Marfy F1973 – Winter Coat

Last Fall I was experimenting with with different winter coat patterns and finally settled on Marfy F1973.  The most important feature for me was the raglan sleeve.  For a winter coat that I will be wearing over jackets and sweaters it’s easier to get on and off and doesn’t seem to bind at the armhole with a raglan cut.  It has generous sleeves and I liked the look of the swirly skirt and wide collar that I could use to showcase some faux fur.  The belt is plus to keep out drafts and the length works for most of my skirts.

Marfy F1973

This was meant to be a ‘super coat’ that would withstand the Boston weather on my daily commute and it did not disappoint!  I finished in December so I was able to put it to the test during our winter from Hell.  It’s definitely not very svelte but I’d rather be warm than chic.

Faux Fur Collar

FABRIC

The fashion fabric is a very soft tweedy wool twill that I purchased from Sawyer Brook several years ago.  Amazingly it’s not itchy at all!  On my screen it looked like a very warm brown, sort of a camel color so I pounced without ordering a swatch.  I should know better when spending the big bucks.  It’s actually a very cool brown and drab tan and not something I would have selected if I had seen it in person but heh, I’m already over it.

A Live Model!

I got the faux fur from Kashi at Metro Textiles the last time I was in NYC.  Buttons are from Joann’s I think.

Lining. Support buttons on inside. Photobomber: Waffles

CONSTRUCTION

Marfy patterns have no instructions so I used my trusty ‘Jackets for Real People’ by Palmer Pletsch.  I also drafted the lining.  Big picture:

• Construct the outer shell complete with the undercollar
• Assemble the facing, lining, and overcollar.  The lambswool was basted to the individual lining and facing pieces before being stitched together.
• The windproofing is a seperate interling extending from the neckline down to the waist.  The sleeves of the windproofing are only connected only along the top half of the armhole and are cut back a bit at the underarm to reduce bulk.
• Attach the entire outer shell to the inner shell along the front and collar edge.
• Buttonholes at the front are bound.  I made standard buttonholes on the sleeve tabs.
• Oh the collar – it’s actually a double collar.  The faux fur is a separate piece that is tacked on for the season so I can send the rest of the coat to the dry cleaners.

Marfy F1973

PATTERN/FIT

Since it’s not very close fitting I only made a couple of changes:

• Lowered the beltline by an inch
• Lengthened the sleeves by an inch -something I should be doing on all my Marfy coats/jackets.
• Flared the side seams out starting at the waist so that the circumference at the hem is 4″ larger.  It just didn’t have that twirly Mary Tyler Moore thing going on that the pattern image shows.  Not sure it was necessary.
• Added 20″ to the length of the belt!
• What I didn’t notice on the muslin is that the back neckline is a bit low. It’s drafty at the back neck unless my scarf is positioned just so.  Not sure if I needed to just raise the back neckline or make a rounded back adjustment.

LESSONS LEARNED

• Order a swatch!  Don’t be so impulsive when ordering fabric except at Emma One Sock.
• Check neckline when reviewing fit.

Vogue 1212 – The almost coat

When I was auditioning patterns for my faux fur coat and looking for something with a large collar, I made a mockup of this Sandra Betzina pattern, Vogue 1212. It’s got two awesome collar designs, two sleeve options, a hidden zipper, welt pockets, and a cool little flap option at the back waist. I like the simpler option in green on the pattern envelope. Here is the mockup on Helena. It’s being worn over a work jacket that has shoulder pads.

What’s with the curving seam under the bust line? It looks like it’s designed for a baby bump! Why would they do this intentionaly? It also seemed like it wasn’t very shapely.

At the time, i said no way is this going to be my faux fur, nor did I want to cut some of my precious wool for it. I figured that if I made this pattern, it would have to have the underbust/waist curve banished, and replaced with some shapely lines. Looking at it now a few months later, the curved seam must still be changed, but it doesn’t look so bad overall. I still LOVE the collar!

So what do you think? Is it worth making? I still don’t want to use my wool on it, but perhaps some microfiber of some sort would work; like a windbreaker or raincoat.

Faux Fur “Parka” – Vogue V8933 – just in time for summer

I had to have an Astrakhan coat. On my commute to work I walk across a very windy bridge in Boston so I wanted something that had some super neck protection. I also wanted it to be super warm.

Fabric
I was holding out for brown and finally found this faux fur Persian Lamb on a visit to NYC last year. It was the fancy Tissavel stuff so I only bought about 2 yards. That’s pretty skimpy for a coat so I knew it would have to be a short one.

Pattern
I had read that you should keep the seaming simple with fur, so enter Vogue V8933 with an almost double breasted angled front, and ear height super collar. The pattern is very simple with no princess seams or front darts. It comes in several lengths and has inseam pockets. I made view A, the shortest one. The front is fastened with giant #10 snaps.

Construction
The faux fur wasn’t that hard to cut or sew but fitting it into the 2 yards WITH nap was tricky. It’s quite pliable and actually very forgiving. I used a catch stitch on the seam allowances to keep the seams flat, and because the fur is short there was no need to pull the fur out of the stitching at the seams. I’m calling this a parka because it has a Thinsulate interlayer (the thick stuff) stitched to the lining.

Fit
What was I thinking? Of course, with no darts or princess seams it was quite boxy and shapeless. Duh! With the Thinsulate I was worried that it would be too snug so I sized up. I also planned to wear it over a jacket so added a little extra room at the shoulders. In the end I had over-compensated and it was WAY too big. I had made a muslin mockup but that couldn’t help me with the question of thickness and bulk.

I was also disappointed with the fit of the shoulder and sleeves so I switched them out with those from another pattern. I’m on the fence as to whether it was worth it. Oh, I also lengthened the sleeves a bit and added a slit at the bottom.

I completed the coat last November and wore it only a few times before I sent it back to the sewing room. I finally went in and did the major alterations in February when I went to an ASG sewing retreat. I took out about 2″ each at the shoulders, waist and hips by creating princess seams at both the front and back, and gave it a bit of shape at the sides. That was about the time I lost half a snap and it took until now to finally buy and sew a new one on along with some hooks and eyes at the collar. Sad, I know; finished just in time for summer!

Conclusion
I won’t use this pattern again as I need something more shaped. I’m just warming up with the faux fur and will definitely use it again. Now that everything has been tweaked on this coat, the only change I wish I could make is to lengthen it. Because the Thinsulate and fur make it bulkier, I think it needs to be longer to maintain good proportions.

Lessons Learned
1. I need shape so use patterns that help with this. When will I learn?
2. Don’t touch or rub your eyes while cutting faux fur.
3. Cats especially like faux fur.
4. Don’t cheap out with fabric length. If I can’t afford the length I really need I should wait until I can.

I’m working on my photography skills. The detail shot gas the truest color rendition.

Last word; the hat is my second crochet project completed just this spring. It’s cute but not very windproof. I like how the crochet work feels very organic compared to sewing.

Burda 8019, aka The Elmo Coat

This is my first coat, Burda 8019, and also one of my favorites.  Early in my sewing journey I purchased this red wool mohair thinking I would make a suit out of it!  Luckily,  I didn’t get to this fabric for a few years and by then realized that it was way too thick for a suit and that a coat would be more appropriate.

It has raglan sleeves which I prefer for an overcoat, a simple raised collar, princess seams, a dropped waist with a belt, pockets at the waist, and tabs at the sleeves.

It’s lined with satin, and has silk dupioni facings in a red/yellow cross dye.   This is also my first attempt at piping which I used to highlight the seaming.   It’s done in the same dupioni as the facing.  It’s interlined with cotton flannel for warmth and has covered buttons at the belt and sleeve tabs, two more firsts!

Lessons learned:

1. Always plan your closures before you start to sew.  If I had, I could have made bound buttonholes.

2. Be consistent with the color of cording used inside the piping.  I ran out of white and switched to something dark, and if you look close you can see the difference.

Wow!  I had no idea this was such an adventurous make! [ I posted this on Pattern Review in 2009 and the coat is now starting to show signs of wear.  The dupioni is starting to get thin in places.]