Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Other Coat

You may remember I was quite enthused about the coat in Burda's December issue, and I had just the right fabric waiting in the stash. This is a designer ottoman bought at Moods a few months ago, it came in panels and I bought two and got a partial one thrown in because it had been swatched. The colors are so not me, but the design is, so I decided what the heck... Think I can only wear this with white or I'll look awful :)) Or maybe I'll give it away...

Yes, that's a fire! I have a fireplace in my room :))

I'm using Roberta Carr's instruction on gathering the sleeve cap. She says to create your own notches by measuring down 2" from top of cap and draw a line out to each side. The new notches are always quite a bit up from where the pattern has them, but I've now done this many times and it works. The cap looks much better this way (when you follow the rest of her instructions of course.) The black in the below photo is a lightweight interfacing that I used on the entire coat.

Now; the problem.
I've never worked (or studied close up) ottoman fabric before so I don't know if this is standard, but in my case the back and the fill threads (which gives those lines) are white. The outside threads are very delicate and separate by the stitching, you can see in the below pictures.

The lapel...

The collar stand... This was the first (and only!) topstitching I did. I placed an order at DharmaTrading for fabric markers and hopefully that will solve the problem.

This is a GREAT PATTERN! BWOF 12-2009-126. So sleek, slightly fitted, a side panel so no side seams, perfectly placed pockets. Collar stand. I made a lapel roll and will use that to steam the lapels in place.

It is SO COLD here in Los Angeles!!! I've already put my cashmere coat to good use, and I'll be making a coat for youngest DD as well, in fuchsia lambswool from fabric.com. They have some great deals over there so check it out :))

6 comments:

  1. LOL what do you consider cold? My cousin lives in Orange County and she complains if it goes down to 60!
    The coat is great. I don't know anything about ottoman but hopefully you'll solve the problem. I never know how to use these types of fabric so its I love seeing how you've done it. So simple, yet really unique. I have to look at this pattern as I've got a couple of pieces of coating sitting here. I also have to look at Roberta Carr's book for this technique. Thanks for mentioning it. She has some marvelous techniques hidden among the hideous 'fashions'.

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  2. Did I tell you how fabulously comfortable my motorcycle jacket sleeves are? Thanks to you they are perfect.

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  3. ottoman, hmmm - you made me look it up on textileglossary.com - here's what it says: Originated in Turkey, this is a tightly woven, plain-weave, ribbed fabric with a hard, slightly shiny surface. The ribbed effect is created by weaving a finer silk or manufactured warp yarn with a heavier filler yarn, usually made of cotton, wool, rayon or waste yarn that is completely covered by the warp yarn, thus creating the ribbed effect. It is characterized by horizontal ribs and is heavier in weight and with a larger rib than both faille and bengaline. It has very pronounced flat ribs in the filling direction. Ribs are made by a cotton, worsted, silk, or rayon filling which does not show on either the face or the back, because the warp covers the filling entirely. It is called Ottoman Cord or Ottoman rib when a warp rib is employed. Fabric is stiff and cannot be gathered or shirred.

    Your ottoman coat is looking a beaut, and it reads like it'll be perfect for a (shhhhh: v-e-r-r-r-y warm!) place like California.

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  4. That fabric is fabulous and your coat is looking wonderful. It appears your fabric is a bit tempermental as well. Wish I had an answer for you. I think with such a strong rib the thread just has issues deciding where to lay itself. Whatever, it is looking terrific and I know you will work this out wonderfully, with "Bobby's" help of course!;)

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  5. It's cold up here in NCal too! Compared temps with my parents in Philly and it's colder here than on the East Coast. Brrr... it's 34 in my backyard right now. (That's about 1 for any international readers. Definitely cold for California!) I've been promised a vintage cashmere coat from my neighbor... her mother-in-law passed away last summer, and apparently I'm the only candidate to fit it.

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  6. I lived in northern San Diego county about 15 years ago and agree that it can get chilly, but I must say that our current temperatures in the 30's here in VA are MUCH colder than it was there!!!!!!
    Your coat looks great - I love all the colors!
    Thanks to the previous poster for the information about ottoman fabric. I wonder if the fabric and the little stools called ottomans are related in any way (were they covered in ottoman fabric at one time)?

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