Coat vents are sewn just like the classic vent. Begin by creating the vent lining pattern (see p. 136), or if your coat pattern includes a lining pattern, checking to see if there is length wise ease (see the tip on p. 137) and adjusting the lining pattern if necessary. As with a skirt or
dress, hem the coat and lining separately, making the lining length 1 in. shorter than the garment length before con necting the lining to the vent facings. Always connect the underlap by machine, then connect the lining to the overlap either by hand or by machine.
Jacket vents
Jacket vents are sewn the same as the classic vent except with a jacket you must connect the lining hem to the jacket hem and completely cover the inside layers.
Prepare the jacket vent area before installing the lining. Working from the wrong side of the jacket, press the left vent facing back along the center fold with a sharp crease. At the vent underlap, press back the %-in. seam allowance along the lengthwise vent seam, then clip to the center back seam at the top of the vent underlap so that you can press the underlap toward the left vent. Press back and sew the jacket hem, being sure to fold the vent facing over the hem. To reduce bulk, trim the jacket hem allowance at the vent facing to Yz in. or miter the corner seam.
Next, cut out the jacket lining, remembering to cut the vent using the outer vent cutting line and to mark the left vent cutting line on both vents. Sew the lining together, then line up the
wrong side of the lining to the wrong side of the jacket at the vent and cut away the left vent extension along the marked cutting line.
Finishing the vent with the modified hand method To prepare the lining for insertion using the modified hand method, staystitch the left vent seamline, pivoting at the inside corner. Clip to the corner and press back the seam allowance using the staystitching as a guide, and press back the %-in. seam allowance on the vent underlap and at the lining hem.
When installing the lining, leave 4 in. unstitched at each front facing near the hem. Pin and slipstitch the lining hem to the top of the jacket hem, then pin the lining underlap to the jacket underlap, starting at the top of the vent and smoothing or finger-pressing the excess lining length toward the hem to form a pleat. Next, edgestitch with the jacket vent facing up and starting at the top of the vent. Pin the left vent lining to the vent facing, starting at the top of the vent and again smoothing the excess length toward the hem to form a pleat. Slipstitch the lining edge to the vent facing. Finish the lower part of the vent facing the same way as the lower part of the front facings by using a hand whipstitch, a machine or serger overlock stitch, or by binding the edge with a Hong
Kong finish. If using an overlock stitch or a Hong Kong finish, also use fusible web to hold the facing in place.
Finishing the vent when bagging the lining To machine finish a jacket vent when bagging the lining, the sewing order is changed so you can turn the jacket right side out through the vent underlap instead of through the sleeve opening. After sewing the lining together, reinforce-stitch the inside corner of the left vent and clip to the corner. Press back the %-in. seam allowance at the right vent underlap. Attach the lining to the jacket, folding up the raw edges of the lining hem to line up with the raw edges of the jacket hem at the front facings. Line up and baste the top of the right lining vent to the top of the right jacket vent with wrong sides facing. Pin the left vent lining to the left vent facing with right sides facing, folding up the raw edges of the lining hem to line up with the raw edges of the jacket hem. Next, machine stitch, pivoting at the corner. Reach between the layers to pin and sew the left lining hem to the jacket hem with right sides facing, getting as close as possible to the front facing and the vent facing. Turn right side out, press a soft crease at the lining hem, and use a small piece of fusible web to hold the vent facing in place at the jacket hem.
On coat and jacket l i n i ngs, press the center back seam, center back pleat, and vent underlap toward the left back l i n ing. Doi ng so e l i m i nates the need to c l i p the l i n i ng seam a l l owance at the top of the vent.
Next, reach through the vent under lap to pin and sew the remaining lining hem to the jacket hem with right sides facing, getting as close as possible to the front facing. Pin and edgestitch the vent underlap to the lining, then press a soft crease at the lining hem.
Sleeve vents
Technically, you can line the sleeve vents the same way you line a classic vent, as is often done on couture garments. But since the sleeve vents have no function, it is more efficient to eliminate the vent adjustment on the sleeve lining.
To do this, eliminate the extensions when you cut the lining. At the sleeve vent, adjust
To hand-sew the lining for a French vent, slipstitch the lining to the top and
the upper and under sleeve patterns by marking the lining cutting line % in. from the vent foldline. Also mark the sleeve cutting line % in. below the finished hemline. Sew the seams as you would standard seams, then attach the lining hem to the sleeve hem by hand or by machine. The lining will cover up the back side of the sleeve vent.