Adding a fur collar to your coat is a great way to upcycle, refashion or give your coat a different temporary look. And it's a great way to bundle up and be fashionable on cold, windy days.
If you're interested in DIY tutorials, here is one from Coletterie and one from Look TV.
Now, to start prepping for some weekend sewing!
Today, I decided to pair my coat with denim. It's such a great way to under-dress this coat. I'd been seeing a lot of bloggers and street style on Pinterest, so I put together my own look.
Inspired by Pinterest!
Images via Pinterest
I'm going to get so much wear out of this coat because it's just that versatile. And unlike a dress or a top, I can wear this everyday... well at least until it warms here! Which is a great segue into today's discussion, a new addition to my "Love the Clothes I Make" series. Most of you have been following me long enough to know that I have a pretty good sense of who I am style-wise. I've gone through transformations in the almost decade I've been blogging. Which means, over the years I've learned the benefit of sewing things that I'm going to wear all of the time and return to season after season -- hence this coat!
Most of you have been following me long enough to know that I have a pretty good sense of who I am style-wise. I've gone through transformations in the almost decade I've been blogging. Which means, over the years I've learned the benefit of sewing things that I'm going to wear all of the time and return to season after season -- hence this coat!
So, my question to is: What do you sew? Is it for entertainment purposes only? Are you a "weekend seamstress" that just enjoys sewing a cute piece or two for the satisfaction of just sewing? Or are you in it to win it -- like those of us that are serious about wardrobe building and always ready to learn a new technique and add more skills to your sewing repertoire?
Every year, I like to make at least one substantial coat. Last year, it was my beloved cashmere pea coat. So this year, I decided it would be a classic camel's hair coat. I wanted a coat that I would love and cherish for years to come... nothing trendy at all for this project. Just timeless elegance.
I picked Simplicity 1759 for my pattern. This pattern is great because you can choose either a single or double-breasted style; choose notched or stand collars or just collarless. It has patch or welt pockets and back belt variations. And most importantly, a two-piece sleeve.
I picked this beautiful camel-colored 100% camel's hair fabric. It's described as "a heavy weight camel wool with a long brushed nap. Very soft, slightly spongy." This is a napped fabric with a raised pile. Which means it's best to layout your pattern and cut (on a single layer) with the nap running down the garment. It'll wear better and pill less. With ALL pieces going in the same direction. Also, since this fabric is thick, I used a 100/16 needle and a 3 mm stitch length. And I pressed the fabric on the wrong side using a fluffy terrycloth towel underneath. This is my first time sewing with camel's hair, so it was all experimental.
I cut the size 14 and graded out to the 16. I added 3 inches to the length. And 1 inch to the sleeves. I made a 1 inch FBA. I followed the instructions for interfacing. But I padstitched the collar and taped my roll lines on my lapels. I also interfaced my hems.
I also added a back stay (didn't photograph it, but you can check out previous ones here) and custom made shoulder pads.
Made these using polyester fleece and a layer of muslin.
My goal is to always sew a set-in sleeve perfectly on the first try. Here is my tried and true method:
I used two 2" x 12" bias cut strips of hair canvas. I marked the center of each strip and pinned to the wrong side at the top of the sleeve cap with the raw edges matching. Beginning at the center where the pin is, I stitched the bias strip to the sleeve cap using 1/2" seam allowance while fully stretching the bias strip... ending at the notch. Then I repeated on the other side. Note: if your machine doesn't have a seam allowance guide on both sides, you can use a piece of tape. Then your sleeve is ready to be pinned into the garment and sewn. The bias strips also act as sleeve heads!
I used a silk charmeuse from my stash. And I bagged my lining.
I used Gutermann Top Stitching Heavy Duty Thread for top stitching, buttonholes...
And buttons.
Since some of you are often curious as to where I wear things, on Monday I attended a Spring 2014 Fashion Preview at Belk. I'm with Arlene Goldstein, VP of Trend Merchandising and Fashion Direction. I'll be blogging more about the fabulous trends to look forward to later! Notice how leather was trending! I got to wear one of my new favorites, my Vogue 1251 lambskin leather and wool crepe dress!
In conclusion, the idea that I created a coat that is similar to coats produced by designers such as Max Mara, makes me very happy. Coat making is really easy, but there are just a lot of time consuming steps. You have to (with experience) teach yourself how much tailoring and/or shortcuts you want to apply to your constructions techniques. And most importantly, that timeless beautiful fabric is really what makes a great coat, so choose wisely!
'Tis the season to be sparkling! What's the holiday season with sparkle and shine? I'll tell you: dull! Don't be dull, add some sequins to your holiday (and beyond) wardrobe.
My latest addition was inspired by this gorgeous black and silver abstract baby sequins fabric from Mood Fabrics.
When I fell head over heels in love with this fabric, I knew I needed a simple design that would let this fabric shine (pun intended) and let it be the star. I needed a design that has a limited amount of seams, darts, pleats, pockets and set-in sleeves. This dress is a blouson-style with an overall looser fit. It was perfect since this fabric is non-stretch and should be treated like a woven.
I decided to cut this fabric cross grain. I liked the way the pattern on the fabric fell when lying that way. When cutting sequin fabric, I would recommend cutting on a single layer and using a rotary cutter. I say a rotary cutter because the blades are disposable and can easily be replaced with a fresh one. If you cut with scissors, my suggestion would be to use a pair that are not used to cut fabric.
This ridiculously easy pattern (Vogue 8961) was a breeze to sew. I made it straight out of the envelope with very few alterations or modifications. I only added about three inches to the skirt. My recommendation while sewing sequins is to use new and sharp needles.
My favorite part are the sleeves. I love that they are elasticized and ruched.
And since I cut the fabric on the cross grain, I was able to just trim around the mesh in the selvage area and use the print design instead of worrying about hemming.
And while pressing, always press on the wrong side using your pressing cloth. Because steam and moisture could damaged the sequins.
So, I finally jumped on the midi (mid calf length) bandwagon. I know that some women feel this is a hard trend to pull off. Even at 5'9", I had been skirting the issue! (Pun intended.) My problem with this style was not the length, because I've made dresses before in this style.
I decided that the full skirts with all of those pleats (God forbid gathers. Eeekkk!), at MY waistline are not my friend! No ma'am! However, I do love my full faux-leather skirt. But in my defense, it's shorter than a midi length -- meaning less fabric! And the pleats are stitched down from the waist. A sleeker, fit-and-flare circle skirt works best for me in this length! That's why I chose Butterick 5929, view C.
My formula for making this skirt work for me is to combine it with a form-fitting top -- tucked in. A button down or a close-fitting sweater would work too. Volume on the top AND bottom is not a good look for most women. You need to pick! And a waist-cinching belt. Snatch it in ladies!
And you MUST wear a heeled shoe. Seriously, there are no exceptions. Flats are simply not flattering with a skirt this length. And my number one recommendation would be a classic, single-sole, lady-like pump that exposes the top of the foot to give you a nice long-leg line. But since I had never worn these booties, I decided these would work. They're very light, being that the majority of the bootie is mesh.
And I added a my vintage mid-century Stylecraft Miami lucite purse that use to belong to my grandmother.
For me, I chose a leather biker jacket to top off this look.
Now a "review"...
This pattern is sew-out-of-the-envelope simple and beginner friendly. I added additional length and a lining. My fabric is this gorgeous orange silk twill from Mood Fabrics.
This season, bomber jackets have been seen in every print and fabric imaginable. They were commonly known as a "flight jacket", but now they are everywhere -- from the runway to the streets. Bomber jackets have trickled down from the U.S. Air Force to the backs of regular women and girls. They're truly having a moment!
So I decided to fly high with the addition of this classic silhouette to my closet and make it one of my wardrobe staples. For my jacket, I chose Burda 7210.
Inspiration:
This pattern is absolutely perfect! It perfectly brought my inspiration to life. It was everything I wanted it to be.
Usually, I find myself having to make crazy alterations to a commercial pattern to get the proper fit. But this one was great out of the envelope. Just look at those sleeves! I didn't even have to add length. I'm now asking myself why is it that I don't sew Burda patterns more often?! I shall be rectifying that post haste! Especially since there have been recent $2.49 sales on them.
But being the me that I am, I did however make some small modifications. This is a pattern that suggest an unlined garment. With my fabric selection: a black and white/ivory tweed wool-blend that I picked up from Hancock a few months ago, which drapes beautifully and probably should've been some gorgeous dress... I digress... Anyway... I underlined with a black crepe de chine that I had in my stash and finished with serged seams. And it feels so luxurious on the inside.
And I added leather to the sleeves, also from my stash. And for the collar, cuffs, and waistband I used a cotton, polyester, lycra rib knit from Mood Fabrics. And I picked up my zippers from JoAnns.
This was such a fun jacket to make and own. No tailoring involved, just quick and easy. This feels like a luxuriously-lined cardigan. I can tell you right now, this is going to be a piece that I'm going to definitely get my money's worth!
