Back-Laced Jacket
 

I just bought a nice lightly used velvet-type jacket. It pretty much a typical blazer style, but I'd like to modify it. I was thinking of lining it with ribbon and lace on the outside and also doing a bit of lacing in the back ala. corset like like you see with a lot of jackets.

If someone could answer the following questions: The jacket is not necesssarily fitted, but a little larger than my normal size, (hence my want to lace up the back.) Is this still possible with a standard jacket, or do I have to physically take the jacket in?

Also, are there any helpful tutorials one can suggest to me? Thank you!

Generally the corset lacing serves to tighten the jacket up, so you probably won't need to take it in unless the jacket's absolutely huge around you.

As for method, I'd suggest you buy a load of small silver rivets (like the ones on the bottom row here, get 'em from a fabric shop), then you mark out where you want the holes for the ribbon to thread through (use a ruler and a piece of chalk, then hold a mirror up along the center to check it's all symmetrical and even), cut the holes out at about 1/2 or 3/4 the diameter of the actual rivets with a leather holepunch, push the rivets through the holes and flatten their backs using a hammer (set the rivets on top of a piece of softwood so you can hammer them down without ruining the front of the rivet as happens when you try to do it on a stone or metal surface) or rivet pliers (ask in the fabric shop, they'll give a better result than the hammer), then thread the ribbon up through the rivets. It should be fairly simple - that's the method I used when I was threading shoelace through rivets when I made a gauntlet in Art class last year.

Mark holes.
Punch holes.
Insert rivets.
Flatten rivets.
Thread ribbon.

You can see lots of examples around here.
Use patches, sew a spider web...zippers, and if you dare, you can paint some details with white too...

examples here:
https://www.gothic.net/boards/showthread.php?t=3872

Mm, the rivets. I will have to look into those supplies. It makes me rue the fact that my beau is across the Atlantic... He has all the perfect supplies. Mm, some good examples of graphic work in the thread. Thanks for the suggestions and always looking for more. :D

Well, I've done the same thing with a huge t- shirt, and I'd say that unless you've bought one of those huge, thick jackets we get up here in Norway, it'd probably look very nice. I didn't have to take in anything, but if you want an extremely good fit, you should first fix the lacing and then look if there are any places that crease very much. If they do, you should perhaps consider taking in a bit. I don't think you will need to do that, though.

A good way to test the look is to usesafety-pins. You poke them through the fabric and then back so they're just a bit thinner than the lacing you plan on using, and thread the lacing. Then you can decide if it looks good or not:)

Wow, that's a really good idea! Thank you! Then I don't have to buy the hole punching supplies if I don't like it and can focus on attaching the lace, the ribbon, and working on my mediocre sewing skills! Thanks! :D

Alrightly, I have it all pinned and I am going to search for lace and other tastey bits tomorrow. I have one more question: is there any sort of pattern or tutorial for making bell-sleeves? Is that possible with a regular coat sleeve? I looked on Antimony and Lace and saw their panel skirt tutorial, so I thought it might be possible, following something like that. I know I won't get a lot of volume, but I would like a little bit in the sleeve area.

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-...e.pl?id=122302 - here you go =) I knew I'd seen a how-to on this somewhere. ;)

Yes, this works nicely! Thank you very much. :D

I can't believe I didn't find anything via google. Looking at this plan I might actually have a little more material to fool around with the tatter skirt I'm planning. Right now
I'm waiting waiting for the material to arrive through international shipping.

You wouldn't believe how much lace costs here. The one I found that I liked was roughly $55 dollars per yard (figuring in the exchange rate.) Ahem, I suppose that is more of a rant... ;)