Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Mint Wool Jill Coatigan and Double Knit Rivermont Dress

Hello Fabricistas! It's Meg from Cookin' and Craftin' and I've got a two-for-one post for you today... a coat and a dress, perfect for the chilly weather.


First, the coat: this is the Jill Coatigan from Seamwork, which Seamwork describes as "an easy-to-sew, over-sized coatigan that can be made in chunky sweater knits and thick wool coatings."




Size-wise, I opted for a large. My measurements put me at the high end of large for the bust and the low end of XL at the hip. I'm happy with the fit, although, especially in this fabric, I'm finding Jill to be more coat than cardigan. If I wanted a cardigan or was planning to use a stretchier fabric, I would probably go down a size.


The fabric I used is a fun mint colored wool/poly blend boiled wool knit from Fabric Mart, of course. It's a low-stretch knit that I just treated like a woven, essentially. It has a cool nubby texture on the outside and more of a stable knit look on the wrong side. The mint is outside of my normal color palette, but it has a very pleasant ice-queen-y feel to it that I like!


The Jill coatigan is unlined, so to make the insides look nice, I bias bound all of the seams and edges with printed quilting cotton bias tape leftover from last summer. I hand sewed the sleeves and hem,which is very unlike me, but looks very nice. The thick, nubby wool absorbed my messy stitches very well and the final result looks pretty nice!


I love my mint boiled wool coat(igan)! It's quite cozy and warm. The angled patch pockets are perfect for keeping your hands warm and the shawl collar lays quite nicely. The mint color is just lovely and fun to wear, although I do worry about spilling coffee on it every morning!


Now, the dress: this is the Cashmerette Rivermont, which is designed for heavier knits like ponte, double knit or scuba, is described as "fitted sheath dress with slash pockets and optional kick pleat." 



The Rivermont has a lovely high neckline, lots of darts for shaping in the bust, back and skirt, and three sleeve lengths, and no closures (yas!). Of course it has Cashmerette's signature cup sizes.



For my dress, the fabric I chose from Fabric Mart is a cool crinkly double knit in a cotton/poly/lycra blend, which is sadly now sold out (but Fabric Mart has tons of other double knits and ponte fabrics perfect for the Rivermont). I love the matte crinkle texture of this fabric and the blend makes it a very wearable weight and feel.


This Rivermont is a size 16 C/D with the long sleeves. The fit is pretty great right out of the envelope. I especially like the fit and look of this dress in the back, which I don't often say!


Construction-wise, I stuck with Jenny's instructions, which were great, as usual. I did one additional step, which is to stitch-in-the-ditch at each dart to get the waist seam to stay pressed downwards. Speaking of pockets, next time I might use a thinner material for my pocket facing to reduce bulk.


I really like my final Rivermont dress, though! A little bit more conservative, style-wise, than I typically go for, but quite useful. I think I'll likely punch it up with a loud blazer or big necklace when I wear it to work. It will be a great dress for giving presentations or representing my department at big meetings, etc.


My Rivermont dress and Jill Coatigan are a great pairing! Thanks for the gorgeous fabrics, as usual, Fabric Mart!


Comments

  1. Meg, your makes are lovely. I have a very similar tan heavy wool knit from Fabric Mart that I am on the verge of making into a cardigan similar to this one, but truly more of a cardigan style. You have really inspired me with the finishing of the seams. Wow! Both makes together look very classic and the mint looks terrific on you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Both of these are stunning pieces! And the fit on your dress is superb! Please send to me if you ever get tired of wearing them!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. the color do look good on you you did a good job

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love them and thanks for showing the back of the Rivermont I like the shaping!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Both of your makes are very classy looking. Perfect for the office and after work!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just have to leave a comment. Your garments are so pretty, so well fitting, and so flattering!! Triple score. That dress is a revelation. I never want to belt anything, thinking it'll call attention to an area of my physique I'm not exactly happy about, but this looks sensational. And your coat is so beautiful. Ice queen-y in the very best way! Thank you for showing us!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Pattern Emporium’s Lyrical Top Featuring Fabric Mart Fabrics

 Sewn in a lightweight  rayon challis , this top combines style, comfort, and fluidity. There’s one thing I love in a summer sew: effortless drape—and the Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium delivered just that. This pattern is a new release, and when I spotted this dreamy rayon challis from Fabric Mart Fabrics, I knew it was the perfect pairing. Lightweight, breathable, and with just the right amount of movement, the fabric really brought the pattern to life. Today, I’m sharing all the details—from fabric choice and construction to styling and fit—plus a few thoughts on why this top might just become a repeat sew. Pattern Overview: The Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium The Lyrical Top is a relaxed-fit design with bloused sleeves and a gently flared frill cuff. It comes with three sleeve lengths and two neckline variations. I chose the tie-neck view, but there’s also a collar option for a slightly different vibe. I’ve been looking to add more stylish tops to my wardrobe this year, a...

Made By A Fabricista: A matching set and a happy error.

 Hi sewing friends! Today I’m sharing a new outfit I made inspired by looks I’ve been seeing pop up in my Facebook and IG feeds a LOT this year. I’m talking about those monochromatic matching top and bottom outfits, sometimes in linen, sometimes in a flowy knit - the ones that advertise they go effortlessly from loungewear to office wear to going out wear. So I decided to “sew the look” using Fabric Mart fabric and a few patterns I already in my massive pattern library. First, let me share that I have very few solid color pieces in my closet. I’m so taken in by whimsy and geometric prints that this is still a gaping hole in my wardrobe -  a matching solid color set was actually a practical addition for me.  So let me walk you through how I created this look, and also tip you off to an error I made while cutting that worked out pretty well after all. Can you spot the error? Hint - it’s somewhere in the top: Here’s how I went about building my matchy match outfit. And here’...

Made By A Fabricista: Birthday Dress

May is my absolute favorite month, we get to enjoy spring weather and it is my birth month.  The birthstone for May is Emerald. I think emerald is such a gorgeous color so when I saw this beautiful ombre charmeuse I thought it would be the perfect fabric to make for my birthday dress.  To be honest it took me a while to narrow down on a design.  After a lot of back and forth I ended up going back to my first sketch that I created. I love to sketch out my ideas to figure out the patterning and materials. To create the design I used the method of draping on my dressform.  I used the lightweight muslin that Fabric Mart offers.  It is always best to use a muslin or material similar to your final fabric.  I started first by marking my style lines with some draping tape on my dress form.  I tore out pieces of muslin to fit within those lines making sure I am always marking my grainline. I also used the muslin to determine how I will create the rosettes onto...