What Makes Us Different: Handmade
This episode, in keeping with my reputation as a punster, is called… A Handmade’s Tale.
A Handmade garment dates back to… well, a little garden somewhere that was inhabited by two folks who decided to wear fig fashion over Almighty function. And that’s how the art of custom apparel was begat. It went from, “Leaf me alone, I’m naked,” to plant life, worm life and animal life being used to create thousands of forms of what we now call garb, wardrobe, duds, getups, glad rags, and on and on ad infinitum. The one thing that remains constant is that fashion can change in the blink of a camera’s eye and be influenced by almost anyone and anything, but style is always yours and yours alone.
The Handmade Garment in our world means the following steps are done by hand.
Jacket Finishes Done By Hand
Floating chest piece. One of the most important steps to be done by hand. This allows the garment to shape itself to you and only fits better over time.
All pic-stitching. Ask us and we will show you everywhere this is done. It is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye but like most fashion, it has function—in this case to keep the jacket's interlining in place with regard to the outer fabric. Another benefit of this type of stitching is that it keeps the edges flat and clean and prevents them from rolling or curling.
Lining attachment is easily spotted from the inconsistent stitching that holds the lining in place and ensures you have ease of movement, especially when slipping the jacket on over your arms or boxing that large kangaroo you ran into in the alley.
All buttons are attached and shanked for unyielding strength.
The distinctive Milanese boutonnière lapel hole takes upwards of 45 minutes for an accomplished tailor to sew.
Flower loop behind the lapel. For when a real flower is called for and not just a stick pin.
All buttonholes sewn with upwards of one hundred stitches per hole.
The half-moon or D-shaped bar tack at the end of pockets that secures seams. A gentleman really should put nothing in his pockets, especially his hands.
Collar attachment to lay more smoothly around your neck.
Breast pockets. Welted, bellows, or patch.
Vents in the center back or sides.
Pocket flaps and besoms.
Angled Bar on back vents to reinforce the rear structure in case you forget to remove your jacket when seated in your roadster.
Sleeve assembly to certify the pitch is corrected to the individual arm.
Lapel set and interior to make certain that the roll to the lapel is soft and never creased.
Shoulder seams to make sure your particular shoulder shape is followed and lays naturally.
All facings, interfacings, linings, trimming, covering, and backings. Fusing is only used in minuscule areas that need special attention for strength, after that, adhesive is verboten.
Armhole seams are one of the area’s most stressed by our movements, especially if you are one of those guys who puts on his jacket overarm.
All straight seams are sewn by hand (with the exception of the back center seam) then reinforced by a little old lady or little old man using a 1942 Singer sewing machine. I have no idea if it’s that year, but I do know it’s done with care by a master tailor… no computers here!
Hanger loop attachment.
Your personal name label and fabric weaver label.
Trouser Finishes Done By Hand
Buttons attached and shanked.
Buttonholes interior and exterior.
Half-moon bar-tacks on pockets.
The waistband is attached by hand and zig-zag stitching.
Gripper attachment.
One-piece interior pleated waistband attachment.
Buckle and strap attachment.
Hanger loop.
Belt loops or side buckles.
Braces buttons.
Name label and fabric label.
“If you have questions about any aspect of handmade tailoring please ask away. If we can’t answer it, we have our master tailor Sam on the premises.
As all my friends and family can tell you, I love to tell a story.”