Wardrobe - lacy jacket

The next photo from the coordinating wardrobe I am doing is a black lacy jacket made of cotton lace. (actually the third sewn)

I thought that if I was doing a classy type of wardrobe, I needed a cardy type garment with a bit more class. For those moments when you are in restaurants who have confused the temp control for the walk-in cooler with the one for the dining area. You have been there I am sure. So you are all hunched up trying to stay warm rather than enjoying a moment out of the heat.

At the moment, I have pinned the fronts together to keep it on the hanger. In actuality, they hold nicely on their own when I wear this. I am debating a thinner but not skinny ribbon should I want to hold it together better. For instance with a blouse of silky type fabric (coming up!).

The pattern for this again was my side dart bodice pattern with set in cap sleeves. It is only just hip length. Instead of sewing darts in the lace, I pleated the darts into the side seam...just folds that release, rather than stitched down. It moulds the shape of the jacket to mine in a subtle way. The lace has no stretch, or I might have considered doing away with the dart.

I decided to finish the edges right the way around like you would a bolero using a satin ribbon. Stitched right side to wrong side and then flipped to the front. To hold it in place, I have stitched clear beads with a black lining in a beaded running stitch technique. Every now and then I did a tiny back stitch so the whole lot doesn't come off at once if I lose one.

The effect has somewhat ruffled the ribbon. I was considering beading the other side of the ribbon as well. But I have been looking at it several days and think this look is better. If the action of hand beading the other side causes a similar effect but the beads are not precisely lined up, it would just look like a mistake.

I decided to draw the line at ribbon on the hem of the sleeves. What do you think?

Any comments about the idea of a ribbon of sorts to join the sides? (probably you need to see it on me to really tell)

How about the idea of beading the other side of the ribbon down?

I am currently doing something which I can tell you next week. and sewing bits of the wardrobe in-between. So, that is why I have not been able to do the 'how I did this' post or the 'this is what it looks like when I wear it' photos yet.