The hottest day of the Summer, so why not model the finished coat!

OK readers.  TA DA! Here's the finished duffle coat.  Of course it had to be one of the hottest days of the year.  I think it was 86 degrees heading up to about 93 so it was a very short photo shoot.  I DID NOT wear a flannel shirt and sweater under it, but I've tried it and it fits like a glove.  Brian was my fashion photographer, encouraging me to get into the spirit of Mary Tyler Moore.  Are you getting that?? Oy! 

While on vacation in Asbury Park I picked up the Sept issue of GQ.  Toggle coats EVERYWHERE!  From Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo to Hilfiger.  Plus there was a spread from Saks featuring, you guessed it, purple outerwear.  This middle aged man in Maine has his finger on the pulse point of men's style!  

I've completed the patterns for the new purple overcoat, and once I have a new camera I'll update you on my progress.  Oh, I should add that I've decided that I will continue this blog until I've made all the coats in the book.  Still to come will be both a long and short trench coat and a double breasted pea coat.  

Just for comparison

No pic for this post.  The coat is finally finished and I'm waiting for huzbear Brian to come back from vacation to take some pictures of me modeling it.  So while I wait, I thought it would be interesting to pull out my receipts and see how much the project has cost.  Adding a generous $20 for thread and considering that I have enough hair canvas and flannel lining for another coat, the total is $165.  Just for the heck of it I suggest you check out the Ralph Lauren flannel toggle coat currently available at Bergdorf Goodman's website.  It will ship to you in October for a mere $1895.  The picture is quite murky but it appears to have ( Gasp!) wooden toggles.  Can we say cheap?  And does the model have a huge wad of chewing tobacco in his cheek?  You decide.  

I'm feeling slightly adrift now that this project is over, so I'm planning to start a fall coat.  I know I previously said I'd start a trench coat, but I'd much rather have something that I can wear in the upcoming season.  My next project will be a deep eggplant brushed cotton twill balmacaan.  Totally yummy.  

Some final construction details

I'm just "saying NO" to all the topstitching on my coat.  If I'd made the unlined version it would be necessary to hold things in place, but I think it looks more professional without it.  Plus nothing looks worse than a garment with bad topstitching, and I don't want to run that risk.  To hem the sleeves I inserted a 2" wide bias strip of my hair canvas.  The hem is folded up over the strip and the two are sewn together.  The actual hemming is between the hair canvas and the coat fabric.  The same technique is used on the bottom hem except the bias strip is muslin which I hit with some spray starch.  In one of the pictures you can see how the hem and strip are sewn together.  I wonder if the $2000 Burberry version has this kind of attention to detail?  You'll also see that I hand basted the strip into place.  I've become a HUGE believer in hand basting while working on this project.  This should make my daughter, the monster making / hand sewing queen, proud of the old man.   Hard to believe, but all that remains is sewing the bottom hem of the lining into place.

Hell NO, I haven't been slacking!

I need to get caught up with all the progress that I've made.  I actually have a coat that I can put on, not that I exactly want to wear a wool coat in the middle of summer.  The major pieces went together easily and I used my Bishop Method book which emphasizes sewing in the proper direction.  Shoulder seams are sewn outward, vertical seams are sewn bottom to top.  I don't ask why, I just do what Edna says.  After setting in the sleeves I beefed up the shoulders by hand sewing a 6" and 4" bias strip of wool over the sleeve cap.  This really helped smooth out the sleeve cap.  The coat, as designed, is unlined so I had to develop patterns for a lining.  I used the sleeve patterns as is.  The back was cut on the fold allowing for a 1" center back pleat.  The front lining required some calculating, but again the Bishop Method book was a big help.  Because I want the lining to be free moving I needed to attach the leather toggles and tabs before attaching the lining to the coat.  Each leather tab took well over 1/2 hour to sew on.  4+ hours of hand sewing later I'm just about ready to put the whole thing together.  I just want to tweek some of the seam binding in the hood, and rip out and re-do a front seam where the lining and front facing connect.  I sense being in the home stretch of this project.  I've found a trench coat sew-along blog, and even though I'd be way behind everyone, I may jump in with my bargain olive green stretch denim.  

obsessing a little

Thanks to everyone on the Pattern Review message boards who advised me on the patch pockets.  It was unanimous that I interface the entire pocket even though the instructions (just pictures) don't show it. I think they would have been very disappointing if I had merely lined them.  I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my hair canvas.  In addition to the pockets I also interfaced the reinforcement patches that the toggles will be stitched to.  I spent quite a bit of time positioning the patches because they really need to line up.  I lined everything up with masking tape and then topstitched the patches in place using the tape as a guide.  Voila!  I've also attached the pockets and their flaps.  Marji from the Great Coat Sew-along blog has a great tutorial on patch pockets.  She topstitches the pocket first and then sews it by hand onto the coat.  It's time consuming, yes, but it looks SO much better and eliminates that look of the pockets just being tacked onto the coat.  The coat fronts are now complete and I've laid them out with a toggle to get a sense of what it will look like.  Things should start moving ahead quickly from this point. 

Rainy day progress

I was really hoping today would rain so I could make some headway on this project.  I managed to get several of the design details finished.  I made the pocket flaps which are lined with black satin and interfaced with the hair canvas.  Then I moved on to the yoke which is lined with black flannel.  It will be topstitched directly onto the coat once the fronts and back are connected.  The real challenge of the day was to make the tabs at the sleeve cuffs.  Because my sewing machine makes cheesy looking buttonholes I decided to make bound buttonholes per Edna Bishop.  I'm not going to bore you with all the details, I'm sure there are plenty of instructions on the internet.  If anything, I hope I can encourage you to try them.  Hey, if I can do it..... While I was working on them I realized that details like this are why I'm taking on this project in the first place.  It's all about having something unique, with an attention to detail that I would never be able to afford.  The next step will be to construct the pockets, but I have a question out to the Pattern Review message board that I'd like to have answered before I launch out on my own.  I really don't want to screw them up.  

Getting out of a bind

Ok.  This pattern, as published, is for an unlined coat.  All the seams call for bias tape to cover the raw edges.  I really can't imagine wearing an unlined wool coat, so I guess it must be something Japanese.  Anyway, I plan on lining the coat with the exception of the hood.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing this style of coat who would be caught dead with the hood up.  Maybe in a blizzard when you're trying to dig the car out of a ditch.  I see the hood as more of a built in scarf / big floppy collar.  I have decided to leave it unlined.  Thankfully this will be the ONLY unlined part of the coat.  I have never worked with bias tape before and found it moderately difficult to sew well.  Because my fabric is fairly thick it just barely covered the raw edges.  I did try a wider width, but it made the seams too stiff and inflexible.  I ended up hand basting the seam binding to the edges and then stitching with the machine.  The seam allowances were then pressed to one side and topstitched down.  Time consuming, but in the end worth it.  I'm just very glad I don't have to do every seam of the entire coat.  

The pieces are finally cut out

I was up early this morning.  3 cups of coffee later I was ready to cut out my coat.  I decided to review Edna Bishop one last time.  I wonder how many sewists she's scared / discouraged over the years with her constant harping on PERFECTION.  I have to admit I was just about paralyzed into inaction, constantly questioning if I had achieved true Grain Perfection.  I put all my self doubts aside, took a deep breath, pinned on my pattern pieces according to the diagrams and cut the coat out.  Hooray!  Today I'm going to shop for thread and some new bobbins.  I also need to preshrink the lining and cotton flannel that I'm using.  

Saving the worst 'til last

Just in case you've forgotten, here's what I'm trying to make.  The only remaining pattern piece to make has been the yoke, and it's turned out to be a 2 day mind bending experience.  It didn't affect the muslin version so I could ignore it, but it's a major design element of the coat which I needed to resolve.  It's one piece, cut on the fold, which will drape over the shoulders both front and back.  It's a crazy shaped piece which takes up a big chunk of my fabric "real estate", so I can't afford to screw it up.  Of course it doesn't help that I've changed the shoulder line and slashed and taped the front and  back pattern pieces multiple times.  The whole yoke pattern needed to be redrawn to fit. I had a stiff mojito before attempting to work on it last night which was a huge mistake.  I kept shuffling between the original pattern and my enlarged pattern, laying one over the other until I was completely befuddled and decided I should just go to bed.  I decided to tackle it again today sans alcohol, but I've still spent a huge amount of time trying to figure it out.  Hopefully it's right because I will be cutting it out tomorrow morning.   

The London Shrink

Sorry, this isn't going to be about psychotherapy.  It's about preshrinking wool fabrics.  I'm not a big fan of dry cleaners, so I'm going to do the London shrink method.  It's surprisingly easy, and today was the perfect day for it -- hot and not too humid.  I tore an old twin sized cotton sheet down the middle, soaked it and wrung as much water as possible out of it.  The strips of sheeting are then laid onto the folded wool which has had its ends basted together.  The two layers are then folded toward the center forming a loose package of wool layered with wet cotton.  Additional damp sheeting covers the entire package to prevent it from drying out too fast.  Since it was quite hot and dry today, I went even further and covered everything with plastic sheeting.  The fabric sits for 3 hours and the moisture is gently absorbed into the wool.  The sheeting is removed and the slightly damp wool is smoothed flat by hand.  I can't believe how much softer this process has made the hand of the fabric.  Where the fabric was basted there is now a puckered edge.  Proof to me that the fabric really did shrink.  I don't think the fabric should require anything more than a light steaming.  Hard to believe, but I'm inching closer to cutting out the coat.  

The quest for "grain perfection"

Apparently if I want a high quality garment that will fit and hang well, I must first attain grain perfection.  Essentially, this amounts to squaring up the length of fabric.  My fabric had been "sampled" multiple times in the store, and one edge was very ragged.  I clipped into the selvedge above the sample gouges and started to pull a single weft thread.  This produced a gather which had to be patiently worked across the fabric as the thread was  removed.  Simple, just a little time consuming.  But heck, nothing about this project is going to be fast. As the thread broke I could hold the fabric up to the light and cut along the line that was being formed.  Once both ends were squared, and with the fabric folded down the center, I evened the ends and basted them together.  

Hair canvas... and a little rant about JoAnn Fabrics

The Bishop Method goes into great length about the glories of hair canvas.  Hair what????   This was a new one for me, and a quick Google search proved that it does, in fact, exist.  Sorry, but I didn't even consider looking for the stuff at my local JoAnn Fabrics, the only fabric store for miles around, and one that I hate with a passion.  I shop there as little as possible.  My last visit to JoAnn's was for 4 yds of unbleached muslin.  The salesperson actually had to measure it out twice, all the while smoothing and stretching it out so that I wouldn't get even  1/4" more than exactly 4 yards.  Mind you, this purchase was an extravagant $1.49 / Yd!  WTF  Obviously some corporate MBA has done an analysis of how much profit is lost by giving the customer a few extra inches.  I'd love to hear from other JoAnn Fabric haters.  I know you're out there. 

I was at the house in Asbury Park last week and decided to stop in Manhattan on my way back to Maine.  I found my hair canvas at Steinlauf and Stoller, Inc on W. 39th St.  I knew just standing outside the building that they'd have it.  Their specialty is notions, interfacings, zippers, shoulder pads and such.  It's such a drab, gray storefront surrounded by stores with windows full of the most colorful outrageous fabrics.  Only a place as dreary as this would have hair canvas.  Jackpot! I think they had four different types of varying weight and stiffness.  A hair canvas bonanza!  I can't wait to use it.  My next step is to pre-shrink the wool fabric, but I'll need a dry sunny day for that.  

Muslin #2....as good as it gets

Here are pics of the final fitting muslin.  Considering that I had never altered a pattern before, I'm pleased with the result.  It's come a long way from the first straightjacket, and it truly feels like it's time to be moving on.  The next step will be to prepare the wool.  Get ready for the London Shrunk Method.  

Thumbs up for the new arm fit

I brought the muslin (with one revised armscye) to dinner last night at Brian and Martin's.  They both agreed that the fit was better on the altered arm, so I returned home today to complete the other side.  I've altered the sleeve patterns more than any other part.  They're now shorter and   wider both at the cuff and the shoulder.  I think you can see how much I've cut and taped the pattern.  I figured just to be safe I'd cut them out from scratch one last time.  I'm glad I did, since the 2 pieces didn't line up over the sleeve cap at all.  I'm getting less intimidated by the alterations, so I just trimmed the extended sleeve section off by eye. This has all been good practice for setting in the sleeves.  I think I've done it 5 times so far.  Practice makes perfect.   

If they mention Pi, it's over!

I started to research adjusting the armhole ( correct term: Armscye) and stumbled upon the Rundschau Sleeve System.  Oh man, just take a look.  I'm flashing back to algebra II!  There is Mrs. Ladieu, in one of her smart Butte Knit outfits all covered with yellow chalk dust, graphing out a parabola while I break out into a cold sweat.  SO, to preserve my sanity and keep this project moving forward, I boldly take out a Sharpie, mark out a 1/2" arc along the bottom of the armscye and cut the sucker out.  Now that the opening is larger I opened out the sleeve seam about 3/4" from the elbow to the shoulder.  Ta Da!  it all goes back together, the underarm wrinkles go away and the coat is much easier to get into.  

Muslin #2.....getting closer

Huzbear Brian came over yesterday to help in the garden and agreed to take pictures of me in the new and improved fitting muslin.  So I donned a flannel shirt and sweater, thank God it wasn't hot, and modeled the new version.  The alterations I've made so far are a step in the right direction, but I'm still not convinced that it's fitting right.  I think the shoulders are better and I like being able to close it in the front. That MAY come in handy this winter!  It may still be a bit tight across my chest.  The back is a complete mystery.  Of course it doesn't help that I can't see back there.  Brian thinks that the armholes are too small, and I'm tending to agree with him there.  Maybe if I chop out about a 1/2" from the bottom of the arm opening, it would stop bunching up in the back?  Thoughts from any followers would be appreciated.  In the meantime I'm going to be researching how to change the armhole.  This seems like very treacherous territory to me.  The coat has a 2 piece sleeve, and its seam doesn't line up with the side seam of the coat.  I feel like I need to call my Jr. High geometry teacher.  

Can't sleep? .....Alter

I've really had a hard time sleeping this week.  My butch project,  the outdoor shower, has been WAY more difficult than I imagined.  I've been physically beat by the end of the day and my hands ache so during the night that I just can't ever feel rested.  Ok.  enough with my personal problems. I'm so disappointed (but not defeated) by the fit of the muslin that I've decided to just jump into the alterations.  I've found some good internet sites on the topic.  One of the best has to be The Great Coat Sew Along blog by Marji.  This blog is a wealth of information.  I just wish I had been starting my project while it was active.  Still it's an inspiring resource for anyone who wants to kick their skills up a notch.  In my case, that's several notches! 

All the alteration sites I've found say to start at the top and work your way down.  Because I think the shoulders are a little narrow I'm going to add an extra 1/2" to each side.  I may potentially line this coat with thinsulate, so I think a little extra room will be necessary. I cut the pattern perpendicular to the shoulder line and then changed the angle and cut parallel to the grain line down the whole length.  My Swedish tracing paper made it very easy to separate the two pieces and then tape strips of paper to connect it all back together. Easy! To maintain the grain line, alterations have to be made at the side seams.  This coat has a very straight vertical look to the back.  The front piece actually comes around under the arm and onto the back before it connects to the narrow back panel.  I guess this is supposed to be slimming??  Right now it's a disaster.  To make more room at the sides I'm going to use the "seam allowance" method.  This is a pretty slick trick.  Starting at the bottom hem I cut the 5/8" seam allowance up to the arm pit, stopping 5/8" away.  The strip is then pivoted over the amount I want to gain.  In my case I'm adding another 1/2".  This way I've added a slight flair to the back without screwing up the armhole (which is WAY beyond my ability to change). So far I've added 2" to the width of the coat.  On to the front where I repeat the process.  Because I stick out more in the front than the back, I've added an inch to each side.  Hopefully this will stop the material from pulling across the back when the coat is pulled closed on the front. These steps have added 5" around the coat.  Will it be enough? I hope. 

The muslin straightjacket

It's a cold rainy day here in Maine.  The perfect day to "play winter" by putting on a shirt and wool sweater before trying the muslin.  Yikes, I was worried that the XL was going to be small, but this is crazy.  There just doesn't seem to be any "ease" built into this pattern.  I've taken a sharpie and drawn where the toggles will go.  This helps establish the overlap on the front.  It's really pulling across my hip / gut.  Does this make me look fat???? And I haven't got a clue what's going on in the back.  It's bunched up all over.  

So I experimented by letting the front out by about 2 inches.  I think it's a start in the right direction. 

In addition to at least 2-3 extra inches all around, the shoulders may need to be just a touch wider.  I'm not a fan of huge shoulders but I'm  having  a hard time getting my arms into this coat.  Speaking of arms, I'm also afraid that the sleeves are too narrow and tapered.  Does anyone else think they look out of proportion for the coat?  

Making the pattern pieces

After months of just looking at the pretty pictures it was time to pull out the pattern.  Thanks to many web sites I was pretty well prepared for what it would look like.  Still, that initial once over is pretty shocking.  All the pattern pieces, in all 4 sizes,  overlap each other in random directions. So, unlike an American pattern where each piece can be cut out of tissue paper, I will have to make my own patterns from the pattern sheet.  A website somewhere recommended a product called Swedish Tracing Paper which is available through Amazon.  It comes in a roll of 10 yards x 29" and resembles a very lightweight interfacing.  It's terrific stuff and I would highly recommend that you try it.  It's so much better than that flimsy easy to rip tissue paper.  Apparently the stuff can actually be sewed to make a muslin, but I'm going the traditional route.  Plus I don't want to go through the extra step of having to take it all apart when it's time to cut the fabric.  

Ok, here is my process.  First I locate a piece that I need. In my case I will only need the coat back, front and sleeves to make the muslin.  (I later added the hood to better define and reinforce the neckline) Remember! .....  THE PATTERN DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SEAM ALLOWANCES! So I added 5/8"  allowances to the sides and 1 1/2" hems for the sleeves and coat bottom.  Since hindsight is always 20/20, I wish I had made all the vertical seam allowances 1" .  This would have given me more room for alterations.  The layout guide shows all the seam allowances (metric of course! sigh), so I also consult it frequently for any oddities.  (On my coat something funky is happening at the front lower hem which I will figure out later. While tracing you may encounter little marks perpendicular to the sewing lines labeled with the size.  These, I have discovered, are matching points, so I mark and cut the little triangles that appear on American patterns.   I  mark the grain lines and write myself notes on the pieces.  The tracing paper is very durable and forgiving.  When I screw up it's very easy to tape on a piece and keep going.  

When I learn exactly HOW SMALL Japanese men are!

Fabric in hand, it's time to pull out the pattern and get down to business.  My pattern has sizes S - XL , a size chart and figures of a man showing chest, waist, arm and height.  Using my handy dandy dashboard converter I find that the chest measurement for Size M (which I consider myself to be) is only 35" - 37".  Yikes!  I will have to go all the way to Size XL ( 38" - 40" chest) to get even close to my 40" chest measurement.  Clearly I'm going to have to learn how to alter a pattern if this coat is ever to fit me.  I will start by making the basic pattern pieces using the XL lines, sew up a muslin and see just how SMALL this coat is going to be.  Wish me luck!