Made by a Fabricista: Over-sized Full Length Wool Coat

It is no secret... coats, gloves, and the whole concept of laying is just-not-my THING. Even though, I am originally from NY and now live in MD, somewhere along the way (living in FL) I began to deny winter until it was over. In many ways, even today, the season I have the least amount of shoes, clothes, and outerwear is Winter. Who likes winter anyway????

As a means to ramp up group activity and actually make an attempt to own a "functional" piece of outerwear, I began looking for inspiration for wool coats. I found a great deal of short coats, but came across very few full length coats (light bulb moment). I wanted something that would be stylish as well as functional for the cold temps.

The fabric I used for this coat is from Fabric Mart's Melton Wool coating collection (HERE). The colors I used are no longer available, and I am sure its because the of the awesome 60% off sale that was going on, but there are some great selections that are still left.

In my continued attempt disconnect from the pattern world by improving my draping and pattern making skills, I decided to drape this coat from scratch.

I began with the front. Knowing I wanted this coat to be over-sized to accommodate several layers of clothing, I went with a wide sleeve casing. Because of the size of adjustable dress form, I had to manipulate the placement of the fabric in order to get size desired. Once I completed the front, I duplicated the sleeve casing on the back and pinned the sides for fitting.

I didn't cut a large enough piece for the back, so I made notes of how much fabric to add when cutting out the final fabric.

Once this was completed, I trued up my pattern pieces and cleaned up the lines. It was then I noticed that I did not have enough fabric to create this coat with the wool facing I wanted. So I put everything aside and ordered more fabric. Prior to this development, I had 4 yards of the orange Melton wool. I decided to order an additional 3 yards of the black Melton wool in order to create a color block. I decided to go in this direction because well... when have I even stuck to a plan?

I started off with this....

and ended up with this!

I created notches and duplicated the diagonal separation from the back piece as well.

Now.... Both front pieces are self lined with contrasting black wool, while the back and sleeves were lined with a double knit that had a lightweight sweater feel to it. I also faced this lining with the orange wool and added my label :).

Because I self drafted this coat, I constructed it in the most backwards way possible without ruining the garment as I finagled my way through the entire process. I marked and adjusted my back pieces to account for a kick pleat and constructed the sleeves last.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with this coat. It is super functional and the perfect length for my high heels. I will definitely be wearing this often (I wore this to work after taking the pics minus the boots). The only thing I would change is the shoulder width. I cut it a tad bit too thin, but got away with it because the coat is over-sized. All I need now is a nice black wool scarf which I will be making from the remnants of this project

Sources used: Kick Pleat Tutorial , Draft Sleeve Pattern

Pants: 7 for All Mankind Coated Jeans

Shirt: Generation Love half leather/ half Jersey Shirt

Shoes: YSL boots

Gloves: Isotoner Smart Touch

Until next time, happy sewing!

Jenese

Needles and Fashion

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...

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: 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...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog