Liana's Coat is Finished

I got photos of the coat on me, so I'm adding them at the top of this post.





Link to All Photos in this Post

I got the buttonholes finished today, and now I'm completely done. I'm very pleased with this project. I don't have any photos of me wearing it because I dropped the camera on a cement floor while I was taking these photos, and that was the end of that!

I don't think you can see the shaping very well on the form, but it has a very nice, subtly slimming line, and has a lovely shaping to the side seam area, even though it doesn't have side seams as such. Marfy drafting shows its excellence once again, at least in my opinion.

The lining is silk charmeuse, and I used the same corded-look whipstitch with DMC floss to attach the lining to the body of the coat as I used on the pocket linings. I also attached the monogram circle to the right front lining in the same way.


Here's a close-up of one of the buttonholes. I used the same DMC floss to make them as I used on the lining, etc.

The stitches are fairly large, and even at this scale they tend to disappear into the pile of the cashmere. I love the way the bead on the edge of the lips makes a perfect line, and I think the variegated floss adds just a little spark to it.

Here are the buttons buttoned through the buttonholes.


I want to thank Marji for spurring so many of us to start and finish a coat project. I know I would not have attempted such a complicated project with so many new techniques without her encouragement and knowledge.

Still Here, Still Working - Liana's Coat

Great idea for the roll call Marji! Thank you. I'm still plugging away on my coat, and although life has definitely gotten in the way, I will finish this.

To answer, yes, I'm back working on my coat, although it's been a harrowing process. I've been somehow unwilling to take the next steps with it, and I finally decided that it's because I don't like the extra I added to the front per Roberta Carr's instructions. After careful looking, pinning and checking of both the muslin and the actual coat in process, I've decided to cut off the extra and go with the original Marfy drafting. I don't know why I thought I should try to improve on them, they obviously know more than I do. Ann Rowley some time ago noted that this was NOT the way coats were done anywhere she's been. They always tape the edge and pull up on the tape if it wants to swing open. After my testing, I suspect that Marfy has already taken the whole issue into account somewhat anyway. So, as usual, I make work for myself that I don't need. Part of this epiphany came about after I pulled out my corduroy/suedecloth Marfy carcoat I made last year and thought about it as I wore it. It's about the same circumference or narrower than the cashmere, and seems to be fine, even though I whacked it off shorter than designed. I had forgotten how much I like it until I put it on again. I do wish I had done padstitching in the lapels, but I didn't really know enough I guess. I'm now wondering if I could do a little remedial stitching invisibly through the back of the lapels and get results. Any opinions, or even the voice of experience?

I also have been working on cutting the patch pockets and flaps, and realized quickly that I really can't match the pattern perfectly since there's a dart that ends below the top of the pocket. So, I'm going to match the front and lower edges of the pocket and match the flap to the pocket and call it good. As busy as the pattern is, I think that will be fine. I only get one chance with this since the repeat is large, and I have to have a pocket and flap that match on each side, and I don't believe there is enough fabric to do another set. I'm going to trace 2 copies each of the pocket and flap pieces so I can place them all before I cut.

So, work is progressing, although not as quickly as I could wish. I don't want to rush though, or try to do tricky things (like match and cut out the pockets) at less than optimum times, like late at night when I'm too tired to realize I'm too tired to do things right.

It's so wonderful seeing all the beautiful finished projects here. I hope we're going to be able to extend the life of this blog until most of us finish.

Liana: Cashmere Questions

I wasn't sure if I should start a new post on this but I have several questions about what I should do with my fabric. As you know, it's 100% cashmere. I've read all the pertinent info you have posted on fabric, luxury fabrics, underlining, fabric prep, etc., and I still have questions.

1. I was planning to have it pre-shrunk at the cleaner's. I was thinking of just having them steam press it rather than clean it, although they are a CO2 cleaner which might be gentler anyway. But, all the texts mention rather strongly that steam can damage cashmere. What do you suggest? I'm not one who routinely sends clothing to the dry cleaners. I brush, air and shake them, and only if there's actual dirt would I send this to the cleaners. So I'm a little worried about taking my gorgeous fabric to them now to see if it will come back unharmed. Am I worried about nothing here?

2. It's extremely soft and drapey, and definitely needs underlining. I have tried lots of fabrics with it using your over-the-arm test and also holding both fabrics together and holding them up to myself in front of a mirror, and silk broadcloth and silk organza (which I happened to have on hand) seem to be way too lightweight. The cashmere is soft enough that if I drape it over my hand, I can see my knuckles, etc. right through it. This continues to be the case with organza and broadcloth, although 2 layers of broadcloth will soften the knuckle-effect a bit. I don't have enough silk broadcloth to do a double layer, and I think a double layer of anything is just asking for trouble anyway. I tried Pam's non-fusible interfacing under it, and I think that's what I am leaning toward. It gives it a tiny bit of body, yet it still falls in beautiful folds. Do you think I will be okay with this plan, or do you have any other ideas? This fabric is so soft by itself and I don't want this coat to look like a limp rag, or to show outlines of the shoulderpads, etc. I don't think I want flannel, as I don't believe I need the extra warmth. I'm planning on lining with silk charmeuse.

Liana's Muslin - Fitting Part 2

For reference, here's the Marfy pattern I'm using.

(Working hard to get Marji's opinion before she leaves us to our own devices.)

I inserted the sleeves and the collar. (I love the collar!) Then I decided to narrow the back. I figured the pattern ease with their ideal measurements vs the ease with my measurements and found that I have more ease all around. I narrowed the CB seam by 1" at the bust, angling to 1 3/4" at the waist and hip. I also narrowed the side back seams by a little to make up the total ease difference. It turns out that I like the original better, I think. With the suit jacket on, the coat is too tight across the hips IMO, and although it's all right with just a blouse on, I like the drape of the non-changed silhouette better. So unless I hear differently, I think I'll make it up as is. I think in the cashmere, the back is going to drape much better than the muslin, and that will make a difference.

I worry a bit about the CF off-graining being too much, but again, you can't tell until you get it in the real fabric, and Roberta Carr says you can always cut it off with no ill effects, so that will be the first thing I check.

I do agree with the idea of a soft chest pad, although the sleeves and collar have helped a lot. I may put a little more padding on the right shoulder, at least in the back.

Here are many photos.
The first set is with No Changes and a Blouse underneath.



Back Narrowed and a Blouse underneath


Back Narrowed and a Suit Jacket underneath


Once again, all photos larger here.

Original post below. Should I delete this part?

There are horizontal lines at the waist and hip on the muslin although they're showing only faintly. I have the shoulder pads pushed out 1/2" out from the shoulder seam, which is marked also. The front edge is turned under and the hem is turned up. I have a suit jacket on under the muslin in the top 3 photos, and I realize that the collar is making those weird vertical lines, although originally I thought they were a hollow-chest thing. I have a low right shoulder, so I have a little extra pad (maybe 1/4") on the right.



All Photos Larger Here

I'm going to construct the sleeves but won't sew them in yet.

Liana: Pattern & Fabric Decisions

Well, after all my pattern ideas, I have settled on one that I didn't even mention or show in my last post on Sew Intriguing. I should have realized right away that since this gorgeous Cashmere Print has such a lot of pattern, it needs a very staid, classic style to balance it. When this year's Marfy catalog came out, there was a coat pattern in it that is a style I'd been looking for, and although I had no plans to make another coat anytime soon, I bought it. I knew that if I didn't, with my luck when I wanted the style I wouldn't be able to get it or find another. This is Marfy #1746.


Photo Link

I actually looked at this pattern originally when I was going through coat patterns I have, but I was so fixated on a swing-type coat that I just dismissed it, and as I said, a swing coat style with this fabric just never came together in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to make it do so. For some reason, I came back around to this pattern and looked at it again, and suddenly I could see it in this fabric, and it seemed to be just perfect.

The pattern has a Front and Side piece that are cut in one with a vertical dart from the pocket level to the armscye in lieu of a princess seam, and also a short horizontal dart off of the vertical dart. There is no side seam. The Side piece joins the Back as an armscye princess seam, so there's a lot of unbroken area for a patterned fabric. There is a CB seam. It has a 2-piece sleeve of course, and the under- and upper-collar and front facing are drafted to include the turn-of-cloth. I've found all Marfy patterns to include this, and it's awfully nice. There are no lining pieces, but that's easily remedied.

I've ordered a swatch and also asked for a swatch of a plain cashmere or similar fabric in the darker color if they have it. I think it would be fun to do the facings, under collar, and bottom side of the pocket flaps in the plain color. They said they'd look, and if I can't get it, doing everything in one fabric will work very nicely too.

I checked the hem circumference of this pattern against several other patterns I have, and also against several coats I have, and although at 60" it's narrower than the other patterns I checked (the Patrones is 74") it's the same as 3 coats I have that I like very much, and which are perfectly comfortable in width. So, I'm not worried about that.

Marji suggested that I do Roberta Carr's off-grain addition to the CF on this coat since it is fairly narrow, and I'm glad she brought it up as I'm not sure I would have thought of it. It's an easy change to make, and I'm now ready to cut out the muslin and stitch it up to try on. I'm glad to do this muslin for reasons other than the obvious fitting, because I'm figuring my own yardage needs, and I came up with 3 yards by measuring the pattern pieces. The catalog recommends 2.8 meters for a smaller size than mine, so I'm hoping to be pretty close. I cut my muslin piece at 3 yards, so I'll see if it will work. If not, I've got more muslin and either way I'll know how much to order. I may order a little extra anyway, just in case, and for print placement.

My sister had a wonderful idea about using any scraps. She suggested glove cuffs, and wouldn't that be pretty luxurious? I've decided that any gloves I make should themselves be a knit or at least non-ravel fabric that's somewhat stretchy. Even leather has some stretch. Anyway, that's all pie in the sky until the coat is done.

I know I'll need underlining for this, and I'm anxious to get the swatch and see what I think might work, and I need to find a really nice lining. I'm thinking silk, and I'll see if I have something I like or if I need to order something.

As Marji noted, The Vogue Sewing Book says:

"Don't skimp on the inner fabrics: interfacings, underlinings, and lining fabrics should match your fashion fabric's quality."

I want to do this well, and if I'm going to use a wonderful fabric, I want to at least try to end up with a wonderful coat. I'm certainly going to have all the help I could ask for to get it right.

One thing I've realized while planning and thinking about this is that although I've always said Yes when asked if I have more than one project going at once, I actually don't do it very often, or at least if I do, it's not more than one "major" project, so this will be an interesting experience from that angle as well. I'm not sure I'm really comfortable putting down the jacket I'm working on, for example, and beginning pattern work on this coat. I think I need a list with steps to do on it more than ever before.