Sew Over It Coco Jacket Completed!

Yahoo! After an epic session of hand-stitching last night I finally finished my Sew Over It Coco Jacket that I started at the Clapham branch class in November 2016.

This is the third jacket / coat I have made at Sew Over It classes (1960's coat, Francine Jacket and now the Coco). Due to a little previous experience with coat-making I had a better understanding of why facings and fusible fabrics are used to strengthen the jacket and I was able to adapt the pattern using a hem-band like I used for my Francine jacket rather than the suggested class method.

The class was taught by the lovely Kate Underwood who was extremely helpful with a chilled out and calm vibe throughout the workshop sessions.

I bought the wool-mix fabric from Sew Over It for £14 a metre and as it was VERY wide I only really needed 1.25 metres (although of course I bought two metres just in case so I now have enough left to make a winter pencil skirt). I only needed one metre of black lining.

Just to let you know the colour of this jacket is a beautiful Yves Klein cobalt blue which just doesn't come out in the photographs very well. Have that lush blue in your mind whilst perusing these shots...

Don't worry the sleeves are the same length - just not sure my arms are!!

Hand-stitched lining around the sleeve-syche

Hand-stitched lining all along the hem-band

I am happy to have finished this jacket and I have clarified some basic tailoring and dress-making knowledge and learnt a few new processes along the way too.

If I was to make this jacket again I would choose a lighter fabric as the bulk of the wool doesn't allow for a very sharp finish at the edges and corners of the jacket opening. On the plus side it is very warm and cosy!

Overall, I enjoyed learning some new processes and meeting some new sewing buddies (hello Steph!). I will leave you with a random selection of construction shots looking at the internal workings of the jacket.

New to me technique - the Coco instructions require you to the stitch the bodice lining to the arm-syche

Pretty happy with the shoulder and sleeve seam lined up perfectly!

Before inserting the sleeve lining I very carefully and slowly trimmed away excess seam allowances

Sleeve lining pinned in position ready for hand-stitching

What are you working on at the moment?
Is there anything in your work-in-progress pile that you really want to finish?

1960's Coat Completed

Yeah, I've made my first ever coat!
Ok, so it has only taken me since the start of November 2014 to complete this beauty and was beginning to wonder if it wouldn't be ready until November 2015.
To re-capp, this is the 1960's coat from Sew Over It. I attended the workshops at the Clapham store and was taught by the lovely Julie Johnston who breaks down the coat construction into manageable steps. There is quite a bit of homework between classes but it is worth it in the end.

Pattern: Sew Over It 1960's coat
Fabric: Cashmere and wool blend from a shop on Goldhawk Road (£Expensive p/m)

What new things did I learn / do?

• Fusible facings on wool
• Clipped collars and shoulders to improve internal structure
• Internal shoulder pads
• Fully lined garment

Back to the 1980's - shoulder pad time!

Fushia pink lining