Simplicity 2508 Coat part III + Found Fabric

Last post pictures seemed like I was in the same place as before basically but with the addition of the pockets and the collar we have made more visible strides toward finishsed coat. 

Odd thing with the collar.  I took out 1/2" width to account for the width taken out at shoulder seams.  All dots and markings match up, but the collar does not over lap at CF as it should.  How odd.  I don't dislike the effect and so I'm leaving it.  Can't do anything about it anyway. 


Now I just need to cut out the lining, sew lining, button holes, and finally buttons!

These are plaids from my mom's stash that I pulled out of the storage unit.  This brown plaid is my favorite.  I laid it out with a pencil skirt pattern and found some moths took small bites out of one area.  Also, it was a little stinky.  So, after I figured out that despite the moth lunch I still can get a skirt out of the yardage, I trotted it off to the dry cleaners to be cleaned and steamed.  Back this Thursday after 4:30.  Hopfully it will not be stinky when I get it back.  I have some redish maroon lining and will just whip that up after coat is finished for a quicky project.

Then I have one more dress for Winter sewing and will move on to Spring/Summer- I think.  I figured out that with my travel for work I could sew spring dresses year round- danger.

I'm off to Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam and China soon so I need a few cotton dresses to be comfy for factory tours and meetings over product costs.  I don't know if you are aware but the cost of producing products in Asia has sky rocketted due to labor increases (thanks iphone) and material increases (cotton shortage, oil prices driving synthetics).  We've yet to be effected as consumers but eventually retailers may have to pass the increases on to you.  I know many companies are trying to avoid that at all.  My advice is find some good quality, long lasting products and you will not be victim to seasonal fluxuating prices- or learn to sew and take care of it all that way :-)

Why I ignore my instincts over and over,

is one of the great mysteries of me.  Simplicity 2508 The Coat I've been contemplating since October when I bought the lovely cashmere/wool herringbone- and by the way cashmere is wool so what does that mean anyway?  Why don't they say cashmere goat wool/plain old sheep wool or something?  But, I digress.  Anyway, I finally cut out the coat.

I fused the pockets, collar and the back tab first. And then I sewed the back tab to get a feel for the fabric.  Looks nice. Photo makes it look uneven but it's a weird illusion- I measured.

It took me hours to do it.  I made one mistake doing that- I didn't cut out the right sleeve length for the long cuff.  So I cut the sleeve too long and I didn't have room for the cuff facings but I didn't figure it out till it was all cut out.  Oh, well.

The pattern is a 14-20 which is weird because I usually make a 10 for knits and 12 for wovens.  So, I pretty much knew that I cutting out a too big pattern but I thought I could just alter it along the way.  And I can.  But really that was my first mistake- not making a muslin, but that's so boring.

Sleeve seams are seawn but the the sleeves are just pinned into the garment.  And that's not dust on the vent it's discolored, I checked.

I fused the front pieces and I knew instinctively that the fusing was too heavy for the fabric but like me, I just kept going.   I finally got all the panels sewn together so I could try it on for fitting and it had several problems.  a) it's ginormous  b) it has way too much flare and c) the darn fusing is so heavy that the flare of the side front flops over the top of it.  Am I right about c?

The good news is that it's salvageable.  BUT, I think I have to rip out the front panel and peal off the fusing and use a lighter one.  AND, I need to reduce the flare as well as trim down the size all together.  I think that will help.  I don't have that sinking "this is a disaster" feeling yet, but it's looming.

Anybody have any suggestions?