Canvases and Lapel

Once the canvases are pad stitched together they need to be attached to the jacket front. Start by making sure all the pockets are tacked down in place and any thick layers of fabric are cut staggers to reduce bulk. Place pins at the shoulder and smooth the cloth over the canvases. Start at the middle of the shoulder and smoothing down constantly so the cloth is stretched over the canvas using a large pad stitch secure the layers together. Next go along the shoulder, around the armhole and then follow the line of the canvas around. And finally secure it down following the centre front line. Once done tack the brake line in and cross-stitch the canvas to the top of the pocketing to keep it secure.

Take a length of 1cm wide cotton tape that goes over each edge and tack it to the brake line. Starting at the bottom of the lapel and when you get around half way up pull the cotton tape tighter than the brake lined and use back stitched to fasten it in place so the cloth is bunched slightly. Do this around ¾ of the way up the brake line then return to stitching it smoothly in place.  Using matching thread pad stitch the edges of the cotton tape down, use a 1cm long pad stitch. Mark the lapel out and pad stitch the canvas to the cloth pushing the canvas ever so slightly towards the brake line. This push must be very small as the canvas still has to sit smoothly and there should be no wrinkles however the lapel should start to curve around. Cover the entire lapel with stitches parallel to the bake line apart from the tip where the stitches should be perpendicular to the bake line.

This is an example of the pad stitching where the canvas has been pushed across to far. This means that the canvas is wrinkled and it needs to be unpicked and re-stitched. 

Tack the centre front line in marking where the collar will sit between the lapel and brake line, keep referring to research for these details.  Also mark on where the facing will end along the bottom design line.  Cut away the canvas along the tacked line not going past the collar mark at the top and facing mark at the bottom. Following the cut away canvas cut the cloth down leaving a ¼ “ seam allowance. Stayflex along this line, fastening the edge of the canvas to the cloth.