 What is Japanese Tailoring?
It's a system of unique construction techniques used in the ready-to-wear clothing industry in Japan. This technique combines the fine detailing of traditional tailoring with the speed and ease of contemporary tailoring to produce a quality garment. Judy Barlup has adapted this system for use by professionals and home sewers in constructing men's and women's coats and jackets. Judy learned the method under two Japanese instructors, Starr Hashiguchi, who studied in Japan, and Hisako Nakaya, owner of a company that imports sewing notions from Japan.
Characteristics of the method include:
- Fusible interfacing replaces hair canvas.
- Fusible stabilizing tape applied to the roll line replaces and stitched tape.
- Shape is built into the garment by pressing rather than pad stitching.
- Seam allowances of the neck edges and the edges of the collar and facings are adjusted on the pattern to save time, increase accuracy, and ensure that the enclosed seams of the collar and lapel are not visible from the "public-side."
- The seam reverses its direction at the breakpoint.
- The edges of the collar and facing are flat and sharp.
- There is no bulk in the notch area where the collar joins the garment.
- The corners of the collar and lapel turn under and are symmetrical.
- Accommodates "turn of cloth" for heavy fabric.
- The ends of the welt pocket are mitered to eliminate bulk and to conceal the seams.
- An easy sleeve vent allows the sleeve to be lengthened or shortened if necessary.
- Extra ease is built into the lining.
- Minimum hand stitching.
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 Although there are many detailed steps in tailoring a quality garment, Judy presents them in a logical and sequential way for maximum comprehension. This makes it possible for the intermediate sewer to create quality garments and for the advanced sewer to tailor more efficiently, leading to more satisfying results in their sewing endeavors. All levels of sewers can then apply the techniques learned to many other sewing projects.
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