Help!

I've just posted photos of my muslin over at my blog GMarie Sews. Please go take a look and let me know what you think.

Your opinions and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Progress, finally

I have finally cut out and interfaced my coat and started sewing the lining. I got waylaid by shoulder problems and then surgery. A whole lot better these days and I am getting some sewing done. I will post pictures when I am further along. Right now I am trying to decide whether to add buttons or not. My dh bought me 2 large buttons on ebay from my favorite jewelry designer. I really need to decide soon if I want to make bound buttonholes, or I'll be taking it in to Jonathan's to make machine made buttonholes because my machine will never work on this thick fabric.

Progress update

I'm sorry to say my coat project isn't soon to be finished. I worked on it more than 80 hours and yet, I'm at step 25 out of the 75 steps on the instructions sheet.

Saying I'm discouraged is, at this point, an understatement. I realise I shouldn't have selected such an advanced pattern, I was way too optimistic and too confident.The fitting took me an anwfull lot of time. Then I spent an other awfull lot of time testing and trying the traditionnal tailoring of the collar and lapels, only to abandon them for soft tailoring after I realised I can't possibly choose such a slow route or I will spend the entire year working on this coat alone. Then I practised a dozen times bound buttonholes on the very thick wool I use for the coat until I felt I got them down to a T only to end up with a mediocre result on the coat itself. The flap pockets do look OK from the outside but beware looking at the pockets from the inside... Again, mediocre result. These were successive blows to my sewing mojo and confidence since I practised so much and got them just right on practise fabric scraps and then messed them up on the coat. Very disapointing.

I wanted to throw away the whole thing and start sewing kitchen towels at least a dozen times lately. Finally, I decided to be more stubborn than the difficulty at hand and I'm determined to finish the coat. Only, I won't hold my breath... I will most probably take it easy, and not try so hard. May be I need to step away from it for a while, hide it under my bed or some more secluded place, then return to it after I successfully sew few easier, faster, more rewarding things (like kitchen towels ;-))

Right now I'm stuck at the underarm gussets. My hesitation has to do with insecurity after my sad performances on the coat itself despite my tests efforts for bound buttonholes and flap pockets and also because I don't feel I truly understand how the gussets should be stitched.

I suppose I could say rendez-vous in a few months. I can't even say in a few weeks (let alone few days).

Meanwhile, all the beautiful coats I see here are totally inspiring. You all did a great job. I can fully appreciate the amount of work and skills it takes and I say Brava to all of you.