The McCalls 5525 coat - progress

I am SERIOUSLY impressed with this coat pattern!  I am so impressed that i'm going to make the trenchcoat too.. 

The sizes actually do correspond to the sizes printed on the packet (unlike some patterns I could mention), the instructions are clear - there are no ambiguities, the make-up is straight forward easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, and the finished article fits like a dream - no alterations required whatsoever.  This is a first for me!

I did as Gertie said and applied some 'light tailoring' using my trusty tailoring book, also with easy to follow instructions:

You can see how the pad stitching (I know, don't laugh at my pitiful efforts) really does shape the collar. I have interfaced (and stitched) the under collar, although the pattern says that you must interface the top part of the collar.

I applied a back stay and underarm re-inforcements, using plain, stiff, calico - the front was also interfaced with stiff calico. (Note to self : must acquire pinking shears!).

And, again using my trusty book, and Gertie's sleeve setting vlog, I used a peice of hair canvas to set the sleeve.  This did the double job of providing a little support for the sleeve head.

The sleeve went in like a dream - no problems at all .. not even cause for one little tiny swear word!

The lining goes in very easily - one thing you might like to know if you decide to make this, is that the buttons and button hole placement markings, only need to be marked on the facings of the coat.  This saves a little time!  I am really really pleased with the fabric combination I have here, and the lining is so silky smooth and soft that the coat has an extremely luxurious feel to it..

I love the collar on this coat!  So very late 50's / early 60's  don't you think?  The finishing touch is topstitching. It makes such a difference to the final look of a hand made garment. I stitched right under the collar too which isn't in the instructions.  The way the collar it is attached means that the collar stays down better if stitched down.

The only thing left to do, is find some buttons.  I looked through my vintage button stash, but havent anything quite right, so I will either use self cover buttons, or I will take a trip to a vintage store in town to see if there is anything appropriate there.  

If you want the whole story on this coat/pattern, then please click HERE.

Setting sleeves into a summer coat

Hmmm.. I knew I wouldn't like sleeves very much... ok.. it was my own fault for not doing some extensive research beforehand, and for relying on my memory banks to serve me well in such 'difficult' circumstances, but we are all silly at times!  I am hoping that my fear and loathing of sleeves is not permanent..

So I followed the instructions on the pattern, made my gathering stitches, matched all my dots, triangles, marks, seams and notches - after spending quite a while trying to work out which direction everything should be pinned in ... I eased the sleeve cap, then basted it all together as is my habit with precision jobs like this...

Round and round I sewed, pulling and stretching the gathers out of the way, cursing when a few were caught under the needle and puckered, but after a while, I thought ... 'Surely this sleeve is done!" .. Whereupon I discovered problem number 1.. I'd been doing laps ... No thread in the bobbin meant that nothing had been sewn! Doh!

I wasn't too perturbed due to aforementioned catching, so I began again, and got this....

Puckered... not good - a 'sad sleeve' as Anne at Gorgeous Fabrics would call it (see below) ... However, cheered by the fact that this was only my first attempt I picked my needles and pins up and continued onto the second  without delay ... (note - no in between research has taken place!).

Second attempt, I was a bit more meticulous about my gathering/spreading .. but still .. not perfect ... to be honest, I find it very very difficult!  Not to mention frustrating!

Second sleeve attempt was OK enough for me to carry on with the project, and as I am going to be working with wool, I resolved that I can hide a multitude of sins with a good shot of steam!  But that wont help with the polyester lining, and so research - if only to sate my curiosity on how something so impossible can be possible was undertaken at last.

This is the finished toile ... it's a PERFECT fit - I am really impressed by this!  I will most certainly buy more McCalls patterns in the future.  I am used to Simplicity patterns which usually fall off me, however small I cut them!

And in the interests of sharing, here's the results of the further research that I should have done before I started! 

• Gertie's Sleeve Setting Coat Vlog which gives a cool (and easy?) tailoring technique with hair canvas - I am going to do this with this project!
• A lovely clear printable instruction sheet for regular sleeve setting - good for blouses and the like
• Fantastic tutorial from Gorgeous Fabrics using 2 different techniques, Hand basting, and Pin Basting - I am going to try these in a non-tailoring project
• Comprehensive video tutorials on the traditional method of sleeve setting and then sewing in the sleeve.  This video is worth watching just for the sewing machine!

Making the McCalls M5525 Coat

It's all very well making one's own patterns, and learning how to sew the various creations together using your wits, but there's ALOT to be learned from following a well chosen commercial pattern, or even better, vintage patterns where you can pick up forgotten or seldom used techniques which were probably, in their day, seen as quite basic, but which now may seem quite unusual.

And so I have had a splurge on ready printed patterns!  The first I am making, is inspired by Gertie, and is thhe McCalls M5525  summer coat.

There is no tailoring in this pattern, but, Gertie has applied "light tailoring" techniques to hers, and it seems to have worked very well, so I thought it might be a good place to experiment before trying a more advanced tailoring project which I have wanted to do for a while, and even more so, since following Gertie's fantastic series of Vlogs, which explain how to make a coat.

I'm going to make view A - the yellow one bottom middle.  This design is made for summery fabrics, but I am going to use a light wool fabric which has a 'waffle' type weave from my stash - I really can't justify going out to buy more fabric and lets face it - this is the UK, it could be snowing in June!!

The lining is a stretch polyester green tone leopard print fabric, and I shall use some medium weight calico as interfacing along with a bit of hair canvas to interface the collar with.  I will cover the buttons (both sides?) using these fabrics.

Having made up the toile very quickly in one afternoon, I am quite impressed with McCalls sizing and ease of instructions!  Usually, if I cut a size 12, which is what I am in pattern language (size 8 in the shops), it's far too big, but this fits very well and is a very nice cut, with a very sleek line.  Even though I haven't cut all the pattern pieces to make the toile - I am primarily interested in fit at this stage, it has been very simple to assemble, and the instructions easy to follow..

Now I have a small confession to make ... ahem .... err... I have NEVER sewn anything which has a sleeve!  So that's what I'm going to do tomorrow!  Attach the sleeves to my toile.  Yes, never ... I'm frightened of them!  I can see disaster looming! Wish me luck!