Resize a coat

Added Nov 10, 2009

by foxyroxy

Santa Barbara, C...

9c135d9ef4236b867a6734e9c10de515d75ffdcb_thumb

Views

1567

Img_1662_large
  • Img_1662_grid
  • Img_1664_grid
  • Img_1666_grid
  • Img_1663_grid

View All

Description

Dear Burda Family

A few days ago I posted seeking some help in resizing a leather coat I found at a thrift store. Here is a pic of the coat. My plan is to just reduce the size of the coat. I will be using the original button holes, button and if possible the pockets. My concern really is getting a really good fit and the lapel.

I am a really adventurous sewer. I will try anything! I have never worked with leather before, but patience, the internet and a few books lend for some really good sewing.

What I am looking for is some advice, tips or what would you do

Material Notes

This is a leather coat, fully lined and never used. I got it from Good Will (thrift store), tag included. The coat is really big 2XL compared to my size 12.

Categories

For
Women
Garment Type
Coat/Capes

3 Comments

  • Charlie-deeshadows1_large

    Nov 11, 2009, 11.14 PMby smallone

    hi there a recent Burda Magazine had a leather jacket with a lot of info on construction with how tos including how to glue seams etc. that may help you – Style 126 from 10/2009

  • 1253ef6da08f9a1c901d80b9de58822a5056c690_large

    Nov 10, 2009, 11.17 PMby candyjoyce

    I’ve only really worked with leather about three times so i’m no expert. The most important bit of advice that I can give is to make sure you use a leather needle on your sewing machine, they are a different shape at the tip so it pierces through the leather as you sew.

    As for actually resizing the coat, I can’t offer much advice, it’s tough with leather cos you can’t even pin it to see what different options would look like.

    If it was my project (and I had the patience) I would copy the general shape onto calico to help figure out where I needed to resew the seams. I’d want to give it a fitted shape with emphasis on the waist. I’d unpick the side/front/back seams and resew to this new shape. This might present problems at the armholes though so you’d want to focus most of the shaping on the front and back seams. You’d get quite a bit of spare leather by doing this so you could attach a button band to the back for extra fitted-ness. Personally i’d also try to rough it up a bit to add a bit of texture and an aged feel to it.

    Either that or chop it off at the waist and hey-presto! A Bolero is born!

    Good luck with it, looking forward to you posting the results.

    1 Reply
    • 9c135d9ef4236b867a6734e9c10de515d75ffdcb_thumb

      Nov 12, 2009, 05.24 PMby foxyroxy

      Thanks! All advice is good advice. I won’t be working on this project for a while. I like to do my reseach first especially when something is new.

      Regards~

  • C9c58f92ed60d1987d1a711106e37cb70262f08a_large

    Nov 10, 2009, 05.11 PMby anajan

    I am not an expert on working with leather, but I think it would be convenient to find/draft a pattern of the coat in your size,following the basic shape of the given coat. Then you can relatively easy rescale the coat following your pattern.

    Convenient thing about the leather is that you can cut it as you like, you can patch many pieces together, and the result looks great.

    Also, take a look at some of Lauriana’s works on leather:

    http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/jacket-from-recycled-leather http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/recycled-leather-nr-2

    Good luck! I’m looking forward to see the outcome.

    1 Reply
    • 9c135d9ef4236b867a6734e9c10de515d75ffdcb_thumb

      Nov 12, 2009, 05.25 PMby foxyroxy

      Yes, I have seen her work…she is good. Her jackets has lots of detail. I’m so not there yet. :-)

      Regards~

Add a Project

Help

Add to Favorites no one added it

Featured

Burdastyle

http://burdastyle.com//projects/resize-a-coat