You would not know it too look at my shimmery purple beauty named Romy, but she totally kicked my butt! I tried to give up swearing for Lent, but this project broke down all resolve. A sailor would have blushed!
Look at Style Arc’s Romy. She doesn’t look that difficult, now does she? A few seams, a front placket, a collar, and a couple of bellows pockets. Easy-peasy.
Welllll, things are not always as they appear. First off, I was using Seattle Fabric’s Silkara, which is a beautiful, iridescent, highly water-resistant nylon/poly fabric. Perfect for raincoats in rainy Seattle. It also does not press worth a damn. Which is kind of significant when you are constructing an unlined jacket using flat-felled seaming and the fabric ravels if you look at it sideways. I worked on this coat at my ASG sewing retreat, and the actual assembly of the jacket pieces (center front, side front, back and sleeves) was not hard. Just took a l-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-g time because of aforementioned pressing/double stitching on every seam.
Hmmm, but that front placket. Put one side in 4 &%^@#^%$ times before it was “right”,and the other side twice. Where were you when I needed you, peeps? I could have used some expert counsel because as we all know, Style Arc does not overdo in the instruction department. Thank goodness my sewing sister Helen kept me sane, because I was seriously considering murder more than once.
Despite all my rage and hysteria during the process, I LOVE the completed jacket. Yes, I will be emailing Style Arc with a few “suggestions” on how to improve the placket pattern pieces and the instructions. I may even write up a little tute on how others might go about constructing it with less ripping and cursing. Beg me, it will definitely help.
Happy sewing!
Maris
You’re a survivor and you chose a great fabric for this jacket.
Hahaha – I should have played the Survivor theme song! I think the fabric is the only thing that kept me going, and today I had 3 students (all 11) and was able to impart a life lesson. Can’t very well encourage them to persevere if I’m not willing, right?
Love the coat! And nice photos of you and your coat (DH taking or self timer?)
Thanks Lynn! What a bear it was – but definitely happy with the outcome. Camera work was all DH. I want to use the timer eventually, but need to practice.
What a fabulous coat! Love the ‘a sailor would have blushed’ line. Too funny. Missing retreating – maybe next year. You look mahvalous!! g
I missed you too gMarie! Thanks – I think I will really enjoy it. And “thanks be to God” it is done (except snaps)!!
I love it! It’s gorgeous (and so are you missy)!
Thanks darling, you are too sweet!
I hope you enjoy wearing the coat enough that the pain of its creation subsides. I *love* that color!!!
Thank you Lisa…most of my pain has subsided The bottle of wine helped! 😉
This turned out great! I was tearing out my hair the whole time I was constructing this jacket and thought it was just me being in over my head with an advanced pattern. Question: did you increase the seam allowances to do flat-felled seams, or is it possible to do them with Style Arc’s 3/8″ SA?
Thanks Ginger! I definitely increased seams to 5/8″. I think you could do a tiny flat-felled with 3/8″ SA, but never in a million years with the “spongy” rainwear fabric I was using. Those plackets – arrgggh! It was NOT you. I am going to write some tips and add to patternreview.com. Might save some other poor soul a few strands of hair! 😉
I had the sAme problem too, so glad it wasn’t just me. I did flat felled seams without increasing seam allowances – its doable but definitely wouldn’t recommend it!
AMEN!
All your perseverance in taming that unwilling fabric really paid off. That jacket is fantastic weather perfect and beautiful color!
Thanks, SewMelodic! I hate to let a fabric get the best of me. 😉