Wow. Simply wow. How long did it take you to learn this?
How did you start? Did you learn the basics from your girlfriend or did you take a course or what?
Plus, as seems to be the case with about everything, I simply lack the talent.
by taking some old suits apart and seeing how they were made. i learnt the basics by trial and error, and reading things online. when i met my girlfriend she helped to refine what i was already doing.
i have to say, and this isn't meant to put you off... it's hard work, time consuming and involves much frustration. the first few jackets i made weren't really wearable and were good only for practice. in fact i would advise practicing all of the procedures on scrap fabric first; such as welt pockets, pad stitching, putting on a sleeve etc. i wish i had done that now instead of jumping straight into jackets as i wasted some good fabric.
I'm actually studying bespoke tailoring at Newham College, currently working on trousers at the moment. Looking for a workplacement so let me know if anyone knows of a tailor in need of an apprentice
So you taught yourself to sew by hand and sewing machine? Or did you get some basic training before taking the suits apart?
i've never been a big believer in talent. i think you can learn to do almost anything if you persevere.
there are obvious exceptions such as people like Mozart who are born with a brain that seems pre-wired to pick something up effortlessly, and some autistic people who have extraordinary abilities to remember things. but for the rest of us, you just have to stick at it and practice like hell. most things that look easy really require a great deal of effort to get there.
so you're learning the proper way... very sensible. we'll all be coming to you for advice in a couple more years.
patterns came the obvious way; drawing around the pieces of disassembled suits.
... I, for example, don't have a single vintage beltd back jacket that fits me to take measurements from.
i haven't taken apart a belted back jacket. there's no need; once you have a plain back that fits well it's easy to adapt it to various belted back treatments.
I was thinking about the extra material you need for pleats or shoulder gussets.