Sewing a winter coat

Carole · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: Sewing a winter coat

Hi all,

I'm just getting ready to sew a winter coat out of our gorgeous camel colored wool/cashmere coating.

Has anyone else made a coat out of this? Has anyone else ever made a winter coat? Any tips to share? I'll be cutting mine out tomorrow. I'm going to use a pattern from Nancy Erickson's Fashion Sewing Group. I'll line it with rayon lining.

I'm excited to try this!

Carole

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Carole -

This is so funny! I've been eyeing that fabric for more than 3 months now, (hard not to do since it's sitting right there on our cutting table, no?) Well, I'm about to buy mine, and today I realized what a great match the silk print Irene from the winter collection is - I think I'll be using that for my lining. I haven't chosen my pattern yet, but I think it'll be pretty traditional.

I have sewn a coat before - it was maybe 25 years ago, but it was completely tailored, from a pretty soft gray herringbone wool - a bonded wool, as I remember. It was the first real tailoring I'd done. It's just like sewing a tailored jacket or blazer, only longer. I don't think you'll have any problem with this. What style is your pattern?

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Hi Carole,

Okay, the race is on! I brought home my fabric, lining and buttons yesterday. My plan is to start the coat as soon as I've caught up on my clients' alterations, and a couple of Christmas gifts I'm sewing. What about you?

This is the link to my pattern: http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/patterns/sewingpatterns.pl?patternid=16207
Burda 7855. It's such a traditional coat, exactly what I wanted. I'm lining the Camel Luxe with Irene, the beautiful silk print from the Winter collection. Choosing the buttons was a company-wide affair - everyone had an opinion! I couldn't decide on a final choice, but the two I brought home are closeouts so I took them both, hedging my bet in case they sold before I was ready for them. I took the last of Ornament, as well as a set of Facet buttons - an oldie but beauty.

I'll keep you posted on my progress as I go - right now I'm mulling over whether to use fusible Acro for interfacing, or to use the sew-in and Kenneth King's technique of edging the interfacing with muslin to cut down on bulk in the seams.

BrendaJo · Joined: 20 Apr 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Cape Cod

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I am also planning to make a winter coat. My fabric was given to me by a friend who purchased the fabric in Scotland. It is a double faced wool, charcoal grey on one side and charcoal, brown and off-white plaid on the other. I am going to make a very simple reversible coat-straight up and down, no lining, no interfacing. My pattern is Butterick 4029 which is a jacket pattern, I am just going to lengthen it. Probably will make it with a hood. I am trying to copy a reversible coat that I saw at the Providence Place Mall last year. I haven't worked out the construction details yet to make it reversible and I haven't figured out the closing. I have buttons that I bought in Alaska last summer, they are made out of some animal horn. If anyone has any construction or closing ideas, I would like to know about them. I am not going to start on this project until after Christmas.
I have made coats in the past with linings, interfacings etc. I think coats are a snap to make since they are usually not closely fitted (even the ones that are described as fitted aren't really all that close to the body).
Keep us informed as to your progress. Brenda

Kip Cowher · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Pennsylvania

I recently made a frock coat (historical garment) in the French Canadian soldier style. The melton wool I made it from was SO NICE ! I can't wait to find an excuse to make more things from it!

Kip

Therese · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Bakersfield, CA

I have almost completed a boiled wool jacket. I shortened the length on a purchased pattern and ended up with enough material left over that I was also able to make a hat. My project was a quick one, since I didn't need a lining. I am waiting for the buttons to finish the project and want to add some patch pockets. In the mean time, I'm wearing my work in progress.

Carole · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

I just got my coat cut out. I used Nancy Erickson's Fashion Sewing Group's pattern number 1963. I fused the collar, facings and welts too. I'm glad to have that part done. The cashmere coating is so nice. I'm going to do a couple of practice welt pockets today, before putting them on the front pieces. I'm also going to experiment with bound buttonholes. I have some nice buttons, but they measure three-quarters of an inch. I've read that bound buttonholes are best for buttons that measure at least one inch.

It's a cold, snowy winter here in Central Massachusetts and I'd like to wear this coat soon.

Luckily the pattern is pretty simple once I get the welt pockets in and figure out if I'm going to use bound buttonholes or regular stitched ones.

Carole · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject:

I spent some time this morning on a practice welt pocket and I'm not happy at all with the results. I've got another practice one cut out to see if I can improve on my technique. I've done them before and not had any problems, but something was off this morning!

Carole · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:58 pm Post subject:

Okay, three practice single welt pockets later and I'm ready to make them in the coat fronts. It took some time to do all three, but I learned a lot on each one. I have them lined up on my cutting table to remind me what not to do on each one. Especially, I learned to relax by the time I got to the third. I learned where my biggest trouble spot was - a good thing to find. I found that the size of the welt kept varying, due to the cushy nature of the coating that kept sliding around as I sewed the short edges and basted the long edge closed. So I recut the edges with a rotary cutter for nice clean edges. Now as I get ready to sew them, I'll use a walking foot so the fabric doesn't slip and shift around.

I also have a lot more confidence to move forward.

Lois · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:26 am Post subject: Welt Pockets

Hi Carole - I have experienced the same issues with the wool shifting or not having an accurate edge to follow as a stitching guide because of bulk. I'm glad you continued with testing. It's so important to work through the issues with samples. That's my mantra when I'm into a project and difficult techniques...test..test...test! It's worth the effort and don't you feel good when you overcome the challenge?

Please be sure to let us know how your pockets come out. Don't forget the 6 foot rule!!

Lois

Carole · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject:

Hi Lois, Thanks for the reminder of the 6 foot rule! I'm pretty happy with my pockets. There's no doubt that the coating is a little bulky to work with. I'm finally done with the pockets and have moved on to the coat construction. I sewed the center back seam and sewed the back to the fronts at the shoulders. I think the collar and front facings are next.

I'm wondering about shoulder pads now. I think I'll go with a thicker pad.

Carole

Lois · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:02 am Post subject:

Hi Carole - Congrats on your Welt Pockets. That's great! Keep us posed on your progress.
Lois

Carole · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject:

I got some more work done on my coat today. I sewed the collar together, graded the seam and attached it. Then I attached the front facings. Now I need to press them. This coating takes quite a bit more pressing than I ever imagined. And I have to be careful that the iron doesn't leave an impression. I'm using a scrap of fabric as a press cloth to keep from damaging the nap of the fabric.

As usual, I only find time to take baby steps on a sewing project.

Carole · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject:

A few days ago, I wasn't too happy with the overall styling of my coat. Today I sewed the side seams together and did some more work on the collar and back facing. Now I think it looks really nice. The style is very flattering and comfortable. Maybe I can post a picture of the coat-in-progress . . . It even passed a try on with my teenage daughter. If she thinks it looks great, maybe it's not too bad.

Carole · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject:

I'm getting a little more done on my coat. I sewed the sleeve seams together. Then work was halted while I was looking for something appropriate to use as a sleeve head. The pattern directions call for loosely woven wool. In the past I've used wool crepe and had success with that. I spent some time yesterday digging through my rather sizeable stash and found some! I also found a lot of other beautiful fabrics that are just begging for attention.

So I'm ready for more action here. I've also got a knit top going and some home dec projects. The coating is a little heavier to work with than other fabrics I've used so it's nice to have a variety of projects going. Oh, and I just brought home an armload of wonderful fabrics today (the new silk Laplacia, the quietly sophisticated Canoe, all my colors Kylemore Abbey, and beautiful Serenity), to compensate for all this home dec sewing. Something to feed my soul, as Barb so wisely said when I was walking out the door.