Almost Finished. Holla!

I am really close to finishing the coat and, honestly, I am glad.  Project fatigue is starting to set in and it's time to move on to something else.  All that's left to do is to tack down the facing, sew the hem, attach/do something with the belt, and attach the buttons.  

The pattern calls for elastic loops to secure the buttons.  I have no idea where to find this notion or how to make them.  I was thinking of getting some hair twisty things and using that. We'll see.

The buttons I intend to use will be about 1.5 inches and ceramic.  I made a set for this coat earlier this year, but the color isn't quite the same.  I made six more last week and need to have them bisque fired, glazed, and fired again.  That process will probably take a couple of weeks.

Anyway, here's where the coat stands now.  

 

The neck area was challenging to sew because of all of the thickness, but I managed.  I neglected to serge-finish the neckline, so I hope it doesn't ravel too much.  It will be a hot mess if it does and a royal pain in the ass to correct.

I am SOOOOOO glad I went with the Kasha lining.  The coat is very warm and feels divine.  The upholstery fabric is some sort of polyester on the outside and a super soft cotton/poly blend chenille on the inside.  Adding the lining did make the coat much heavier and much more snug.  But the trade off of extra warmth without feeling sticky or being shocked by static is totally worth it.

I L.O.V.E. the piping accent.  I think I will include piping between the facing and lining on every single jacket.  Seriously!  This little detail gives such a nice and professional look.

Oh and Tasia's (Sewaholic) tutorial on creating lining pieces?  FANTASTIC!  Everything went together smoothly.  I can't recommend this tute enough.

That's all for now.  I'll probably finish up the hem and facing today.  Photos of the finished coat and a full review will be posted soon.  Gotta get the buttons!

L

Indygo Junction 740: Back Lining Photos

If I work really hard (i.e., work at all), I might be able to finish the coat this weekend.  Instead of bagging the lining, I will let it hang free.  I figured it would be pretty hard to try and pull such thick fabric and lining through a small opening in the side seam.   In the meantime, here are some photos of the lining.

I bought some seafoam green piping a few years ago simply because it was $0.25.  I had no idea what to do with it, but figured it might be useful some day.  When I saw that it was a close match to the green in the coat fabric, I decided to use it as a border between the lining and front/back facings.  

This is my second time working with piping, so I don't know if what I'm doing is correct; I'm just winging it as I go along. =)  I do know that I need to remove the piping from the shoulder seam allowance to reduce bulk.  What I don't know is if I should have inserted the piping all at once with the front facing or do it in stages as shown above.

Today, I hope to finish the front lining, insert the piping, and attach the facings.

I am thinking about redoing the collar.  It's pretty bulky right now and I think I may have some issues sewing through all of the layers once I attach the facing-lining unit.  I have enough fabric to cut the upper collar and can cut the undercollar out of lining.  I'll think on that a bit more.

Until next time, peace!

L