December is just around the corner and the cold weather has now set in, so this meant the coat project I started in May this year really had to be finished!
Making a coat of any type can be hard work and even harder if it involves a range of different techniques like a zip, pockets and press studs but some how making something of your own that you can wear over and over again makes all of this worth while.
I made a Closet Case Patterns Kelly Anorak – this is the first anorak I have ever made and the first time I have ever used waxed cotton so this was a new experience all around.
You can choose to make the anorak with or without a hood – I decided to include one as I’m planning to wear this out in winter so I’m sure i’ll need it at some point to protect me from the rain.
As this was such a large project, I decided to treat myself to book on to a course at Guthrie and Ghani in Birmingham to make my coat alongside some other sewists. The course was great fun, the other ladies on the course were all really nice (I’ve not actually met any sewers I don’t like) and we also spent quite a bit of time socialising so that was super too.
Most of day one of the course was spent cutting out the pattern and the fabric. There are quite a lot of pattern pieces and depending if you decide to line your coat or not, this adds extra materials to cut too. I’m not sure about you but I don’t really enjoy the ‘cutting out’ process, its hard work at times as well as being a bit tiresome – although I know it is always worth it in the end.
The best thing about starting a project like this on a class is that you have the reassurance that you are moving at a similar speed to other people and you can check any instructions you are unsure about with other fellow sewers – like your body measurements or what length you want your final garment to be.
By day three of the course, my project was well underway – although I didn’t manage to finish it may be due to chatting too much!
Since then months have past by and my unfinished coat has sat in a box at home. This was partly due to the fantastic summer weather we had and me not wanting to spend my time sewing a winter jacket and that partly I was quite scared of making a mess of any of the anorak by myself at home.
Its funny really that I put off sewing the final parts of my jacket for so long, as when I got down to it – it only took a few hours to put on the arms, cuffs and finish adding my press studs.
If you are thinking of making this pattern, the instructions are detailed and do guide you through the steps of the coat making process nicely – although this is not a project for beginners.
I found the project really challenging which can be good and bad. By day three of the course, I had managed to melt the top of my zipper a bit on the iron (note to self use a metal tooth zipper in future for coats) which upset me a little as I couldn’t stand the idea of having to undo all of the stitching I had done so far to ‘set in’ the zip. However, I managed to save the zip in the end my using my unpicker to ‘pick’ the random melted bits out of my zip teeth so it will now zip up almost to the top of the coat (which is good enough for me, I always wear a scarf anyway).
I’m really pleased with my final project although don’t think I will rush into making another version too soon as it took a long time as well as lots of concentration (something I’m short of sewing in the evenings at times)!
I got my tan waxed cotton from Guthrie and Ghani (they have a few other colours too), lined the body with a mustard cotton lawn I picked up on holiday earlier this year and lined the arms with some anti static dress lining I had left over from something else. 
Have you made this pattern before?
Until next time, happy sewing.
Becky x
I don’t know about you but if I have an evening to myself, I can’t think of anything better than putting on my PJs, getting some snacks and sewing something – it takes me away from any worries and allows me to simply concentrate on being creative.
