Let's start with the boots, shall we?
As an American, I am very vulnerable to the phrase "40% off." And the word "Nordstroms." Add "Free Shipping" and I am helpless.
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| This is the Red Wing Moc Toe boot. |
Be honest: are these boots too Brooklyn hipster for me? I don't care, I'm keeping them because...40% off! Plus they fit and are super-comfy.
Moving on, the ditching continues. I took two big bags of Michael's clothes -- his choices, mind you -- to the Salvation Army today, plus I sold the plastic cart below (I still have one in orange) on Craigslist last week. Which is sort of why I felt I could treat myself to boots.
That's the true challenge of selling your used stuff: it's hard not to spend the money you've made on new stuff. Still, I'm very proud of myself for not bidding on a vintage Necchi Supernova on eBay this afternoon -- I consider that progress.
But there's still more news! I have decided to take the Japanese Pattern Challenge and sew myself one of the jackets from the Japanese men's coat pattern book I recently purchased. Duane did it, Sunni did it, Claudine did it. What's to fear?
This is the coat I want to make.
Even though I fit in Claudine's coat (a size Small), I may go for the Medium. I'm right on the edge, size-wise. At least I think so: I don't read Japanese.
I am assuming that second measurement down refers to Chest. Mine is roughly 92 cm around.
Anyway, I spent some time today examining the pattern that comes with the book and it doesn't really seem all that daunting.
Even though the instructions are in Japanese, the drawings are clear. As you can see, this will be a lined coat.
I have no idea what fabric I will make this out of (probably not leopard print wool knit). I'll certainly want to make a muslin first, which I hope to do this week.
And that's it! I am excited to be starting a new project, especially one that involves a pattern I'm unfamiliar with. I hope Mainely Dad doesn't mind late-night phone calls!
Have a great day, everybody!
That photo #9. #10,would be a great one for ten ounce canvas, waxed, maybe heavy natural denim. The cover photo, #8, coat seems maybe better for high quality cotton.
ReplyDeleteThat's one cool coat. And hey, it will look great with the new boots, too!
ReplyDeletecurious to know what the Necchi went for... My late mother's machine is (I believe) in storage on the other side of the country. Last time I checked, it worked and all the parts and bits and bobs were there, so maybe I should look into selling it!
ReplyDeleteI love that jacket! looking forwards to it!
ReplyDeleteYes, they read:
ReplyDeleteHeight
Chest
Waist
Length (of garment)
Chest
Waist
The photo cuts off so I can't see the entire left column to confirm it, but the few characters showing indicate the first set of three is body measurements and the second set of three is the finished garment measurements. Looking forward to your selection of the fabric for the coat! And I do love your new boots.
Looking at the photo of you wearing the boots, instantaneously had the "I'm a Lumberjack" song playing in my head. Thanks a lot-now it's stuck there!
ReplyDeleteI like the boots. But where I'm from most men wear boots like that. And they don't know hipster from a hole in the ground. The boots look nice on you. I have it on good authority from the men in my life (husband, dad, brother) that Red Wings are super comfy.
ReplyDeleteHey, my Dad's hunting boots are hipster! :)
ReplyDeleteRed Wings are great. You are going to love them.
I love Japanese pattern books. The pictures are so detailed. I sewed something simple first in what I thought would be about my size and from then on, once I had my size figured, I could whip up any of their patterns perfectly without a toile. I have found so far that the end product always looks exactly like the picture...no surprises!
ReplyDeleteOk, now I want that Japanese pattern book! Haha!
ReplyDeleteOoh very nice boots, and that's going to be one nice coat too - I have no doubt your execution will be wonderful!
ReplyDeleteMore urgently though, at least as far as I'm concerned: is that a Starlight Express t-shirt you're wearing to illustrate your chest measurement? Please can we see it in full? Or just tell me it's some wicked cool pyjamas, and where I can get them for the spouse's Christmas present...
That is my beloved vintage Starlight Express sweatshirt, which I found last spring at the flea market. I live in that thing!
DeleteMore pics here:
http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/2013/04/decisions-decisions.html
That coat looks exciting and the boots are great . Nothing wrong with appropriating back from any group you like (or don't like) what they appropriated from some other group...
ReplyDeletePeter, call anytime! You'll be glad you made a muslin, especially of the pockets. They can get a little overly complicated. I'll also be interested to see what you think of the collar. I think it's at least 1/2" too short. It's the only pattern piece of the four coats that didn't work perfectly for me. Have fun with this project!
ReplyDeleteThose boots are very 1970's San Francisco. Although that knowledge dates me, I can say I was a very young Castro Clone at the epoch. Add jeans with holes, white t-shirt and your choice of plaid flannel shirt, jean jacket, or leather bomber jacket and you are ready to go. We weren't nearly as creative a sub-culture as some thought. We mostly just dressed like what we were hoping to find in someone else. Maybe the new versions are lighter, but I remember those things feeling like lead weights after a weekend of walking around in them!
ReplyDeleteI am confident that you can sew anything, Peter, so I am anxiously awaiting the posts about this project. And with Mainelydad in your camp, what can go wrong?
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are really the clearest of any I've seen in instructions. You'll manage it.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what a Brooklyn hipster wears, but the boots are perfect for your wardrobe. Enjoy
Who even knew they sold Red Wing Boots in Nordstroms, much less New York. My dad has been wearing Red Wing workboots for years. His are a little less hipster and come with steel toes as he works in a plant that produces metal buildings. One thing I can say about Red Wing with proper care those will last for years.
ReplyDeletei love that book - i have that one and his shirt book. both have great drawings for instructions. the only tricky part (at least for the shirt book) was figuring out the words for the types of fabric.
ReplyDeleteand red wings are the best - i'm an odd size - F width - and they are the only ones that really fit.
I would love that book. Can you tell me the name and publisher so i can try and find it? Thank you!
DeleteMen's Coat by Ryuichiro Shimazaki and Making Cool Men Shirts by Ryuichiro Shimazaki. I got both a year or so ago from JapanLovelyCrafts on etsy but Amazon has them now as well.
DeleteWow, this coat will be awesome! Can't wait to see it! I just bought an Italian pattern magazine with some lovely jacket patterns in the hopes of making one for my dude, but now I'm thinking I was crazy-- the diagrams are pretty minimal and I don't know a word of Italian! Happy sewing!
ReplyDeleteYou have been really dedicated to the ditching. I generally start off well and then get stuck on something vintage that I am afraid that goodwill might toss as not being "currently in fashion", so I hold back and it loses momentum. But I found out about swapdom and I am really excited about trading my vintage clothes that do not fit or are not exactly my style any more for more vintage clothes. (I guess it works with modern clothes too, but I have the vintage thing going). I am starting to sound like a sales pitch, but I am just really excited about it. I don't know why I just don't feel right selling the stuff on ebay or etsy (the craigslist here is almost nonexistant, since I don't live near a big city). But this swapping thing I am really hopeful about. I have loaded several things, but haven't gottten a swap yet.
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested it is
swapdom(dot)com
(I don't work for them or get paid in anyway, I am just really excited LOL)
I allow myself to buy only one piece of fabric for every 5 or 6 garments that I sew for myself. The scraps go to make children's clothes. But I still seem to have trouble getting more space in my sewing room.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever come to Minnesota for a visit, we can take you to the Red Wing shoe factory where they still make most of their boots and shoes. They even have a factory outlet store where you can buy boots for more than 40% off! Red Wing is a beautiful, charming and classic river town on the Mississippi about an hour's drive south of the Twin Cities.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see you bought Red Wing Boots! I travel through RedWing MN every weekend. They are very proud of their boots and still have a factory there.. I love the style you ordered.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see a garment made from that book, my kind of detail. Will be fun to report back as you progress through the pattern you select.
I'm not entirely sure what a hipster is?
ReplyDeletebut, O.M.G.I love that coat.
You hsould be proud to wear boots that are actually still made in the US. They have a fascinating video on their website about how the boots are made, I think there is a hand held sewing machine in it.
ReplyDeleteI love that coat and I’m sure it will turn out great! I’m looking forward to following your adventures on this project.
ReplyDeleteI think the boots look great.
I'm sure you have the skills to make that jacket. I know I don't yet but I really love the short double breasted on this website http://www.old-town.co.uk/index2.htm
ReplyDeleteActually I really like most of the clothes they have and wish I could get the patterns for them (and the skill to make them all).
Hey Alex, I love Old Town as well! Sadly I live in Australia so I've only ordered an apron from them. It is beautifully sewn.
DeleteI too wish they would release some patterns. Maybe if we both write to them and beg :-)
For those wondering about the name of the book, it is "Men's Coat Book" by Ryuichiro Shimazaki. I think the Japanese title is "Otoko no kooto no hon" but my Japanese is a little rusty :-)
ReplyDeleteYou can find it on Etsy and various other places online pretty easily. If you have a Kinokuniya bookshop nearby that is another option.
It looks like a great coat!
ReplyDeleteI don't read Japanese either but I have made a couple of things using the Pattern Magic books. Those have a more limited sizing chart (just bust, waist and hip circumference, if I remember correctly). In it, I was a size medium, but, as I had already expected, Japanese sizes are made for significantly shorted people than European/American ones. There were also some more unexpected differences like the (lack of) width of the sleeves. And of course, the built of the "average person" from eastern Asia will be different from yours.
All in all, definitely make muslin.
Best of luck the coat, it looks like a great project!