Pretty much in agreement with whats been said above! Once you start canvassing the forepart to the canvas just make sure its all worked out and over in the chest area & dart under lapel. If you feel like there is to much even before canvassing you can shrink some of it away. Take your time doing the canvassing, its one of the most important stages of the entire process.

The "shinning issue" just go easy with the iron. I usually use a teflon foot on the iron, added a picture below. If your using a domestic iron and the foot isn't an option turn heat down slightly. I like to usually keep the iron at the same temp always, when i take the teflon foot off and want to press with more a direct heat ill use the press cloth which is just 2 pieces of selisha

@Kunsthandwerk Sounds quite severe reading that back, I think I was being harsh. They can to a certain a certain standard but not to the level of the coat maker who is doing it week in and week out. They check their drafts at the first fitting, at a basted stage. Depending on how confident the cutter is in his ability, after the first fitting they would rip it & re cut. From there they will communicate to the coat maker what they want next, re-baste, forward fitting, bar holes or just straight finish. I have found that really its all about communication. Its a team effort between cutter, coat maker, finisher & presser.

@Kunsthandwerk I used to read that too! It is a big shame that its not updated anymore. I did level 1 & 2 "pre-apprenticeship" in 2012 course at Newham College in east London. It was pretty much a introductory course to bespoke tailoring, teaching all the basic hand techniques, how to use industrial sewing machines & to make a waistcoat. (Level 2) Was on drafting trouser patterns and making them. Before doing the course I had never picked up a needle. Looking back on the first day, I remember looking at loads of patterns & drafting books and thinking WTF I do not understand any of this. I wanted to learn making before cutting, reason was that it would give me a better understanding when eventually I take the time to learn cutting. Most cutters can't make, they are just cutters, previously they would do their coat making apprenticeship and then go on to be a undercutter. I choose what I wanted. Think I was quite lucky because the guy who taught me was quite old. I was his last apprentice, I pretty much hassled him everyday he took a chance on me, saw how eager I was, but I was not getting much luck anywhere else in finding an apprenticeship. Some people in order to get their foot in the door will start out just doing alterations, finishing, trouser / waistcoat making and wait till a position opens up. Pretty much what the shop needs at the time. The Hierarchy usually is the Cutter, Coat maker, Trouser maker, Waistcoat maker, Finisher/Alterations tailor. But I find that quite an outdated view... I think finishers are undervalued. I work with 1 finisher, her button holes are just sublime and the finishing all around the jacket is immaculate. If you asked the coat maker who taught me he would say "Cutters don't know what they want" which is The age old cutter vs tailor disagreement! Always happy to answer questions 🙂

Thought id introduce myself, I've been lurking around for a couple of weeks 🤗. My name is Sam, I am coat maker on Savile Row. Im currently subscribed to the trouser making series & then at some point commit to the pattern cutting online course to broaden my knowledge. You might ask "Why not ask the trouser makers on Savile row to show you?". Well to be honest, a lot of them do not like to be pestered, some are very secretive about the way they do things & sometimes just reluctant to share their knowledge. So hello all!