winter

Felted Wool coat is finished and warm for winter

coat 1Solstice finishings 007  Solstice finishings 005Just in time for Winter I finished the coat!

dec 20 13 011dec 20 13 017I removed the excess cotton lining from the sleeves and finished by folding the silk up and over the cotton and slip stitched to the wool. This stoke of laziness gave me a warm inner sleeve as the silk falls gently around my wrist.

I created hoops of hemp thread for the hooks at the top and waist. They work really well.dec 20 13 004dec 20 13 027

This was an overly long project but worth every bit.  The coat will keep me warm for our west coast winters!

Basted: The washed wool winter coat.

Basted: My washed wool winter coat.  The beginnings.

 

Wool coat front side panel

The washed wool was a 4 meters of wool plaid found at the thrift shop for 10$.  I washed it in hot sanitize cycle of my washing machine with the bath mats and slippers!  This was done over two years and the material stuck around in the stash.  I suspect that this winter will be cold and that I need a proper warm coat.

For the pattern, I am using the 1912 traveling coat. https://austerity101.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/now-for-my-jacket-2/ I really like the princess cut of the pattern.  It is easy to meld into my shape.  As I added greatly to the length to bring the coat to just above my knees I found that I was a bit short.  So the under sleeves and front under panel are in the natural wool.

 

Other things 023The coat will comprise of the washed wool in plaid and a natural wool also picked up from the thrift shop for a few dollars and washed the same as the plaid over time. I purchases some quilting cotton batting for the inner layer for warmth.  The lining will be in blue sand washed silk. Again, a thrift shop find of 6meters for 20$.

Other things 022

 

Nov 7 13 014When I put the cut wool  pieces together and sewed them on they shifted.  And that was with the walking foot in full gear!  So, I pulled each seam apart and hand basted each seam so the plaid now matches at all seams.

Washed wool coat front zipper view

The front opening is by zipper on the left side.  Again this was had picked into place and topstitched by hand to keep it there.

Washed wool coat - basted front view

Washed wool coat - basted backt viewSo before I can add the interlining and lining, I will topstitch by hand all seams.  This is to seal each seam with the overlap.  It will add bulk that will be hidden once the interlining is in place. Then I will steam the seams.  Then on to the interlining, lining, hood and cuffs.

 

Cape idea 2 – from a single piece of fabric and some hemp thread!

Cape 2  from a  single piece of fabric and some hemp thread.

Sep 12 13 055

Hemp Thread – yes Hemp!  It is .2mm and I think too big for my machines so hand stitching is in order.

Sep 12 13 056

Recently purchased wool plaid from the thrift store was begging to be a wrap. It measured 172cm long and 155 wide.

Sep 12 13 037

So, I started to fold at one corner 8 inches ( I use both metric and imperial in my sewing and cooking – it comes from starting my school years in imperial measurements and having to learn metric in middle school) from the raw edge and folded to the count of 10. Secured it with some pink hemp thread As this is only a test, I hand basted the raw edge of the plaid with more pink hemp.

Sep 12 13 050

Then I got another Idea and it was not to pleat the left side but to bring it up in a swanky way.  To complete it I did a fast chain stitch on the left side to keep the folds in place for the drape of the hood.

Sep 12 13 060Sep 12 13 061

So this is what I now have hanging out with Daisy (yes, I named the thing that pretends to be me for these photo shoot.)

Plad Cape with folds 1Plad Cape with folds back 2Plaid Cape front 3

The beginnings of a cape.  It is asymmetrical but has a nice look.  To finish this, I need to baste the bottom hem as it is the cut side of the fabric, craft an opening for the right hand and imagine a closure for the front.

But should I take the time to finish it or rip it apart and make a skirt? Or pants, or vest? you get the idea.  Feedback is always appreciated.

I have already started a new one but it is only pinned.  It is a dusty rose-pink from the 80’s,  a woven silk with a very nice drape. It is my next part of the little sewing no cutting capes that bellow from my fabric stash.