McCalls 5525: Rose peplum trench

 

 

I love trench coats! I like how you can make them fit loose but then cinch them in with the belt, the perfect blend of flattering comfort.
The fabric is sateen from Spotlight, I've had it in the stash for awhile not really sure what to make out of it. It alwasy screamed a full skirted 50's style dsress but since I never seem to wear them a nice floral trench seemed the go.

 

Pattern adjustments;
Same as last time; I used a sz 18 with a 1.5" FBA and (from memory) about 1" to the back width and arm width.
 I added the peplum onto the back, its about half a circle skirt. 
I lined the peplum before sewing it on, I've tried bagging out the lining on a a jacket with a peplum before and found the lining hangs down and the peplum doesn't sit right.

I did bound buttonholes.

Single welt pockets

 

 

The lining is just plain black with flat piping around the facings.

I've got a lot of excess at the back of the sleeves/upper back again. I've had this happen on a few jackets, I have pinned it all out in the past but then found it restircted arm movement and since it drives me nuts to have to take jackets off to drive I left it alone. I have a theory its because I do a wide back adjustment out of FFRP and then gather the excess when I sew the shoulder seams together, it seems to leave excess sitting there in fabrics that won't ease out easily like a wool.
I noticed it as well on The Great British Sewing Bee and Patrick said you need seom excess to allow for movemnt so I feel a lot better! On that topic, I love that show and am so gutted its finished, bring on the next season!

I couldn't get this to photograph properly, all the pics came out overexposed and I adjusted the colour and now they are a bit too saturated, grrrr, anyway the background is black and the roses are a nice blue toned red btw. I've had this finished for the last week but these are the best pics I could get!

McCalls 5525: Shauntung trench progress

After the success of the Violet trench and how much I wear it, I wanted a dressier version of it and when I saw this cotton Shantung on the clearance table I snatched it up!


Same details as last time, the fabrics a lot thinner this time though and was harder to get the bound buttonholes looking as nice, they're a bit dodgy at the edges. I used a rat tail cord to cord the buttonholes to give them a bit more body.


Lining's a silk satin and I've made piping from the satin side of the shantung


Buttons are from Judiths (Hubbie's great nan) stash.



I'm hoping to get a big chunk of it finished over the weekend. I've been really enjoying sewing in my new room this winter, its so warm with the heater and so nice to look out at the rain, such a difference compared to sewing out there last year!

McCalls 5525: Violet Trench

I've been thinking about a trench coat for a while, I started this pattern ages ago with a grey polyester peachskin and sew-in interfacing and ended up hating how it looked, then I saw Marie's and this this one on the city chic website I was convinced! I particularly liked the pleats in the back which flare out into the coat skirt.

So first things first - I started with McCalls 5525, traced out the 18 with a 1.5" FBA. The material is a stretch drill and a polyester satin lining. I interfaced the front pieces, front facing, upper back yoke, collar stands and collar with armoweft fusible and the side fronts with a medium knit fusible interfacing.

Pattern changes - Added a upper back yoke and a back facing and then marked and slashed the remaining lower back piece for the pleats which are 1/2" wide and then top stitched down. I pinned them and then hand basted them with silk thread. First time using silk thread and it is so great to use, so easy to sew with and just slides out when removing the basting!


I also changed the position of the front buttons/buttonholes to make them sit a lot closer which seems to be more flattering on larger bodyshapes, and cut off the excess (about 1" wide) from the front of the pattern piece, from the lapel fold line down.
I used the sleeves from M5969 as they are 2 piece sleeves which I already know fit me.
I was hoping to add more details like epaulets but ran out of fabric, infact it got real dicey for a bit, I used a satin for the undercollar because I had no spare fabric!
I'm still not sure if I attached the collar and band properly, I managed to lose the pattern instruction and have never sewn a collar like this before!

Bound buttonholes on the front (don't mind the chalk lines - is there any trick to getting them out other than washing them out?).


I changed the pockets to single welt and added a double welt pocket to the lining - I should have interfaced it a lot more though because its a bit floppy!



I added self drafted sleeve heads from this tutorial and shoulder pads, they still seem a little floppy but look ok when I'm wearing it.


Satin lining - I love how it feels but geez I hate cutting out and sewing it!


I'm really happy with how its turned out and its so comfortable to wear!