Wardrobe by Me Classic Coat

I just finished my first wool sewing project and it was so much fun.  I was a tester for the new Classic Coat by Wardrobe by Me (affiliate).  In exchange for testing I received the pattern for free.  If you have not been brave enough to sew with wool I highly encourage you to try a project soon.  My wool was  natural wool coating from Cali Fabrics. I bought their last 4 yards and I'm hoping to try dyeing wool with what I have left (a bit under 2 yards).     I did have to use my walking foot to keep the layers from shifting while I was sewing, but otherwise it was dreamy to sew.  The lining is a fun iridescent blue crowns slippery polyester lining.  I live in Texas, and I know the weather really doesn't require a wool coat often, but  I was pleasantly surprised at how cool it was while I was taking pictures.  Since it is a natural fiber it actually breaths really well and I think I'll get more use out of it than I originally imagined.  It is a cream coat and yes I do have 4 children and a dog, but I love wearing cream and really hope that this coat can survive despite those factors.

When Wardrobe by Me posted she was testing a classic coat I was intrigued, because I know her drafting is top notch.  If you are not familiar with this designer you can read more about her here.  This is a fully lined and properly interfaced coat.  This pattern features a two piece sleeve, like a true tailored jacket.  The sleeve is asymmetrical with more ease built into the back, so you have excellent mobility.  (I own another PDF designer's coat pattern and was really disappointed when I discovered the sleeve was cut on the fold.)  The patter is designed to fit loosely at the waist, but I didn't find it was baggy at all.  I really love the cut.  I think the chest dart brings it in just enough to make it very flattering on all figures. I love that the welt pockets don't add any bulk at my hips. If you prefer, there are pieces for patch pockets instead.



Pattern Features

• Layers
• No-Trim Pages
• Notches for matching pieces when sewing
• Grainlines
• Nice even grading (no size lines cross in random ways, asymmetrical sleeve)
• Sizes 0 - 16
• Imperial Measurements and Fabric Consumption Chart with Body and Garment Measurements
• Metric Measurements and Fabric Consumption Chart with Body and Garment Measurements
• Line Drawings with Style Illustrations
• Illustrations for the majority of the tutorial.  There are a few pictures with the more complicated steps.
• No-nonsense tutorial.  No unnecessary hand holding.  I would describe myself as an intermediate to advanced sewer and I really appreciate patterns that are to the point.

Being a pear, I do not fit neatly in Wardrobe by Me's size chart, and for a long time this kept me from buying her patterns, despite excellent reviews by sewers I admire.  For this coat I made a size 6 blended out to a 12 at the hips.  I picked my base size based on my bust and then just double checked the finished garment measurements to pick the hip size with enough ease.  I'm really pleased with the final fit and very happy that I got over my fear of being so different than her size chart.  Blending sizes is really as easy as drawing a new line that goes from one size to the other.  Try to have the new line keep a similar shape to what the designer drafted and make sure whatever changes you make to one seam you make the the seam that it is sewn to.  I'm only 5'2 and did not have to adjust the pattern for my height.  The designer said that any extra length could be taken off of the hem.  I really like where it falls on my legs, so I did not shorten it.

This is not a quick sew, but it is one of those really rewarding sews, where you watch the puzzle come together and you take joy in the act of creating something beautiful.  There are 60 pages to assemble for the 26 different pieces of the coat, lining and interfacing.  All of them are beautifully drafted and graded.  The notches made assembling the pieces very easy, it is just a question of completing all of the steps.  I am contemplating sewing another, but it will have to be done after Halloween and my boys's school library fundraiser, because both events have filled my sewing project list with costumes.  I think my next one will be with a navy twill.  If you want to try and make the classic coat in something other than wool just make sure your fabric can be ironed  at a temperature high enough to fuse the interfacing.

If you have any problems when sewing the coat you can always get extra support in her Facebook group Wardrobe by Me Pattern Support and her FAQ page.

Happy Sewing!

I apologize for the pictures not having a ton of garment detail.  The cream kept getting washed out by the camera.  I did try to keep my hair away from blocking the coat.  Here are a couple inside pictures of the coat hanging.