Coat finishing

Well its taken absolutely ages for me to finish this but finally here is my coat. Its the Burda Style cape coat I began making here.

Its actually over a year since I started to make this. I got severely held up by the need to hand sew the button hole as well as the hem. But its done. Thanks really to my machine needing a service which is also now done so I should have some new things to show in the next few weeks. I say things because I have a few ideas and not everything is wearable but we will see how it goes once I get back to proper ( as in sewing machine) sewing rather than hand finishing such as this. It has kind of inspired me though to finish my other half made coats because really this did not actually take me long to finish off. I just do not enjoy hand sewing!

Its a shame though to not finish some of my half made coats. One is actually in red velvet. I really should get round to that one.

So this coat is the cape coat from Burda Style magazine 128,12/2002. So its been on ly list for years. I also had it on this years to make list as well so at least I get to tick something off that. 

And it turns out its nice to wear. Warm, stylish and swirly too...............

This is it done up- it has just the one button to fasten

The original pattern does not have a hood but living in the Uk I really do need one so I added that as an extra. You can find out all about my alterations and plans for this in the original post. I won't waste time here repeating all that. 

OK so the finishing:

 

In the end I changed the button from the last post where I had added the bakerlite round button. I just found the large bakerlite one too big. 

This rectangualr button is also vintage and from my Great Aunts' stash just like the larger round one. This one is a browny black though looks more brown here and goes very well with the brown flecks in the black fabric. I reckon its also the only time I might consider using it so best to do so when it actually works on something. Its a nice strong thick button so will work well on my coat and hold the weight of the two heavy fabrics I made it from quite well and having a hand embroidered button hole using embroidery thread also makes this a good choice.

I actually pulled out quite a few buttons. The original large round one is shown here too. 

My sewing machine being out of action has meant I had time when normally I don't for fiddly things like sewing on buttons and hand sewing hems, and I finally got round to doing some hand sewing on my coat. I have been trying to get round to this for well over a year now. I made the button hole by hand the old fashioned way that I was taught at school ( all those years ago - I finished on May 22nd 1980!)

And I am reasonably happy with how my button hole turned out. And the coat overall. Just wish I had actually finished it earlier really. But still everything in its own good time. 

My partner helped with some of the pinning and fitting - ignore the messy room please. I think he did a good job because once actually sewn up the hem is perfect and I probably could not have achieved such a good result without help.

The dress here is the dragon scale sweatshirt using the pixie dress pattern and theres info on that here.

Have a lovely week and thanks for popping by to visit me,

Bracken

Coat in progress

 

These are terrible photos and taken in doors at night, in electric lighting, which never looks good for me but, I wanted to show you what I have been up to. I have made a bit of progress on my planned coat - cape coat. 

 

This is Burda style magazine 128, 12/2002 and its almost finished now. 

Its called a cape coat but does not seem so cape like on me as in the magazine. It will still make a nice coat though I think.

The outer layer is a wool mix tweed - well it feels woolley but I actually do not know the fibre. Its off a discount stall and they said it was wool mix so its debateble. I suspect its a polyester. The back is a shiny knit so its just the front is "wooley".

 

 I lined with velboa faux fur that I stupidly bought 7m of because its not often you see this so cheap - yes love a bargain me!

Not yet sure what to do with the rest of the velboa but I am thinking a plain hoody might be nice - you know, glam up my wardrobe with fake fur, but in a boring every day way that is easy to wear maybe? 

I have not worked out the hem as yet. Might need to hand stitch that to get a good finish. Previous coats have been proven to be faster finished by hand than machine so its probably what I will do. I should also get a neater edge that way I think.

I need to add the button hole at the neck. This style has just the one button as closure and the front completely overlaps, so I am intending to search out an antique button from my collection for it because I have boxes of old buttons from various great aunts including some that are huge 1960s ones. I think that would work on this.

 

No idea why I was pulling such a silly goofey face but you can see my neck here. The neck is still a raw edge and its just stay stitched.  I am going to add a hood because its practical in rainy UK, but this is meant to have a normal collar. I have yet to cut out the hood. I actually do nto yet know which hood pattern I will use but maybe just a basic one froma  sweatshirt that I have already made so I will know how big it will be. I prefer a larger hood.

You can also see the cuffs. The cuffs are not actually meant to turn back and I just did that to show you, but to be honest I quite like how it looks. Probably whether I turn back or not will depend on the weather but its nice to see they look good like that. 

So I have quite a bit to do to finish this, but its going on well, and so far its working out ok, despite my having to completely unpick on of the pockets. I ended up with one pocket flap/piping slightly wider than the other due to doing that but I reckon it will not be seen by anyone but me so I am sticking with it rather than unpicking the pocket that worked and trying to make them identical. Its literally 2mm different so being opposite sides I do not think anyone can actually tell. Close ups on them are on my last post. Anyway thats what I have been doing so far the past week. So far so good with this one and hopefully next week I can show you how it is once its finished. 

I have actually now started to believe in this coat so I really do not want another UFO. I should perhaps return to some of my other half finished coats after this and try to get at least one of them finished.

Have a great week, take care and thanks for visiting my blog,

Bracken