Done with it, thank goodness!

I couldn't get any further back or you would see the mess in the studio.

Oops, I did it again!

I worked on the coat while ill this time as opposed to rushing nd I put the collar on wrong. I brought the collar band right to the fold line instead of to the centre front. I only realized after I had it all graded and top stitched. So, out came the stitch ripper and the collar was removed to the shoulder seam, basted then hand stitched into place. Needs a press and some topstitching, but I am going to leave it alone until tomorrow.
Sleeves are in and hemmed, shoulder pads are in. Needs sleeve lining, hemming and buttons and then it can be put away for six months! I think I can get it done in time for Spring.

Again with the tweed!

Collar and front

Full length with the back flare showing on right.

Button jammed through hole. The puckers are because there isn't a shank on the button card. I found four of these at half price at the local sewing shop. I am very lucky to have a local sewing shop just up the road from me. I walked there for a class in about 3 minutes.

I didn't have enough silk to face the sleeves in it, so I have used lining. It still needs some hand work, some pressing and, oh yeah, a longer lining!

Back to Tweed- sounds fitting for St. Paddy's Day

I am the self proclaimed queen of UFOs. I must have made thousands of them in my life. Whenever I run into a snag, I move on to something else.
This happened with my tweed coat. I did not know how to handle the button at teh neckline with the appliqued band and diamonds, so I ignored it. But it is a bulky tweed and there are a thousand pieces. Today, with a balmy temperature of C. 16 degrees, did not seem like a day for sewing a heavy tweed coat. It seemed like a day for sewing a trenchcoat or a pair of spring trousers, but I needed space to do that. So finishing up the coat is now a priority. The lining has all been cut, collar and welt pockets done, sleeves cut.
Today I sewed on the fly closure on one front and the facing on another, sewed the shoulder seams, side back seams and even got the collar basted on. All pressed, no rushing!
The coat looks good so far and the problem of the top button has been solved. I am going to use a hook and eye.

I did it!

They weren't that hard to do, either! Everything had been fused, so no ravelling. I had to ease the pocket bag back into shape on one of them. Once done the one corner showed one one side, which would not have been so apparent had I used black or grey pocketing. However, I used brown Kasha as an homage to the brown in the tweed which has gone unnoticed otherwise. I scooched the welt over about 1/8" and steamed the slight bubble out.
Now to get my work sewing out of the way so I can get back to it!

Setback

I just realized my pockets welts were put in reversed. I put the left in the right and vice versa.
I din't even notice until the second one was in. They looked kind of "unhappy" to me and then I realized the welts pointed down instead of up.
I just have to keep telling myself it won't be hard to change, despite being in thich ravelly tweed with 1/4 seam allowances.
I wasn't supposed to work on them again until Monday and I should have just left it there.
(it won't be hard to change, it won't be hard to change...)

Tweed coat pattern-jumping off point

Single breasted view.

Tweed coat

So, while I am swamped with work and extra family commitments due to my husband's illness, inspiration has struck. Isn't that always the way?
I have some tweed from Emma One Sock that I had planned to make my CSACoat from. It is a mix of black, brown and grey, but many blacks are too black with it and browns are too brown, so I guess it reads kind of a charcoal grey.
I didn't use it in the end because of concerns about the wear of the fabric. The edges of tweed can get pretty ratty quickly. To prevent this I decided to bind the edges with leather and add a few simple appliques in a charcoal melton that works beautifully with the tweed.

The tweed and the initial design sketch.
I am using OOP Vogue 2449 again, with modifications to the fit. I have flared out the back princess seam and made it about 10" longer. Initially I had planned scallops somehow, but went with diamonds for the design. I also extended the rounded collar out to a point.

The plan was made last night. Already it hasn't worked out.
#1-I want to do a fly closure at the front so the buttons don't compete. I have only done this once before and I would prefer to use something I can unpick, so I reversed the fabrics.
#2-But a binding won't work with the fly closure. So applique it is!
I am determined to just DO this before I chicken out.
The collar before turning.
The tweed collar was fused, then another collar in melton was laid over with the stitching lines marked. It was stitched and the inner portion was cut away. I didn't interface the melton, but it needed it, so crossgrain strips were added afterwards. The edging was done in a straight stitch that I will hand embroider over. The threads were pulled through and tied off on the diamonds.
Collar and pocket welts.
This shows the melton edge with leather diamonds along the join line. I did one larger diamond at the CB of the collar.
I learned my lesson and fused the pocket welt melton before the tweed was added. When enlarged you can see the white interfacing showing where the section was cut away from the melton on the pockets. I used a sharpie to colour it in. Shhh....
Welt pocket sewn in.
The charcoal at the front will be the front band.

The collar, before and after the stand. The basting is still there, so it is a bit puckered in places.

Back of collar, looking a bit dirty. There is a lot of pink fuzz around. Mid way through this project I realized I had to make a birthday present for my daughter's friend, so made a pink Minkee rosette cape. That stuff sheds everywhere!
I love the subtle texture contrast between the leather, tweed and melton. You don't notice the diamonds in colour value, but you can really see them when they catch the light.

I would like to add a dark rivet in the centre of each diamond, but am not sure yet. I have time to think though, I won't get back to it until early March now.