In the Pink

Work is, officially, still kicking my butt right now.  

But that doesn't mean I haven't been stealing minutes here and there to sew.

It just means those minutes are fewer and farther apart, and that sometimes, I choose to use those minutes to gork on the couch with Nutty Bars instead.

The back of this coat needs a belt/sash, but it's wearable for now.

This friend needed some loving, and I couldn't make him wait.  : )

The Details:

Pattern: Sewaholic Robson, minus the storm flaps, shortened by 8 inches, and with pockets raised by 1 inch.  Otherwise; Sewaholic Robson.  Sizewise, I cut a 10 through the shoulders/bust, and graded to an 8 at the waist and hips.

Fabric: hot pink wool and poly polka dot lining, both from Fabric Recycles, a local fabric store that buys and resells stashed fabric and notions

Notions: medium weight fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply, 16 buttons, 2 spools of thread, copious amounts of steam, chocolate cake, yard beer

Time to complete: about 3 1/2 pounds (see above re: chocolate cake and yard beer)

Necessary tools: bamboo point turner, big block of cedar fencing and a couple of pieces of oak hardwood flooring scraps to use as clappers, steam, steam, and more steam, and a walking foot.

Sources referenced: The Singer Sewing Manual, by Mary Brooks Picken, copyright 1962 (ish), The Sewtionary, by Tasia St. Germain, copyright 2014.

So, about this coat: I decided I should try bound buttonholes.  

On a coat with eight button holes.

Try them, they're fun! my mom said.

Spoiler alert:

Fun! would've been one.  Maybe two.  Perhaps even three.

Eight was work.

 

Enter stage right: The Sewtionary.  I ordered this book in April or May, and the pictures are really nice.  I love that the samples she used to demonstrate techniques were on patterns I already owned, or at least was familiar with.  After a couple of tester buttonholes, I was good to go and knocked out the eight buttonholes pretty quickly.  Use lots of steam to press the bulk flat is the only tip I'd pass on that wasn't in the book--otherwise I'd give it 5 stars: great eye candy + informative + useful.

The problem came when I tried to make life harder for myself and line the coat.  I used the same basic coat pattern pieces, but cut the back piece on the fold, and folded in the excess seam allowance into an inverted box pleat.  Then attached the facing pieces to the shell, and attached it the jacket as you would in bagging a lining.

And, um, I hadn't yet cut the windows for the backs of those button holes.

I wish I could tell you I figured out a trick that may change your life, but really it was careful marking, cutting, and 2 evenings of handstitching on the couch while watching The Roosevelts on PBS.

Tip to change your life? Cut and press those windows before attaching the facing? Or handstitch the lining to the facing after the button holes are done?  Your guess is as good as mine, as I am not motivated right now to experiment with that.  Leave tips the comments, please!  

Easy pattern addition: a petersham ribbon hanging loop.

(Stole Repurposed the ribbon from a Boden shoe bag.)

Sleeve cuff tab!  

And finally, we all know it: Hidden polka dots are the next best thing to exposed polka dots.

Maybe even better.

I've got polka dots that you don't even know about.