The Late Night Sewist

Hi!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that not everything I sew makes it way to the blog and some not even to Instagram. But I had the inspiration and bought the fabric already a year ago, spent months on and off this project and battled the Burda magazine’s written only instructions (especially confusing for the back slit with linining) so this coat (Burdastyle 2/2019, model 105) definitely deserves a little post.

Since I am more and more used to pdf patterns and more and more dislike tracing, especially something that has so many large pieces, I actually bought the pdf pattern, although I also had the magazine. Still the pattern comes without seam allowances, but this time I added them straight to the paper to avoid tedious marking on the fabric.

Since I added 1cm seam allowances instead of 1,5 as required, I was extra careful not to make any stupid mistake down the way and made a test pocket before sewing the actual ones. That part went really well in the end, everything looks neat. But what gave me a really hard time and lot of wrapping my brain around it, was the back slit on a lined garment. Burda instructions are just words after words and I was lost pretty quickly. They do provide a drawing, but since it depicts a generic lined slit (as for a skirt) and not the exact one where the lining also had to match in the front, I got through with fingers crossed that my guesswork would hit the nail. Eventually I managed it, but I actually don’t even feel like I learned a lot because I don’t feel much more confident than before.

I made my coat in size 40, no adjustments. For some reason, finding a suitable pattern was really hard. I wanted it to have the storm flaps but not be too fussy with buttons and epaulets and such. And I also envisioned the lapels to have sharp corners instead of the rounded ones that you see, but I didn’t want to mess up anything and therefore I made them according to the pattern.

The fabric is a water repellent polyester and the fun matching lining is also polyester. I was afraid that this combination would make the coat clingy due to static electricity, but it hasn’t been the case so far.

I wore it last night for a friends birthday celebration that ended up at a random bar and I got to bed at 4 AM, but it was so much fun. It was great to meet up with some really old friends from school and they generously complimented on my coat that made me especially happy.

Until soon!