Every year I plan to make a coat and I usually put it off and off until it’s summer again and by then I don’t want to be sewing winter wear!
I’ve managed to make one so far (see it here) but that does unfortunately mean that I’ve still got piles of unmade coat patterns and corresponding fabric lying around!
So I’ve made a list of the coats I’ve currently got planned. My theory is that if I tell all of you I’m going to make them then I’m more likely to do it!
I’m determined to make a dent in them this year, though I reckon it’ll probably be a few years before I can tick off everything on this list!
I’ve chosen all relatively cheap wools for these makes as I’m so uncertain as to whether I’m going to like them or not! The idea is that these are all wearable toiles and eventually I’ll be able to use some really fancy fabric to make a perfected version of one I love!
1. Yona wrap coat by Named
This is the first one of the list to be ticked off as it was September’s #SewMyStyle offering! This is a relatively simple wrap coat from Named which came out a couple of years ago. I made mine in a patterned wool. The right side has little polka dots and the wrong side has these white crosses over the top. I actually preferred the wrong side of this fabric so I used a mix of both for contrast.
Fabric: £8/m from Stitch Fabrics
2. Aime Comme Mazarine by Aime Comme Marie
I am in love with the silhouette of this coat. It’s actually very similar to a RTW one I got from Zara a while back which I loved. I feel like this could become a classic winter wardrobe staple for me!
Fabric: £8/m from Stitch Fabrics
3. Cascade Duffle by Grainline Studio
Who doesn’t love a duffle coat? I’ve always been a bit put off starting this coat due to the sheer number of pattern pieces. It just seems like an immense project! I do think it’ll pay off though. I’ve chosen a classic red and black plaid which shouldn’t age too much!
Fabric: £5/m Saeed’s in Walthamstow
4. Kelly anorak by Closet Case
I really need a light raincoat. Really, really. At the moment my raincoat is a cheap one I got in New Zealand whilst I was travelling there. It’s not particularly nice or flattering but it does the job. I’m hoping to upgrade with the Kelly anorak in a polka dot waterproof fabric I got from the Cloth House warehouse. If this goes well, I might make another in a yellow oilskin!
Fabric: £4/m from The Cloth House warehouse
5. Aime Comme Montmartre by Aime Comme Marie
This is the easiest of all the coats listed in terms of sewing skills. I haven’t picked out a fabric for this yet as I wanted to do something fun and colourful and I don’t tend to keep a lot of that in my stash! I’m on the lookout for the perfect fabric tough!
6. Harriet Lumberjacket by Named
I’m planning a plaid wool and faux sheepskin jacket. It’s going to be awesome and it’s definitely going to be made as I’m planning this for a future Minerva Crafts make! I’ve just got to make sure I’ve got the right hardware for this to work! Any tips on where to find great quality metal zips and poppers in the uk are welcome!
Fabric: £10.99/m from Minerva Crafts
7. Vogue 8940
I’ve had this one actually cut out for a while – it was meant to be a birthday gift to my dad 2 years ago! This is another one that just feels like a massive and daunting task. I really need to just knuckle down and get started. I’ve seen a few beautifully finished ones on Instagram for some very lucky fellas. Hopefully I’ll be able to finish this at some point!
Fabric: £15/m from Saeed’s in Walthamstow
Is anyone else in the coat making crew this year?
10 comments
Ahhh you’re going to finish the V8940 for your dad! Yay! Can’t wait to see it. I’m making jacket version of that currently, and also the RDC Gerard coat for me. I LOVE a good winter coat! Can’t wait to see all yours finished 😍👍🏻
I loved your version of the B8940! Definitely inspiration for me to keep going on my one!
I too have some coat/jacket patterns around that I haven’t made up yet. Annoying when these fall by the wayside! I could use a couple of jackets (I’m in Victoria BC Canada – we have winters much like the UK) A few I’m excited about too AND some wool. I also have this wonderful fabric from Thread Theory that I came across in my stash the other day – it’s like a rainproof knitted knit (Dinetex sweater-like wool) that is super warm and I bought to make a nice jacket from and still have yet to get to it. Being that we’re in October it’s so soon to be winter which is when these jackets won’t be warm enough! You’re right – it’s something that needs to be done in the summer to be ready for fall but it’s so hard to sew with wool in the heat of summer! 🙂 I love the patterns you’ve shown here but there is no way I’m buying more jacket patterns until I get to the ones I have already 🙂
Some very nice looks there Emily. Last year was my coat year, I did a Marfy in a green/ charcoal herringbone wool from Pendleton that took me about six months to complete, and then a Butterick classic pea coat in navy Melton for my daughter. Both were inner lined for warmth with linings, pad stitching and bound buttonholes, but we’ll be wearing them for many years, so it was worth going all out. 😊
Wow! That sounds like some project! I really want to do the whole interlined and pad stitched thing but I’m not sure if it’s worth it until I’ve tried all the patterns first and made sure I’ve picked one I love – I don’t think I can bring myself do it on all 4 of them!
Loved this post, thanks for the great ideas! Does the aime comme montmartre coat have instructions in English?
It does have English instructions though I haven’t gone though them yet so I’m not sure how detailed they are! On other Aime Comme Marie patterns I’ve used, I’ve always found them to be a little bare! I’m hoping it’s a simple enough pattern that I won’t really need them though!
🙋🏻 I’m on the coat making crew! I have a lengthened tamarack to finish up (I went with hand-quilting and am now deeply regretting it…), I’ve already knocked out the Named Yona with SMS, and I really want to squeeze a trench (or two) in too, just a matter of picking the right pattern (so many good ones out there!)
Totally rooting for you to finish as many as you can!
How exciting – I love reading about coat makes!
I need to face up to this, too, definitely. MY RTW sleeveless parka isn’t going to cut it in the depths of winter. I’m starting with an easier one, B6244, which I hope will be quick and solve my ‘smart coat’ wardrobe gap. After that I need something like Kelly or the Sewaholic Minoru for freezing cold dog walks and wet weather…
If you do make the Cascade duffel coat this winter, the sewalong for that pattern is awesome – although there are a lot of pieces in a duffel (and a lot of layers) there isn’t a lot of actual tailoring to do, so I don’t think it’s as scary as it looks. Go for it!
Haha! Thanks for the tip! The B6244 looks like a gorgeous pattern. I hope yours turns out well!