’ve never done any real screenwriting, besides THX-1138 and the first Star Wars film, which I now refer to as Episode IV. Does anybody know how I’d go about doing this? Is it really difficult?
Thanks for the tips guys.
Hi jb_007clone. A suit jacket would be a difficult first sewing project. It should be project #5 or higher, not #1. As earthpuppy said, facings, linings, and buttonholes are pretty hard. Working with heavier cloth, setting in fitted sleeves, and topstiching seams are tricky too.
My advice: buy one of the super easy learn-to-sew patterns for… pajamas, for example. Find someone who’s got a little sewing experience and have him or her help you make that. Follow the directions carefully. You’ll need to buy some gear: good scissors (Fiskars), dressmakers wheel and transfer paper, pins, needles, seam ripper, whatever it says on the pattern. You’ll want a big table to lay out the pattern and cut the pieces. You should have an iron handy.
You should learn how to use the sewing machine by practicing on some scrap cloth and reading the manual.
Make your pajamas. Make two sets. Try a different easy pattern. Find one with some elements of the suit jacket: buttonholes, fitted sleeves, etc. When you’re ready, get the suit jacket pattern and make it out of practice cloth (dark twill or something–relatively inexpensive, easy to work with.) If you’re ever going to make something out of expensive cloth, like wool, silk, or cashmere, it’s a good idea to try the pattern first with cheaper cloth, so you know where the difficult parts are.
Good luck 
Sorry for the sarchasm, but my point was honest - you’re looking at biting off waaaaay more than you can currently chew. Work your way up to a jacket over time - it’s definitely an “advanced/expert” level project.
K-w m, I thought your jab at the star wars prequel screenwriters was funny.
I think suit jackets fall under “tailoring” … not “sewing”. This is a daunting task for a first-timer. The fabric will no doubt be expensive, so you don’t wanna fuck around with that until you have more experience.
Out of curiousity, would this be a run of the mill suit jacket you’re looking to make, or something out of, like, a Talking Heads video?