Caraco 1

Here is the first of my on-going project updates.  This one is a caraco jacket which is featured in Fashion in Detail.  What makes it unusual is that the back (skirt and all) and the sleeves are all one piece.  That's right, no shoulder seam.  The back is formed by tucking, according to the book.  I took the idea to the Milliner's shop at Colonial Williamsburg and mostly got "good luck!" from Janea.  After starting to drape it, I realized that my 45" wide fabric wasn't going to cut it.  Despite always hearing about how narrow fabrics were, there were apparently a few over 45".  So, I slipped an invisible seam in the tucks on the skirt area.  Looking at the print, Iit definitely is one piece, so no misunderstanding there.  I used that as a basis for angles in draping as well.  All in all, the mock-up went well with only a few alterations I'll mention below.  I have no clue if I did it correctly, but it looks right.

First off, my front was a bit too large, so that's been pinned in.  I still have to shape the stomacher, tabs, and cuffs.  The robing is also gaping at the shoulders, but I have alterations to do in back that will fix that.  The hem line is also too low in front.

The back neck line will be lowered, fixing the gap issue on the robings.  I'm also moving the "dart" that creates a waistline to more of an angle.  The side seams are also getting a new curve, but it's hard to see that issue here.  I had to cut out the excess fabric on the upper back seams since the amount pleated into the skirt was too bulky to hide further up.  That's my only question of authenticity at this point.

I've got the printed cotton (see petticoat in previous post) and am just waiting on getting a lining material before cutting.  I might take it into work tomorrow to have it checked over before going on.

To go with this I'll be making a kerchief for modesty's sake.  Since it's a caraco, I have the option of using the tabs in front to tuck it down, making a separate stomacher optional.  I'll gather some more info up on caracos for a later post.