Burda Style For people who sew
Description
Last fall I decided I needed a wool coat; I was at the time, very much on a sewing hot streak, which included writing an article for Mixtape about guys who sew. Some of my Burdastyle friends had made coats and I couldn’t stand the idea of buying one from the mall, so I decided I would sew my own. I told my mom I wanted a coat for my birthday (meaning that she would buy the materials and I would make it). I went to a Fields Fabric and got most everything I needed with the help of the kind women working that day.
Then I started what would be almost a years worth of work.
I didn’t want a pattern because I am very tall (6’5’’) and very narrow, and I figured altering a pattern would be to hard. I instead decided to copy my brothers wool coat (from the Gap) and simply add length and subtract width. It worked, but it took a lot of measuring, sketching, and time.
Usually I would hit a milestone and then leave the coat for awhile. Sometimes the busyness of school kept me from it. Doing the lining was extremely intimidating. I was scared to ruin the expensive lining material. I also knew that I was in way over my head due to my choice to not use a pattern. It was definitely a challenge to get the damn thing fit right. I had to add several pieces to the lining as it wasn’t large enough with the first fitting.
But it is done now and I am very happy with it.
Material Notes
wool, cotton liner, interfacing, silky lining material.
Difficulty
Novice
Categories
Credits
I bought the materials at a Field’s Fabrics here in Grand Rapids. The women who helped me was most helpful and encouraging. Thanks to her.
I used my mother’s table top Singer, which is mostly all metal and far superior to the plastic cased one I got for Christmas.
My Brother Kevin took these photos, thanks Kevin.
17 Comments
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May 23, 2010, 02.28 AMby cbsheff
So well done. 6’5’’? It’s no wonder you began to sew…
May 20, 2010, 11.47 PMby marloncosta
wow! Great coat!
Aug 15, 2009, 09.53 PMby themedusa
It might have taken a year but the finished coat looks smashing. Especially like your choice of plaid fabric, it’s very becoming.
Aug 14, 2009, 05.15 AMby stephaniemorgan
killer and classic.
Aug 3, 2009, 09.30 AMby polychromatin
Yeaha, you did it! Great coat, the fabric is very nice and good job on doing it without a real pattern! Suits you very well!
Jul 30, 2009, 11.42 AMby jujubee
I’m really really impressed, it turned out great!
Jul 30, 2009, 02.50 AMby sewingblokeuk
10 out of 10 for perseverance – it looks great. I hope I’ll soon be able to do the same.
Jul 30, 2009, 01.45 AMby lillasyrran
What a fantastic coat! Great job with both the pattern (or copy) and the plaid!
Jul 30, 2009, 12.42 AMby charlie
what amazing attention to detail – thats a brilliant coat.
Jul 29, 2009, 10.16 AMby kallers
Wow, I have some serious coat envy. This is BADASS! And excellent job matching the plaid.
Jul 29, 2009, 06.16 AMby redviv
I work the same way except I usually decided I’m not interested any more and start a new one. Good on you for seeing it through! All that time paid off.
Jul 29, 2009, 05.29 AMby carottesauvage
You are back!!!!Fantastic coat!…. definetly worth the wait,How was Paris? All the best!!
Jul 28, 2009, 10.49 PMby harlekin
this is so adorable, you did such a great job!!!
Jul 28, 2009, 09.08 PMby juebejue
its beautiful!! i love how it looks and you matched the stripes so nicely! ngreat great job!
Jul 28, 2009, 05.42 PMby nikkishell
Oh WOW!!! You ROCK Jeffrey! oh and did you know you are mentioned in the Mixtape Zine poscast on Craft Sanity?!
Check it out here!Jul 28, 2009, 05.21 PMby verypurpleperson
You finally did it! It’s fabulous! I still have my coat fabrics that I bought for last winter lying around, too intimidated to start cutting it…. Maybe next winter….
Jul 28, 2009, 01.41 PMby lunatepetal
awesome coat! fits you really well :)
i’d love to make myself a nice simple coat this winter, although it is hard to think about it right now in this heat….