Quart coat progress and some thoughts on technique

Every once in a while I make something and say to myself - this is one of the best things I have ever made! Which due to my (perhaps) excessive self-confidence I say kind of often. But it means that I am happy with the things I make, so that is nice.  I am making the Quart coat from Pauline Alice patterns for a friend of mine and I told her yesterday that if this was my size I would be keeping it. OK, just joking but I am really liking how this is looking. Probably due to the fabric choice. Plus the pattern is adorable.

Just a reminder, here is the pattern and the fabric I am using.  This image is a bit dark, the fabric is a blue grey plaid with threads of teal and wine red in the plaid.



Those pleats are so cute. I think it gives this coat some movement, and are something I have never seen on a pattern before, although it is a detail that I have seen on some McQueen coats in the last few years. Tailor's tacks are my method of choice for pattern marking, and I always leave them in until the garment is about done, particularly in case I need to press again. Also with pleats after making I baste them shut for the duration of the construction, helps them stay put.



Previous comments indicate that there is a lot of interest in seeing the insides of garments, construction and how things look before being hidden by the lining. So here you go.  Perhaps not easy to see but this pattern calls for lots of interfacing which I completely agree with. I do use a mix and match approach to interfacings, combo of weft fusible and knit interfacing. Shoulder pads and sleeve headers are done so the last step with the exception of buttonholes and hem is to add the lining.



Now for my thoughts - here is something I just don't get:  bagging the lining. I have done it exactly one time and hated the result! To me it doesn't compare to a hand sewn in lining. I know that a lot of people hate hand sewing but I really like it and it is the only way I know of to get the collar, facings, etc to stay put invisibly instead of wiggling and migrating when you are wearing the item.

If you are interested in these techniques I did a series last summer on tailoring a blazer, and all the steps appear there.  Here is the first post in that series.

I attach the upper collar to the under collar with silk thread. I suppose I could sew in the lining and then do this step but it would take a lot of wrestling of layers. Actually I have done that and didn't like it, just simpler for me to work with the layers in order, lining last.  The front facings are also hand stitched to the front of the jacket so they will not move.



Then I sew up the lining and press the edge.



To add the lining I usually turn the coat or jacket inside out on the dress form and pin it in place, then hand sew it to the facings. This photo was a bit dark so I lightened it enough to make the pinning visible.  Another thing I did on this coat - which I do all the time, is skip using the lining pattern pieces that come with the pattern. I just use the garment pieces, add a pleat in center back and hand draw the edge of the front pieces.




I am nearing the finish line with this one.  I found these lovely buttons at Stone Mountain and they pick up the blue in the fabric but are not overly shiny. My friend Laura Mae told me about a button shop last week which she posted about.  I sort of can't believe I have never been there or even heard of it as it sounds like fun to visit but I have such good luck at Stone Mountain that I will probably stick with them and their lovely wall of buttons.



That is the progress on this coat. Which I want to finish by this weekend as that Burda coat idea is still in mind and I want to make that before summer arrives - which could be soon because it was around 80 degrees F in some parts of the bay area this week. Global warming, eek! I love summer but this is getting strange.  Apologies to all of you shivering in other parts of the continent!

The other thing that occurred to me this week, in the category of things that I just don't get is Colette patterns. They are popular but to my eye not very original and so far my experience has been that the fit is strange and needs a lot of adjustment. Also their examples shown never appeal to me, partly the color/fabric chosen and partly the examples don't look all that well done in fit or finish. But as I have said before I probably don't fall into the category that is their target market so just like the new Vogue pattern release, there is something for everyone out there. If you love them and they work out for you that is great. The only one I ever thought about buying for maybe 2 seconds was the Lily dress pattern, except that I might have at least 3 different patterns that I could adapt to get the same result. And I don't need any new dress patterns. Or old dress patterns for that matter.

I have a new post up today on the Craftsy sewing blog on How to make a box shaped pillow cover. The type you might use to cover a bench seat or foam cushion. So if you are in the home dec sewing mode take a look. Someone wrote on the Facebook comments that it was too complicated, and that made me laugh - as it is slightly complicated to calculate the measurements on that type of pillow, not rocket science but I did add an equation. How else can you do it? Math and sewing, people, they go hand in hand :)

Happy Winter sewing, Beth

Here it is, the first daffodil in the garden. Enjoy!