Friday, February 17, 2012

Verona-The Final Frontier

Well, the coat is done and had it's maiden wearing too! Doing the lining was akin to catching a greased pig. Very slippery, accompanied by a lot of laughing and squealing in distress. Mistakes were made, corrected, or lived with. This was a first run through and my notes are copious for the next version. My skills and confidence, improved. I am very happy with my coat.

Let's start at that lining.


Curved, cruel and the source of the biggest mistake made on this coat of which I will tell you at the end. It was only when the coat was completed and ready for buttons did I even realize what I had done. I won't spoil the "Oh S**t" moment.
Here is the pattern picture for reference. Study it closely. ;)


Here it is ready for sleeves. Looks pretty good too I might add.


The corded buttonholes. I mistakenly thought of these as bound, but they are not. Either way, first time doing a button hole using perle cotton. Lord knows as a weaver I've got enough of this stuff lying around!


And finally, through the miracle of picking and choosing pics, the final finished coat.


Boy, was bagging the lining a trick. Just weird and it took me a moment with the sleeves to figure out what they wanted me to do. I would have taken pictures, but they would make no sense. When all was said and done, the lining was too long and hung down below the outer coat. I opted to let it hang free and hem lining and coat separately. A decision I liked better anyway since linings tend to stretch. I will plan for this on the next coat, allow deeper hem allowances and do a few other things a little differently around the front inside of the coat.

The buttons are placed asymmetrically since two little buttons on a winter coat is woefully lacking IMHO and by then, of course, I had discovered my mistake.



Have you? No! Well, flip back to the curved lining. It's a mindset thing, call it a lining and I do it in Ambiance, call it a front facing and I do it in the same fabric as the outer shell. I should have handled it as a front facing. Simple as that. Way too late to take it all apart. It's a mistake you only make once too. It certainly does not render the coat unwearable, in fact it's quite comfy, especially in the car where many coats bind and feel tight. I like the cut and fit although I might go down a hair (or two) in the next coat, between sizes.

Jack thinks it's just wonderful BTW. Jack thinks anytime someone picks him up and lets him smooch their nose, it's wonderful. Jack has a healthy outlook on life!


So now I'm onto other sewing, planning and plotting the spring coat, working up a warp for Hey Baby using "fique" and linen for a runner and some place mats, getting the threading done on Julia and weaving off those Celtic towels on Hannah Hollandia.
Lots of fun fibery things.

In farm news, it's all quiet. The storm has rolled in and out and a new one on the way
for the weekend. In between we have had a couple of stunning days of clear and impossibly blue skies.


Everyone is frisky. The donkeys show no outward signs of this but I know they are having frisky thoughts. Sugarfoot eyes the gate. The girls get giggly behind my back. They are snug and smug in their coats. That is all as it should be for these sun and heat loving little creatures.

Parting shot: Snow Day, The Series. Robin, blazing a bunny trail.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Shucks, I have done that very same thing on a jacket! Not to worry your jacket is darling and you look very cute in it. Sweet Robin does sort of look like a bunny!

The Sewing and Knitting Loft said...

Your coat turned out so nice, love the fabric and simple design. Beautiful action shot of Robin!

Laura said...

I love the coat, too. I'm wondering what the purpose is for all the curves in the lining? Surely they don't think we have boobs that high (or concentrated on one side) like that? I think I would be tempted to change it to a simple princess line, and dispense with all the to-ing and fro-ing!!

Seeing that makes me think Sharon should full some woven shetland and make one too!!

mrsmole said...

Just think how bulky that front area would have been if you had cut those facings with the wool...add 2 more layers to the mix...you probably did the right thing in the end.
Corded buttonholes are so neat, way easier than the real bound ones. I'm with Laura on changing the lining pieces to princess lines or even just use the coat fronts as a pattern. You look nice and cozy!

Cindie said...

The coat turned out wonderful! It still looks great with your 'whoops' in it, no one would ever know. But yeah, what's the purpose of the curves in the lining, looks like a whole lot of pain that could be avoided with different seaming.

Michelle said...

Love the coat. I come here to be in awe over your sewing and weaving skills. No aspirations, just awe. ;-)

Mary said...

I love this stylish and warm looking coat. Actually like the lining peeking through when the collar is open. Thanks for the pictures-beautiful coat, lovely snowy trees, happy dog and lovely model!

Anonymous said...

You always inspire me to want to do harder, better things when I see your work- your coat is wonderful!

Maggie said...

Well, why do you suppose they did that? Just to be fancy? Just to make you work harder? Kind of a weird place to be fancy, where only the wearer will see it, don't you think?

Theresa said...

Thank you all for the nice comments on the coat. I'm not sure there is any other reason for the wavy lining other than decorative. It lays flat so no shaping happens because of it. I may ditch it but then again, I have plans to do some fabulous embroidery (machine)
on the lining of the next coat, so might want that added
interest the shape brings.

Thistlerose, Mary and Mrsmole, thank you for putting a much better spin on my whoops than I would have. It's always nice to know that someone else has made the same mistake and lived to tell about it! ;)

Oh Michelle, sewing is nothing more than following directions really, kind of like following a recipe. Spinning and knitting are just as challenging and you do beautiful work on those.

Prttynpnk, We're even because your beautiful tops inspire me too. I'm giving a Vogue pattern a go because of your blog about it!

Laura, Sharon could weave the fabric for a coat and I know she could darn well sew it up too. Her spinning is fantastic.

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

The coat looks great... I really like the fabric.
That doogie pic is calender worthy.
Susan x

Sharon said...

I really liked the fabric for the coat and then when you showed the finished coat with the trim and buttons, well - those really picked up the subtle color in the fabric. Well done. I was trying to decide whether to say - you look great in it - or the coat looks great on you. Couldn't decide so said both :)