Sep 18, 2015

Plaid Overcoat Progress + More Pattern Drafting!



My plaid Burda overcoat is coming along slowly but surely.

On Wednesday I cut my front pockets.  They were supposed to be single welt pockets but due to a slight case of mismeasuring (and consequent cutting) they turned into double welt pockets.  A lucky save.



I'm making keyhole buttonholes myself with my Singer buttonholer (the beige plastic one that uses templates) and have incorporated a hidden button placket, which one often finds on coats like these.  Burda 7780 is a pretty stripped-down coat pattern -- no back vent, only a half lining (I'm adding a full one), and perhaps worst of all, no inside pocket (I'm adding two, for wallet and sunglasses).





As of tonight (Friday) my coat looks like this (below).  I attached the sleeves, the facings are in, and the collar just needs to be topstitched.  I still have to attach my lining pieces and insert them, and then hem the coat and add the buttons.  I hope to finish this sometime next week as I don't expect to be able to sew this weekend.



In other news, I had my patternmaking class again on Wednesday night.  We used the pattern we drafted last week to make a muslin to fit our dress form.  Here's mine: a shapely Size 8.



We then put the pinned muslin on the form and, with the assistance of the professor, corrected any fit issues.  These corrections were transferred to the paper pattern, and the now-corrected pattern was used to trace a master pattern on heavy brown paper.  That's a lot for one night, no?







I am loving this FIT patternmaking class.  The pace is perfect for me: it's fast but not overwhelming, and the professor is very enthusiastic and supportive.

And that's it.

Have a great weekend, everybody, and tune in next week for further coat updates!

My client, blue-eyed Ephraim, picked up his shirt this week.  It looks lovely on him.

18 comments:

  1. The coat is amazing, I wish I had one just like it.

    I can't decide which is more beautiful, Ephraim or his shirt.

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    1. Can't decide?!?

      What are you, a corpse??

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    2. Married, and feeling guilty.

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    3. I am married and have not lost my sense of beauty. Or pattern matching. Ephraim is lovely, I love how the color reflects his eyes, and DAMN that is perfect pattern work!

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  2. You are a legend love the coat....I always enjoy reading your blogs

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  3. I love your coat - and Ephraim's shirt looks great on him. Thanks for being so inspirational!

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  4. Such eye candy! ;)
    Love your double welt pocket save - and impressed with the plaid matching also!
    Beautiful, detailed work!

    Brenda

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  5. love the coat! Wish you could make me one!! I am too lazy and overwhelmed, but I dream of doing something like that!

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  6. The coat is amazing, and Ephraim and his shirt are both pretty.

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  7. The pockets on your coat are so beautiful!

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  8. The coat is absolutely gorgeous and the colors suit you so well. Love the shirt you made for your client.

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  9. Love your coat fabric. With what you have learned so far in the drafting class, in hind sight, would you draft differently now anything you've already made for any of your clients?

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  10. What are the measurements on your dress form? She does look curvy as you mentioned. My 1979 size 8 Wolf form, affectionately known as Norma L. Model, comes in at 34/25/35. It looks like the industry standard for a size 8 has really changed over the last 30 years!

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  11. Everything's looking good! The coat is very nice and I like your upgrades, especially the inside pockets. With this particular fabric and considering your own inimitable taste, did/would you ever consider using a dark, solid fabric for the welts and collar underside such as black or midnight blue (and same-colored buttons) or would that add too much contrast?

    Ephraim in his new shirt could be magazine copy.

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  12. Nice looking coat. The lining round the inside pocket would benefit greatly by having been invisibly felled to the top cloth. What sort of structure is steadying the fronts/shoulders of your coat?

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    Replies
    1. Nothing, since it's a lightweight raincoat. Is there something you suggest?

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  13. I'll bet you'll wear that coat to a rag! It's really good-looking. And the client, whew is he cute!!!!

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  14. I really like the coat and that fabric your using for it. Your pockets are schweet. I never liked half lined coats. I think it makes the coat look/hang better when fully lined as well as wear better, too. That pattern class looks so intense yet fun. It's like Rubics cube for sewers : )

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