No Pattern Used: D.Karan shearling copy (Donna Karan copy shearling jkt) - Type:Coat/Jacket
Review submitted in RTW/Designer Knockoff Contest Contest  | | Viewed 660 times
| | Review rated Helpful by 1 people Very Helpful by 16 people | | Reviewed by: | trishapatk | 
| About trishapatk | | MA USA | | Member since: 12/10/07 | | Reviews written: 14 | | Sewing skills:Advanced | | Favored by: 43 people | | patterns reviewed: 12 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 2/28/13 11:05 PM | | Last Updated: | 3/4/13 8:56 PM | | Project Photo: |  | | Pattern Photo: | More Info provided by trishapatk | | | | Fabric: | Faux Fur [See other projects in this fabric] | | Related Links | Click on  to add a link |
| The moment I saw this Donna Karan Jacket I had one of those deeply felt "Ooohh, YES!" moments. I can't figure out how to post a large enough picture of it here but can see it on the Donna Karan site id you go to http://www.donnakaran.com/shop-ready-to-wear/jackets-and-outerwear/e42j337li2/pieced-shearling-jacket?p=0. The site allows you to zoom way in and see details.
I really wanted to make the jacket and although I love real shearling it is too expensive. Even if I could afford it, I didn't even know if I'd be able to figure out how to make this jacket.
Fortunately for me ... being a "fledgling hoarder" and all ... I had a faux shearling jacket in my basement that was close in color and nice quality for fake.
Here is the finished project shown with the Donna Karan one next to it. Here is a close up on a dress form
I spent a week pondering how to make the "intarsia" design on the jacket. Besides the fact that I didn't know how to sew those "Puzzle pieces" together I knew that I did not have any extra fabric. I had about five inches of extra length on my old jacket to work. I had to make the design on the surface and add on for the wide lapels.
I was baffled for quite a while ... a solution finally came to me while I was half asleep.
I figured that if I could cut even one shape, attach it to the front side of the jacket by stitching around the edge, then turn the whole thing over and cut the jacket fabric out just inside the stitching line. I would then have a slightly smaller shape to sew on and repeat the process.
Once I figured out a way to do it I was excited to start. I took the jacket apart enough to lie it flat and took five inches off the length. Those "scraps" would be the start of the shapes to attach to the jacket.
I shaped a new lapel by cutting off the top corner of the existing one and sewing it lower. I abutted the two edges and zig-zagged them together from the suede sidebecause I wanted it to lie as flat as possible. From the front, I picked as much of the pile out of the seam as possible. The "seam" still showed but I planned to sew shapes onto the collar to detract attention from them.
Sewing the shapes onto the jacket was much more challenging than I had anticipated. Pinning them was not easy but then once pinned the jacket was thick and had to be squeezed in under the presser foot. I had to manually hold the lever into the higher than usual position each time while getting it in place.
The feed dogs were not very effective at moving the slippery fur so I had to gently tug it through the entire time. It was probably like free motion stitching with all the curves I was going around. I was constantly "steering" the fabric so that the very edge of the shape was in just the right position for the needle each time.
I made the sleeves narrower and added what I cut off to the edge of the lapels to widen them.
I did not put the "intarsia" pieced in design on the lapels because cut out areas of the fur side look a little too rough and the lapels show so much. Instead I stitched similar shapes onto them, knowing that the stitches would hold down some of the pile and make the shape show. I later used the point of my iron to trace around the edges of each and press the pile of the fur down a bit to further accentuate the shapes and detract from the straight lines of the "seams" where I had added fabric to make the lapels. Here is a back view of the lapelswhere you can see how it is pieced together and the shapes "drawn" on with stitching. Here it is from the front, the right one is plain and the left has the design stitched on.
It took a very long time to sew the shapes on the jacket and then to cut out the backsides of each one. It felt like a marathon and I actually got sick of it. My fingers hurt from using manicure scissors to cut the little shapes out from behind each of the little appliqué's. But, visions of the $4,400.oo dollar Donna Karan one still danced in my head and prompted me to continue.
Once the jacket was evenly covered with the intarsia design, I stitched the side seams from wrist to waist, rolled up the sleeves and to my amazement ... it was done ! It's not identical to the Donna Karan jacket but it's close enough. It's very cozy and I am enjoying wearing it. It felt good to take on a project that was really challenging. There is a different kind of satisfaction.
I apologize for my many bad photos of it being worn... I had to use the timer on a new, unfamiliar digital camera and take them myself. Here is a front view and back view of it lying flat. Here is a close up of the surface and the accent stitching done with button & carpet thread.
If any of you who are interested in using faux shearling I recommend buying about an eighth of a yard and experimenting a LOT before committing yourself to a project. You can use some of the tips you'd use for any faux fur. Since the idea with this kind of fabric is for both sides to show ( to some extent) you will probably want to plan the collars, cuffs and other edges with that in mind.
Using a wide, flat presser foot with a clear section in the middle helped hold the pile down so that it didn't obscure the area where the needle had to enter. There were challenges I didn't foresee until I was into the project and I'd say that working with faux fur (at least this faux fur) is easier in theory than in practice. It may be partly because I was sewing with the furry side down most of the time. I didn't know that I'd have to be pulling and twisting the garment to steer it through the machine - or that it would barely fit under the presser foot - or that it would feel like it was fighting me all the while.
Experimenting with a little of it will help and a good dose of determination will help you to plan your project and work through the little challenges. |
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22 Comments
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Oh my goodness! What an interesting technique!!! Great make for sure :) WOW
2/28/13 11:14 PM
Absolutely stunning!! Beautiful work what an amazing creative process you endeavored and WOW did it ever pay off. You poor fingers need a massage and now you can relax and enjoy your beautiful jacket BRAVO!
3/1/13 0:40 AM
I am blown away. Having read in the contest you were planning to do this, its truly amazing. Thanks for a fantastic review, so interesting and informative, and the photos explained so much.
3/1/13 0:49 AM
Excellent! How are we ever going to pick a winner for this contest? Yours is wonderful. Thank you for the description of your technique. I love how it looks on you, I really like the lapels. You nailed it.
3/1/13 5:50 AM
Gorgeous jacket! Love it with that dress :) You nailed it indeed!
3/1/13 7:44 AM
Fantastic surprising technique
3/1/13 9:42 AM
brave woman...you have dared to tread into the unknown. and you came back with this! wonderful!
3/1/13 10:01 AM
Such a painstaking process! The result looks like a perfect replica. All your work is exquisite.
3/1/13 9:59 PM
WOW! Your jacket is even more beautiful than the Donna Karan. And many thanks for explaining your techniques, quite clever. You definitely got my vote!
3/4/13 1:06 PM
Fabulous! Congrats on an awesome jacket.
3/4/13 2:44 PM
ridiculously cool. i was skimming through the recent posts, 'nice', next, 'nice', next, 'OMG!' <- yours. :D
3/4/13 5:19 PM
You're now one of my fav reviewers.
3/4/13 9:34 PM
That is absolutely fantastic. I loved reading your description of the whole process (you should have a blog!) and the final result is just stunning. Wear with pride!
3/5/13 0:33 AM
Oh wow! That jacket is amazing. Brilliant idea of cutting out the back of the 'applique' so you'd have enough fabric.
3/5/13 1:36 AM
Wow, what a labour of love. You have a fabulous jacket - better than your inspiration jacket.
3/5/13 7:04 AM
Your jacket is fantastic!
3/5/13 7:42 AM
Absolutely beautiful - I would steal it from you if I could and have no regrets LOL
3/5/13 2:10 PM
(shoving carolynw out of the way) MINE!!!
3/5/13 5:14 PM
Congrats on an amazing, unique jacket, thanks for sharing. Yours is better than the original inspiration...
3/6/13 7:26 AM
Beautiful! Just stunning!
3/7/13 0:13 AM
Who wouldn't be impressed by this!
3/8/13 4:12 PM
Wow! Truly extraordinary!
4/1/13 12:49 PM