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Dec 14, 2013

Five Days to Coatmas!



Readers, you know I'm not big on the holidays, but this coming Thursday, December 19, I will be celebrating Coatmas.  And I do hope you'll join me.

Actually, my peacoat must be completed the day before Coatmas (Wednesday), when I'll need to photograph it so that it can go live on the Mood site on Coatmas itself.  It's kind of like how Santa has to have all his gifts ready before Christmas so they can be opened on Christmas, only Coatmas is real and Santa is just make-believe.

You might think I took today off since I've been coat-making for weeks now, but no.  I did make sure I visited the Chelsea flea market, however, just as the snow was starting to fall.  (Could we actually have a white Coatmas?)





I came home with all sorts of little things -- CD's, vintage deadstock wrapping paper -- but here's the best of the lot: you know I have a weakness for 1940's women's hats, right?  How's two for $16?















Aren't they peachy?

In peacoat news, I got a fair amount accomplished.  I reinforced my armhole seams with cotton twill stay tape, and measured and pinned my sleeve and coat hems so that tomorrow I can start stitching them (after reinforcing the edges with bias-cut hair canvas).

I also experimented with sleeve heads, which I think I'm going to make using the insides of an old tie (the one I made that belt out of during the summer).   I actually found an old sleeve head from a suit jacket I took apart a few years ago.  It looks like this:





I also made another pair of sleeve tabs as I wasn't happy with my first pair.  This time I used leftover coated cotton on the inside and interfaced the tweed with a lightweight knit fusible.





If I get the hem done tomorrow, I can concentrate on the lining on Monday.  Coatmas waits for no man, as they say.

Have a great day, everybody!

15 comments:

  1. Lucky fellow. I love New York, especially in the snow.

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  2. Only 5 more sleeps till Coatmas!

    The hats will make lovely Christmas gifts for Cathy - though she'll probably demand matching outfits.

    Spud.

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  3. "Santa is just make-believe" ~ get out of here!!! From Down Under, enjoy coatmas, as we enjoy swimmas ... J

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  4. Good luck and Merry Coatmas! And fabulous hats! Next time I'm in NCY I'll have to check out the flea!

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  5. I've ordered sleevehead in the past from Sew True. It looks like canvas with a spongy underlining (lambswool or polyester) which you can round out with an iron. I think they're in the garment district. They give good sleevehead.

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    Replies
    1. [Head skaking from side to side, eyes rolling, audible exhale]

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    2. Oh, snap. Just trying to be helpful.

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  6. I'm impressed with how quickly you've sewn and tailored this coat. It would take me months for the level of beautiful detail that you've included. Good luck for the home stretch!

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  7. I hope to be celebrating Coatmas myself this year and I've got almost a foot of snow to go with it!

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  8. Coatmas, I love it. So, you will be celebrating Solstice Coatmas? If I lived in NY, you and I would wrestle for those hats, Peter! I'm serious. The coat is looking terrific.

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  9. I would love to celebrate Coatmas with you! Mine is almost finished as well.

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  10. Hello peter. Can I just say how inspiring and informative these posts on the pea coat have been? That's my aim next year to really tailor something like this instead of being afraid. I know your end result will be amazeballs! Look forward to seeing it.

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  11. I too have been thrilled and inspired to watch your progress. Seasons greetings!

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