Don't It Make My Green Coat Blue?

I spent a good part of yesterday doing an initial pattern fitting for my Lady Grey coat.  If you remember, I originally planned to make this out of a green wool flannel, but after reading Gertie's great interview with pattern designer Sarai of Colette Patterns, I decided that fabric was too thick for my first project of this kind of complexity.  Also, topstitching.  It was the monthly 35% off weekend at Fabric Depot Friday and Saturday, and I picked up a positively pettable lightweight navy blue camel, along with the rest of my coat supplies (everything except for the sleeve heads; still need to find those).

And I had the perfect lining fabric already in the stash.

Anyway, I've completed a pattern fitting, and so far, I'm pleased with how things are going.  I started by cutting out all the pattern pieces and ironing them flat with a hot, dry iron.  I then marked all the seam lines and taped the curved seams on the side front pieces, the neckline and the arm scythes to help them withstand the fitting process.  In pattern fitting, you're always supposed to start with the back because you won't know exactly what you need do to the front until the back is done.  Here's mine with no alterations.

Droopy drawers!

I'm lucky that I generally don't have to make a lot of changes to the backs of garments to make them fit properly.  However, since I've never made a Colette Pattern before, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was pleased to discover that other than needing a smaller size than in the Big 4 patterns (always a plus), my standard adjustments held true.  I cut the 10 because my measurements are almost identical to that size, and it was a good fit to start out with.  You can see in the picture above that the side seam is not aligned properly, but I just wanted to see what I was working with.  You can see a little rippling at the armhole.  This is because I have a slightly round back (but don't we all?  Darn computers!).  If I'd bother to have taken a picture from the side, you would be able to see a slight gap in the back part of the armhole about 3/4 of the way to the shoulder seam.  But other than that, it looks pretty good.

Here's the back after the round back adjustment.  You can see the small tuck I've taken in the shoulder seam, and I've added that width back to the seam where the sleeve will attach.  Other than that, the back looks pretty good.  It reaches the center back, and the side seam is perpendicular to the floor (although you can't see that with my arm in the way like it is).  You'll have to trust me, and I'll remember to take side pictures next time.

Yeah, not my best side.

After the back was under control, I could check the front out.  The first thing that I did was lower the fullest part of the bust on the side front piece 1 1/4 inches.  Seriously?  I've been professionally fitted for bras.  The girls are right where they're supposed to be, in between the elbow and the shoulder.  So what's with the boobs placed right under the chin?  The only people I know who are that perky are still in high school.  Which, now that I think about it, actually might really be a statement about who I know.

Boy, do I look happy.

Once the fullest part of the bust of the pattern was actually at the fullest part of my bust, I could see that the center front of the pattern didn't quite make it to my center front.  You can see that the front edge of the coat isn't straight, and while this isn't actually meant to be straight as drafted, it's supposed to be straighter than this.  Also, as I'm holding it in place, you can see the pattern pull across the body.  So, I started the whole process of an arm princess full bust adjustment.  Because Colette patterns are sized for a C cup, my adjustment was a lot smaller than it usually is.

You can see from the pattern as adjusted that I cut the pattern from the bottom up to the bust point (mine is 12 inches down from the shoulder seam) and then angled to the arm scythe.  I also slashed the pattern from the side seam to the bust point where there would usually be a side dart.  I spread the long slash 1/2 inch which lengthened the left side of the pattern piece.  I adjusted the right side for length before filling that long slash with pattern tissue.  Then from the fullest part of the bust, I slashed to the bust point again and closed up the slash made previously at the side seam.  This small slash was also filled with pattern paper.

Once all this was done, the front piece also had to be adjusted for length.  This was easy and involved cutting on a straight line and adding in 1/2 inch of length and truing the front edge.  Because I also slightly increased the front bust curve, I was also supposed to add some length to the front piece princess seam, but because I only added 1/4 inch to that curve, it didn't turn out to be necessary.

So, here's the front as altered with the collar turned down and in place.  See how the front now hangs much more smoothly?  And you can sort of see how the side seam is in the right piece.

I'd like to say for the record that I'm so glad that this isn't going to be a paper coat, because, wow. Wearing the pattern?  Not cute.

Oh, Manny. 

Since I featured the girl cat in my last post, I thought I'd give the little man some time as well.  Hyde is my sewing buddy.  He loves the upstairs bedroom that I've co-opted as my sewing room and will spend hours sleeping under my sewing table so long as I'm there.  Sadly, I suspect this has to do with Hyde's love for sewing tools rather than a devotion to me as he has discovered some of his favorite toys in the middle of a project.  That black strap that he's playing with?  Rigilene boning.  I was using this to support a high-waisted skirt when he got a hold of it.  He loves it so much, I don't have the heart to take it away from him.  Luckily, it's not very expensive, and he's spent more time playing with this than any cat toy we've bought for him.