Maybe its a bit odd that someone living in central Arizona would join a coat sew-along, but I’ve seen so many fabulous handmade coats lately that I jumped at the chance. I’m very much a beginner and this will be my first lined jacket. I’m undecided on the pattern right now, but I’ve narrowed it down a bit. I would very much like a peacoat length jacket with a statement collar. I would also like a jacket that is versatile and can go from casual, worn with jeans, to dressier, worn with skirts and dresses.
Butterick 3914 from the 70s has a great collar and I like the length, though I would probably leave off the patch pockets to make it more streamlined and modern. I can see this in a statement color such as deep red or a bright turquoise.
My frontrunner is surely Vogue 8623. I adore the oversized collar and pack pleats. I love the idea of showcasing some fabulous buttons. Plus, a few fabulous reviews on Patternreview.com and Carolyn’s stylish version really romanticize this pattern to me. I picture it in a charcoal-grey type wool with a contrasting lining, maybe a fun shade of lime.
The only thing is that I will be in Zurich, Switzerland and various other parts of Europe till the end of July (tough life, right?), so I won’t be near a machine to get started. Instead I’m just going to take my sweet time searching for a perfect, luxurious fabric and lining while I am here. Certainly there is a fabric store in Milan or Paris, am I wrong? 😉
I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone’s progress goes, even if I’m late to start. It’s exciting to see MaryNanna’s success with coats in the past, Sherry’s superb drafting skills, and Barbara’s very thorough pattern investigation. I blog over at 98 Red Balloons, feel free to pay me a visit.
Oh I love the Vogue coat. I’ve always adored that back pleat action. And I am so jealous of your future European fabric shopping. *drooling*
I love both your ideas – if you can’t make a decision you could always make both!
I hope you are going to give us a full review of those Parisian and Milanese fabric stores to help relieve (or maybe it will exacerbate) our shopping envy!
I love the Vogue! For some reason I pictured it in brocade. Boh. But that’s just me and the sparkle love. 🙂
So curious to see your fabric choices! I’m sure there will be more than one, hehe. 😀
That Vogue is yummy! (Did I mention I’m a sucker for princess seams?) Have fun with your fabric shopping—the final product will be much more worth the wait! (And I’m a nearly-novice coat-maker, too… the closest is some little jackets for my daughters)
@Barbara – Oh! Now I’m picturing it in a Brocade, too! I’m going to have a heck of a time picking fabric… sounds like the Vogue won