Random Threads #9

today's topics: coat desires, a fitting guide and how many patterns is too many?

Today it is almost coat weather here. Well just barely, this morning I was out and about in jeans, a short-sleeve top and sneakers. So no need for a jacket but there is a tiny hint of autumn in the air. There are supposedly some rainclouds blowing by and we are all hoping for a storm. Because we really, really need it!
Which means I have been thinking about making a coat. For no good reason, by my count I have at least 3 that are currently wearable - meaning style, fit, color are nice. (I have several more that are buried in the depths of the closet which I just can't part with but never wear lately). And as I have said before, the weather which is temperate and my not so fancy lifestyle conspire to make a wardrobe of coats not really necessary. But......I am still thinking about a new one. Here are two coats I have recently seen online and they both give me a thrill.

This one I saw in the New York Times Style magazine and had to track it down. It is a Louis Vuitton coat from their Fall 2014 collection. Wool with leather insets on the collar and pockets. They show it with a separate belt belt, theirs of course.

This one is from LK Bennet, a UK brand. This line started with shoes but now also have clothes.  I love the simple shape of this one and the way the neckline goes up in the back. It does look great in this red shade but I have a coat in this color.

Last year mid-winter I bought this fabric at Stone Mountain for who knows what reason. I rarely buy something with no idea and now that I have it I fear it is a bit dull. Quite soft and it does have lots of flecks of different shades of grey, mauve, purple, red. 

So I like the red LK Bennet coat shape more but the Vuitton coat shape would be so nice for this wool with some coordinating leather for the trim. Perhaps I should go look at the leather options and then decide. 

As for patterns, the Vuitton is a fairly straight forward style, I could find a pattern and adapt. The LK Bennet is a princess style with the interesting neckline, I was thinking I could adapt this jacket into a coat pattern. 

I had a new post on the Craftsy Sewing blog this weekend which I completely forgot about. But if you are interested in pattern fitting you might want to take a look. And this morning I was completely gratified to read that someone got something out of one my posts, Sewing Tidbits adjusted her Archer shirt pattern to great success. Thanks for the acknowledgement :)  and a great blog too, interesting observations, lots of pretty creations and tropical backgrounds - just my cup of tea.

Link to the Craftsy Post

How many patterns is too many?  This past weekend I went to the Bay Area Sewist's Meetup, always fun to see friends and meet people who are new to sewing. This one was a pattern swap, so I brought some that I will never use and was determined to leave with fewer. However....someone (not sure of her name) brought an amazing haul of Vogue designer patterns, completely unused. So I did avail myself of a few.  The one on the left looks very simple, almost nondescript but the line drawings are fantastic and 3 completely different dresses. For the one on the right, I blame LauraMae as she is quite the pattern enabler - to the point where she dragged me over to the table and said "you have to take this one, it is a great pattern that looks good on everyone"!  OK, I am not going to say no to that endorsement. 

I have kind of mini-obsession over Donna Karan Vogue patterns and want to collect them all. (and Michael Kors patterns although he seems to have dropped the partnership). I give DK all the credit in the world for continuing for so long with Vogue and giving people like me a chance to sew these up. One little note is that in the last 2 Vogue releases I was completely blah about the DK patterns, however if time is any proof I will be scooping them up down the road. Confession I do really like V1408 but a self imposed moratorium means no adding of unnecessary sleeveless dresses to my wardrobe. I will hold out until spring!

Update on my potential fabric fail - that jacket is looking even worse than anticipated. With a distinctly 70's safari suit vibe that I was not intending (like who would?)  But I am powering through and finishing, so I will show all soon.  And then onward to fall not fail for real.

has autumn arrived where you are?  

Happy Sewing, Beth

And a lingering bloom in the garden, a red nicotiana.