Made By A Fabricista: Melton Wool

Guess what sewing friends, this is a great time of year to make a new traveling coat for the holidays! We're heading to celebrate in a colder climate than where we reside, so a heavier coat is a necessity. I'm already a big fan of wool in general, so a coat in wool Melton was high on my list of wants, both for warmth and sustainability.

I decided to sew an Octave Coat by Love Notions. I've sewn this pattern in recent years both in a heavy fleece and in a knit coating I bought from FM years ago. The original pattern includes a shawl collar or hood option, and this enormous moto-style collar is a free add-on. I love how it's both dramatic and has a vintage flair.

I appreciate the thigh-length bodice of this coat, I really need that kind of coverage. The wide overlap of the lapels also adds to the layers of warmth I crave.

Rather than a button closure or the waist tie closure option, I just added a simple heavy-duty snap. I might go back and add one more for security, but so far this is working quite well and I love how the front remains very uncluttered.

If the prospect of sewing a wool coat intimidates you, allow me to elaborate and hopefully assuage any fear. Melton can seem a little nerve-wracking to sew with, but the experience is actually very easy. There's no unraveling or fraying of raw edges, and you can get gorgeous clean cuts with shears or a rotary blade. While the hand is thick and dense, it cooperates and I used wonder clips to line up my piece edges for sewing. A walking foot is incredibly helpful for keeping the edges of two or more layers cruising through the stitches at the same speed, especially for the very long seams. While the fabric is thick, there's also an airy quality and a universal needle works really well without any snagging or thread trouble. I used a size 80 since that was already inserted in my machine, but please always run a test scrap through before sewing the real deal to check out and assess your tension!

The fabric is pliable and dense, yet retains some drape. There is a lovely plushness and you can squeeze it just a bit like a marshmallow. This is heavier weight and since it has a brushed surface texture, you can't really see the weave. The felting makes the hand really soft and I don't find it uncomfortable to wear it against bare skin, like at the collar area. Because of the lofty nature of the fabric, the threads really sort of sink into the fibers. I found that increasing my stitch length was helpful for topstitching.

I used a cotton press cloth and steam ironed my coat only from the wrong side. This is a perfect fabric for using a wooden clapper to press amazingly flat seams. I pressed all my seams open to reduce the bulk of the layers. Melton is also easy to shape around darts or curves with a little extra steam. Here’s a picture of the inside and pocket before I added the lining, nice flat pressed seams!

And the pocket from the outside with nice sharp corners.

I hadn't originally intended to line this one (the pattern includes options for lined and unlined) but then I remembered all the yards of cotton sateen I treated myself to back in late summer, so I grabbed a cut and decided to level up my coat. This is a very lightweight fabric base for lining and really adds no bulk whatsoever, so I wasn't concerned about making thick seams even thicker or bunchy. I love how it hides all the inner seams and pockets, just so streamlined and professional!

And the obligatory flasher picture to show off the lining goodness.

Truly, bagging a coat is a little bit magical. In a voluminous fabric like this, I recommend leaving yourself several extra inches in the open side seam in order to make sure you can fit your whole coat through said opening during the bagging process.

Now I’m prepared for colder weather and can stay warm during holiday travel and festivities! I adore the style and this coat will be worn probably daily throughout this season, and for all other cozy times.

I wish everybody a wonderful holiday season throughout the next several weeks! Hopefully you'll get the chance to work on a warm project for yourself.

Happy sewing!

KATIE | @kak513

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: COATING, WOOL, & COTTON SATEEN.

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog