Monthly Archives: April 2012

My new coat!
This is McCalls 5525, view D.  I have used this pattern before; my first version is view B, pictured here.  My second version here is mid-length also, and has the wide symmetrical collar with a button tab on the collar stand (in case it gets really cold, I suppose, so if you want to button it right up to the collar you can), and three-quarter length bell-shaped sleeves (pictured below).   I also made the in-princess-seam pockets a mite deeper and bigger than the pattern.  Have I said before how much I love this pattern?  Oh my… I can see from the post on my previous version that I stated I would be making this pattern again.  I can’t believe it has taken me this long!  I love trench coats.  I want more!
For my fabric, I used a lovely piece of cotton gabardine in a warm translucent-eggshell shade of ivory, that was in the bundle of fabrics given to me by my friend C from her late mother’s stash.  I knew the moment I laid eyes on it that it would be simply perfecto for a super stylish trench coat, like some of the oh-so dazzling white ones I have pinned from the last (Northern) winter.  Oh, did someone say “shows the dirt”?  Shushhhh!!  Banish those dirty thoughts!  Naturally my coat will stay pure as the driven snow all winter long since I am a master laundress (haha) and never ever indulge in outdoor activities (haha hahaha)  But what the hey, that is why Napisan was invented, no?  Ahh, Napisan, best friend of those addicted to pale clothes…. what would we do without you and your magical cleaning properties?
There was a hiccup to start.  Even though my piece of ivory loveliness was the perfect fabric for a trench coat, I did not have enough for an entire trench coat.   Hmmm.  A trifling setback.  But I resourcefully checked out the bridal section of Fabulous Fabrics… And y’know what? found some de-lustred satin, that was not only an almost pretty-darn-perfect match in colour and very acceptable match in texture, but also was of a thickness, stiffness and weight that was pretty darn identical what my gabardine would be like if block-fused with sturdy iron-on interfacing.  Which I joyfully realised that I then did not have to do.  Score!!!  So I cut all my pieces that required interfacing from the de-lustred satin, and saved myself that extra step of interfacing.  Such pieces being the front facings, collar stand and collar facings, tabs, and the self-fabric belt.  The other pieces were cut from my gabardine.
Funnily enough, I did this exact same thing, using two matching fabrics of different weights the first time I made up this pattern.  Life repeating itself…  🙂
For the lining I used a medium weight ivory satin.  This is quite thick too, so I’m hoping this will make it warm enough to wear all winter.  (Please don’t write to tell me how pathetic our winters are.  Yes, even in the dead of winter we are still 2000 miles away from the nearest snow.  No need to rub it in)
The buttons; I did not want perfectly black buttons, and found these at Fabulous Fabrics.  They are a deep deep blue-y charcoal with little flecks of ivory.  They could not be more perfect.
So, I realise this is quite a picture heavy post.  Please excuse that.  I guess I’m a mite proud of how it turned out  🙂  And to be fair you need a few pictures to address the all important question of which of these belts looks best with the coat; self-fabric belt (above), black leather belt (below), or even no belt at all (far below)?  Which do you think?

Details:
Coat; McCalls 5525, view D, ivory gabardine, ivory de-lustred satin, ivory satin lining, my review of this pattern here
Skirt; my own design, charcoal jersey knit, details here
Shoes; Misano, from Labels boutique