Shorty short Brooklyn Coat

Let me tell you a sad sad story, that does have a happy ending. Of sorts. 

I bought THIS BEAUTIFUL fabric for the Berlin Coat (and also for the Kyoto Vest which is why it looks familiar).  I had attempted the Berlin Coat the same weekend as this but it didn't go well for me (fabric s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out terribly) so there was NO WAY I was risking this remaining 1.5m on that pattern. 

After much pattern tetris (and going down a size from the L-XL I previously made) I fit the Brooklyn Coat on to the fabric...except for I forgot you need TWO SLEEVES...so one is cut from a short scrap piece and against the grain. Thus the sleeves are quite short to ensure that the "spare" would fit on the scrap...I think designers call that "wristlet length".  But wait there's more! I didn't realise that the back pattern piece was folded up more than I intended (needed to shorten the coat to fit in my fabric) so the back was 14cm SHORTER THAN THE front which I discovered when sewing! 

So that is how I've ended up with a hip length, wristlet sleeved Brooklyn Coat!

I have to admit that it doesn't look too bad - but it's not what I set out to make (another 2" on the length would've been nice...or perhaps another 4cm) and I'm SO mad at myself as I feel like I have wasted this fabric despite all endeavors not to.

Apart form the unintentionally short coat and short sleeves, I cut the size S-M but added 1" to the fold of the back piece (so 2" in total) and thus added they same to the collar piece that joints on to the back. I felt the S-M would be too small and it would've been - the extra 2" across the back makes it wearable.

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Pattern: Brooklyn Coat by Tessuti
Size: S-M
Modifications:  as per the above blog post
Fabric: boiled wool from LOOM
Changes for next time: sigh...I don't even know where to start! 

Brooklyn Coat #2

As promised, here is my second attempt at the Brooklyn Coat, this time in the recommended fabric, boiled wool, and it's worked so much better than my first attempt.

**These photos are not great. It's been raining cats and dogs all weekend in Sydney and it's so DARK outside. Couple that with a black coat and well, the evidence speaks for itself.

I made a few changes to this one - reduced the hem and sleeve length by 1", added 1.5cm to the collar height, added about 1cm to the back fold (and consequently to the collar piece) and I moved the pockets forward about 1.5". I also sewed the side seams up with a slightly larger seam allowance (which I realize negates the addition of 1cm to the back fold).  All of this has resulted in a much nicer looking coat, though the sleeves are still a tad big.

Can I just say that sewing these "overlapping seams" is not easy. More than a few times I had to unpick dodgy seams and try again. It's difficult to sew right in the middle of the 3/8" overlap! Unpicking boiled wool is hard; and the dye from the fabric rubbed off on to my hands (a lot) so by the end my hands were black.

I think the pocket looks much nicer in the boiled wool fabric...though I do prefer the interior pockets of the Sydney Jacket (probably as less precise sewing is required and they still look good). Moving them forward has really made a difference - I can comfortably get my hands in them and they will be used for sure.

On my previous made I couldn't be bothered sewing the sleeve cuff; and I wasn't going to do it on this one either as I actually HATED sewing this coat due to the fabric (it has a funny chemical smell to it, had a hole in it that I found during my cutting out and had shocking dye rub off). In the end I deiced to just finish the coat so I can see how the sleeve cuffs work. I'm glad I did as this little "finishing touch" has really made the coat grow on me.

I think I'd like to save my penny's and buy some really nice quality boiled wool for another of these...maybe that's a goal for 2017.

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Pattern: "Brooklyn Coat" by Tessuti
Size: XL, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance
Modifications: Reduced the hem and sleeve length by 1", added 1.5cm to the collar height, added about 1cm to the back fold and collar piece, moved the pockets forward about 1.5". I also sewed the side seams up with a slightly larger seam allowance.
Fabric: Boiled wool from Pitt Trading
Changes for next time: I'm not really sure. I did try on the smaller size again in Tessuti and it did fit well. Maybe I should sew that size, just add a bit more width at the back fold?

Brooklyn Coat by Tessuti

The Brooklyn Coat pattern was released by Tessuti a few weeks ago. Like the Sydney Coat it's intended to be sewn with a boiled wool, leaving the seams exposed. I saw a sample of the coat in-store before it was released and got to try it in. I really REALLY liked it so as soon as the pattern was released I sewed up my version.

Stupid me disobeyed the fabric guidelines and made this from a wool that does fray - I thought it wouldn't matter (you know, sew it with a triple stitch so it doesn't fray into the seams) but I really think the coat does not look good in this fabric. It needs that "bobliness" of a boiled wool so the stitches sink in to the fabric and the seams sit well but I just couldn't afford to buy the fabric from Tessuti. It's lovely but just way beyond my budget .  I bought this lovely, soft wool from Nomura Tailor in Kyoto so it's a "bit special" but to be honest I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it (I had cape plans, but meh...) so I'm not too sad it's turned into something I probably won't wear. I'm just glad it's out of the stash.

Looking at the photos of this coat on me it does look too big, but it's actually not (the fit is intended to be "oversized"). If anything I could do with a smidgen more room across the butt area and perhaps even a bit more at the front so I can overlap it more and really snuggle into it when the weather gets cold. I wonder if I can make the collar larger too?

The pattern has side, patch pockets that I initially sewed on the wrong way as the photo in the pattern instructions booklet is too zoomed in for me to make out what is the top of the pocket (I also found this a problem with some of the photos in the Sydney Jacket). Derp. I'll know better for next time. I also need to move the pockets forward at least 1.5" as they sit too far back for me to comfortably put my hands in. That's an very easy fix. The pattern also has back patch pockets but I've let those off as it's just a bit too "cool" for this old lady.

Close up of the pockets - after I'd spent 90 minutes unpicking the triple stitching and stitched them on the right way. I used the fabric selvedge for the pocket edge (where my hands go in)...but you can see in this photo how the woven wool does not really work for exposed seams of this pattern. I also have no bothered to totally finish the sleeves on the jacket - they are meant to have a cuff on them, but I just couldn't be bothered to be honest as I'm not going to wear this.

...and back view.  Also deciding if the length is too long.

Initially I wasn't going to make this pattern again as I'm not sure of the fit on me but the more I think about it the more I want to try it in a boiled wool before discounting it entirely (I found a nice wool for $30p/m at Pitt Trading).

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Pattern: "Brooklyn Coat" by Tessuti
Size: XL, sewn with 3/8" seam allowance
Modifications: None
Fabric: Wool from Nomura Tailor in Kyoto
Changes for next time: Sew an XL, but perhaps make it shorter! Move the pockets forward, perhaps make the collar bigger and add a bit more width to the front panels and also to the back if I can figure out how to do that