I spent my Friday night and the vast majority of Saturday working on my coat. I feel as if I really didn’t get that much done since I was primarily working on correcting some seams in my bodice (more on that later). But I did get my fun, little pocket detail done after lots of stressful/precision stitching.
This is where I ended up but let me go back to the beginning for you all.
After seeing this wonderful welt pocket on Etsy & the Coletterie, I knew I had to recreate it on a garment for my very own:
The pockets on my Butterick 5824 Coat are vertical and are placed at the side seams. So instead of fighting with the original pocket design I decided it would be easier to make the tabbed pockets first then stitch them onto the coat. This meant that mine wouldn’t be as sleek as the original (since I had to double-up my fabric) but I’m still happy I was able to get the similar look & feel to them.
First Design:
The pink paper at the top was my original, crude hand drawing of the tabbed pockets from the original (so I didn’t have to run back and forth to my computer to see the pockets).
The blue tissue paper is what I mocked up from the drawing. I used the height of the pocket opening as my guide to how long the tabbed design should be, and as you can see I was playing around with different curvatures for the pocket. I’ve included a 5/8″ seam allowance all around the perimeter of the pocket to help me assess the design and to also aid in stitching it up.
I cut two identical pieces out in some scrap cotton I had laying around, I then stitched all sides except the bottom, turned and pressed it right side out.
Held up next to the bodice and crinoline on my dress form:
The shape is okay, but it seemed a bit too large for my tastes. I wanted a subtle, chic look not an *in your face* pocket.
I decided to fold the top and bottom edges in by 1/2″ and I also decreased the width of the curvy part to make it a bit more narrow, yet still in proportion to the length:
It’s a subtle difference, but I think it’s much better.
Marking changes on the template:
I know there’s a lot of lines happening now… but you can see that I have marked where to remove some fabric by the slashed/wavy sections. On both sides I am removing 3/8″ and near the curve I’m going to be folding that bit down to make the curve less prominent (same as folding a pattern over to shorten a bodice or a sleeve.)
From here, I got so wrapped up into stitching my pocket tab that I didn’t do much documenting. So here are my steps:
- Cut out 4 piece of fashion fabric with the template (2 in my coating and 2 in contrast material)
- Make contrast bias tape
- Attach bias tape to the curved edge on each pocket set
- Stitch pockets, right side together leaving the bottom edge open
- Trim allowances to 1/4″, notch around curve, and grade the points
- Turn right side out and press till satisfied
I basted each tabbed pocket detail on the side seams with 1/4″.
This is the underside of the pocket:
I didn’t use the blue fabric on the underside of the pocket because this grey fabric was a bit thinner and I figured it would make for a nicer looking pocket.
After this step, I stitched the pocket bags on top of the tabbed pocket, again using a 1/4″ seam allowance as the pattern directions stated.
I stitched the side seams together and from there I tacked down each of the tabbed pockets to help with the large turn of cloth there was at the side seams from all of the widths of fabric.
This is the final pocket on the right:
This is my favorite pocket out of the two; it has such a lovely curve to it.
This is the left pocket:
It’s just okay. It doesn’t have that great, round curve instead this one looks a little flatter. That’s why I put this pocket on the left instead of the right.
Do I think the right pocket is going to be seen more than the left? No. I can’t seem to find a good reason now why I put the better looking pocket on the right instead of the left (besides the fact that I’m right handed). heh
The last detail I am planning on adding to my pockets is a little button in the contrasting charcoal grey.
I had this button lying around, so I just laid it onto so I could imagine what the final one will look like.
What do you guys think about the pockets and buttons? I’m thinking the button will look smashing since I’ll have a similar colored button on the bodice, about 6″ above these pockets.
Final Thoughts & Next Steps:
Skirt Design: The skirt portion of this coat is really, really full. It seems like it’s almost as full as a circle skirt. I held it up against my body and it seems to emphasize my hips too much and makes me look dumpy. I’m not sure if it’s the length (still too long) or the fact it’s not attached to the bodice, or that I don’t have a belt cinching my waist. But right now it just doesn’t seem to work for me.
I’m debating re-stitching the seams to take out some of the width on the skirt. I won’t do this until I reduce some of these factors; I’ll first attach it to the bodice and tie a belt around it and even pin the hem up to fully gauge if I need to reduce some of the width towards the hem.
And lastly….. I hate to admit it but I’m starting to get tired of sewing my coat. There are so many other projects that I want to get done before the winter and even more projects I want to make for my cruise in January that I haven’t even begun to plan for.
I guess I was hoping to get further than stitching the pockets & skirt and fixing some issues on the bodice after a whole day’s work. I still have to hem the sleeves, cut and sew the lining, figure out the detail I’m adding to the outer collar & then stitch the whole thing up. At this point I only feel like I’m 1/2 way done….
What do you guys do to keep yourselves motivated to continue a project? (Because I think this is the point where I generally stop working on something to start a new project…)
In: Sewing
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