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Advisor JR Morrissey's Factory8 has been making our Anoraks since 2014.  Anya Ferring, Operations Manager at Factory8, has been working on our Anoraks almost as long as JR.

THANKS to Anya for sending me this information on some of the steps needed to put the Anorak together!!

Anorak steps of operation:

1. First step is to mark the front kangaroo pocket for button placement.
2. Mark and measure inside pocket (behind kangaroo), sew in labels etc.
3. Kangaroo pocket facing tab is stitched down, then it needs to be pressed.
4. Then the grosgrain tape gets stitched into inside facing seam.
5. Then it goes back to presser and the Kangaroo pocket seams get pressed down before sewing
6. Then need to take it over to table and put marker on top of body to mark position of kangaroo pocket being sewn down.
7. Then start the top portion which is the facing part. The facing part has 4 layers. So we have to join the top layer and facing layer, and then take it to the presser to fold the edges for clean finish seams on the inside.
8. Once it’s back from the presser it’s time to construct the hood. After that’s been stitched together it goes back to presser again to press open the seams and then it’s back to the sewers to sew down the grosgrain tape over the seam alliance edges all the way down.
9. Back to presser to press out the grosgrain and shape the hood.
10. Back to machine to join facing to the hood together.
11. At this point the garment is getting very heavy to handle. Before adding anymore pieces and to make sure the top zippers get positioned correctly, the zippers go in now. They have to take the garment back to the table to place zipper marker over the garment for correct placement.
12. Back to machine to sew in zipper.
13. Once zipper is sewn in you have to construct the inside lining, which very difficult because it’s clean finished inside and quite heavy.
14. Sewers do a staystitch on the outside to start and then remove it later and re-sew with correct 1/4” seam allowance if necessary.
15. Once pocket zipper is finished garment goes to merrow machine to merrow all exposed edges.
16. Then back to presser to press and fold bottom hem before sewing.
17. Then goes to zipper operator and side seam zippers are sewn in as well as the button tabs, etc.
18. Back to machine for top stitching and sewing.
19. Sleeves: go to the table to get marked for button placement first.
20. Back to machine to get slot buttons sewn onto cuff.
21. Back to presser to press cuff together properly
22. Back to merrow machine to merrow sleeve edges
23. Attached sleeves to body

The most time-consuming part of this garment is all the back and forth between the presser, the sewer, the marking table, and the merrow machine. A garment like this could not be sewn properly without lots of pressing along the way otherwise the pocket shapes, and hem size, and other details would all be wonky and out of place.

4 November 2024 --- Anya Ferring of Factory8