Learning to Sew Part 2: Burlap

Steam rising, up, up, my eyes watch it dissipate as I turn to my mug to take another sip. I recently moved to a new area in my city that I am unfamiliar with. Naturally, I have been having a grand time exploring the unknown. Like Bilbo says, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to”, but to take the first step you need a first sip. That’s why I have been checking out all the interesting coffee shops in the area. They say to truly appreciate a good coffee you have to understand the phrase “bean to brew”. I am not a sophisticated guy, but if I cannot understand that maybe I can do something else. Maybe, just maybe, I can become the bean, or failing that, at least become a coffee bag. That’s how we come to Learning to Sew Part 2: Burlap Edition

I guess that I have learned a lot since Part 1. It has been less than a week since Rag Jacket V1 and I have not explored tutorials on sewing, tips on “Craft like a Pro”, or had an old man pop out of the bushes exclaming that he wishes to make me his apprentice. I failed in my first attempt and I just mildly considered some of my failings. Prep work, vision, and confidence were the true antithesis of part 1. This time I had a spark of inspiration and a grim determination to create an Inferno with it…

Result: Rag Jacket V2: Burlap Edition

The Bag of Fate

Adusting my glasses and tightening the knob on my microscope I confidently declared my scientifically based strategy of “Learning to Sew” in part 1 leaving you the reader, quite convinced… However, as the tail end of my lab coat faded from sight, the truth is that… I had abandoned my ideas as they left my lips. I proselytized Muslin. The fabric of learning. But it is so lightweight, so dull, so boring. I thought to continue creation of Rag Jacket with the same pattern. Comparing each iteration. But the pattern was so unexciting to me.

Forsaking Part 1, I took my 30 pieces of Silver and went to Michaels. I had ideas of purchasing flannel (a more heavyweight cotton) and was curious if there would be any interesting colors or patterns. I perused the sections and looking down found an interesting cloth. It was called “Burlap” and the composition was of a material called Jute. After I looked at it, and gave it a lick, I thought “This would be super difficult to make into a jacket but probably a lot of fun”. The main issue that will continue for the rest of this post, is that the fabric is very loose. Maybe even 4 knots per square centimeter? Don’t trust me. I am just some guy making a second jacket. But I will swear to this. If I take my hand and place it behind the fabric I can easily see my skin.

Naturally, this could not be an unlined jacket (not just because of local laws), but I had an idea. I thought by placing flannel behind the Burlap it could create an interesting effect. It would be the Burlap and a hint, a taste, a little offering of flannel. I committed and pressed the button to summon the cutters.

The Michaels employee was quite a pleasant woman, and in Part 3, I think I will dedicate a little section to Michaels employees. She asked what I was creating while she was measuring the Burlap. When I told her “a jacket” she have me a verbal “ohhhhh” with the obvious implication that she saw failure as my Destiny. I do not blame her. Such a project is quite difficult and unconventional. Burlap is used for coffee bags and probably many other things that I have no knowledge of, but I do not think I have seen it used as a fabric in clothing in my life. The Michaels lady was at the front of the store when I finally checked out and wished me good luck as I hopped to my second step on this journey. I can imagine “customer service” is the motto that the drones of quarter zip sweater corporate managers repeat over and over and over. But life is a beautiful thing and this woman was quite nice and I wish her all the best.

Sewing in the great outdoors (AKA my balcony)

I enlisted the help of three new tools for this project. These Musketeers went by the names Scissors, Needles, and Iron. In the end Needles was useless, but perhaps, in the future he will be worth his pay. Scissors left my hand aching and I already have plans to replace him with a man in England. Iron left me with a sense of uneasy as I pulled my blanket to my chin struggling to remember if I had decommissioned him for the night.

The pattern this time was a “camp coat” from Etsy. It looked cool so I bought it. That is the end.

I did not need to possess the intellect of Goethe to know that Burlap was a mythical beast and if Scissors attacked it, my apartment would be in ruins. The material is such that when it is cut tiny fibers erupt and the entire knotting is thrown in turmoil. I knew I would have to act fast and minimized the damage and direct the resulting blows to a place I did not call home.

Moving my portable table and grabbing my extension cord (outlets on my balcony don’t work) I was ready to cut the bag and spill the beans. This weekend was a pleasant fall day, with the leaves falling (on my fabric/jacket) and a gentle breeze touched my skin and tried to blow Rag Jacket V2 away.

Cutting the fabric and sewing it on the balcony was quite pleasant. There were a lot of challenges with the burlap and with sewing outside, but it was a very unique experience and I had a lot of fun. I tried to not drop any chalk onto any passerbys heads and in between sessions it was always a Christmas morning present to step onto the balcony and see that Rag Jacket V2 was still there and had not become a bird.

A thread in the wind

Skill Improvements

This time around I used a lot more techniques to improve Rag Jacket V2. I tried to back stitch (I forgot many times) and practiced the zigzag stitch as I have no Serger machine. The results do not really show in the final result of Rag Jacket V2 but I am glad I did them. I also think the zigzag stitch and other extra stitching I did on the burlap helped to preserve the integrity of the fabric as I tossed it to and fro.

Session Strategy

I am not sure how many hours Rag Jacket V2 took. I sewed almost all of it on the weekend with some very minor clean up details done on Monday. If I had to estimate I would say 8 - 10 hours but even that might be too high.

I had much success in working on this project in short intervals. When I woke up, before I left to go do something else. The longest session I spend on this project was sewing the lining together (a full jacket with body and sleeves without a collar). This took me a little longer than 1 hour and I was able to do it because I attempted it after the majority of the work with burlap was done and it was so much easier that the time passed easily. I probably spent around 30 sessions making this jacket with average session being 15 - 20 minutes. I think this method was much easier than me dedicating a full block of time to it.

brrrrring brinnnnnnnnnnnggg “London is calling” (perusing antique stores in between sessions)

Creatures of the Night (AKA sewing Benjamin Franklin style)

Unfortunately the moon shows up early to the party this time of year and I had to spend many a session sewing by a unreliable lightbulb on my machine and a wall light looking to take retirement early on my balcony. Sewing outside in the dark was rough and a unique challenge, but mistakes by night only show by day and the day was a long way away.

I wish I had nightvision googles…

Sealing the beast

After sewing both parts of the burlap and lining jacket (without the collar) I needed to attach the lining to the burlap. I was extreme keen to do this as by stitching the lining to the burlap I would finally be able to seal this monster away: Prevent more fraying and undoing of the Jute knots. Overall it was quite easy. I simply pulled the lining through matched it up, pinned, and stitched.

One thing I will mention is I tried on the burlap jacket, pre lining, and while it looked ok, it also turned me into Bigfoot: covered in hair. I was looking forward to not having to dirty another shirt while I stitched my flannel to the enemy of my washer.

Under the cover of night I exorcise you!

Freestyling.

For the first part (body and sleeves) of Rag Jacket V2 I followed the pattern but I quickly started freestyling based on my vision. After becoming Bigfoot I saw the Burlap portion was too short and so I lengthened the lining to extend the full length of the jacket. I also knew that it would be a bad idea to punch button holes into the burlap as it would create fraying so I lengthened the front width of the lining to allow for innovations in the attachment technology. I also chose to use wool scraps for the collar and the pocket lining. I thought a charcoal wool collar would look cool and the vomit green (or in polite society: Moss coloured) wool could be cool for the pockets.

Wool collar made from scraps

In the end this jacket is not made with high quality fabric but I am quite pleased, and proud, to say that it is all natural: 100% Jute, cotton, and wool fabric with 100% cotton interfacing and thread.

Mistakes

I made a lot of mistakes on this jacket. I messed up the direction of the collar and interfacing and had to redo it. The pockets are not finished well and punching through all of the fabric to attach them was difficult. My stitching and freestyling were not that good. Still I think the jacket looks different and unique. I have a lot to learn and more ideas and improvements to my technique.

Rag Jacket V2 feels warm. I have worn it around town. Luckily I am not in Brazil, Columbia, or another coffee producing country or I could get grabbed, tossed in a truck and delivered to Starbucks as a medium roast. I am proud and pleased with the result. It was a difficult project and I do not think there are many people now or in the past that have made a burlap jacket for their second sewing project. I plan to continue my journey with Rag Jacket V3

The Result (Again)