Monday, November 1, 2010

Finishing Touches for Your Lady Grey

Okay, this is it! The stuff leftover is all little finishing things, so I thought I'd put together a little checklist.

1. Hem your sleeve lining. I turned mine up an inch, and then slip stitched it to the coat fabric. As the pattern says, you should let the lining hem billow out a bit, so you can slip stitch behind it, creating a "bagged" effect. Mine ended up a little flatter than they should be, but it's all good.

2. Optional: Secure your lining princess seams to the coat allowances below them. This really helps eliminate bulk, and makes your coat feel sleek and slim. You can do this by turning your coat inside out and then pinning the princess seams on the lining to the seam allowances of the coat. The seamlines should "kiss" each other, so make sure they're properly aligned. See the pins along the back princess lines in the photo below? Repeat this on your front princess seams.

Next, pick stitch "in the ditch" of the lining princess seam. You'll catch the seam allowance of the coat below it, but not the outside of the coat.


3. Optional: catch stitch your lining hem to your coat hem. I'm using a catch stitch to secure the lace on the lining to the coat hem.

4. Make your belt, following the pattern instructions.
5. Make and apply your belt loops, following the pattern instructions.
6. Sew on your buttons. On the inside of the coat, you can use a flat plastic button since it won't show.
7. Remove basting stitches from your coat.
8. Model your new coat! Take pictures and upload them to the sew-along Flickr group and the Colette Patterns Flickr pool.

Well, this has been fun, readers! I hope you've enjoyed my sew-along posts. I will, of course, still be here to answer questions for those in the earlier steps of the sew-along. And I'll have pictures of my own coat imminently; I'm just finishing the final touches myself. It turned quite chilly here over the weekend so I hope to have it done VERY soon. Brrr!

I'll be announcing the next sew-along soon: it's for beginners!

20 comments:

  1. Ack! I am so, so behind at this point... lol. Hopefully in the next week (or two???) I'll be able to tackle it again. Right now I've got to complete a slipcover for our enormous sofa before my inlaws come to visit over Thanksgiving. So not much "fun" sewing time, alas!

    Can't wait to see pictures of you modeling your finished jacket, Gertie!

    ♥ Casey | blog

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  2. The fun thing about sewing is that there are so many way to do the same things. Though I didn't participate, your sew-a-long showed me tailoring techniques I didn't know about. I look forward to your pictures.

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  3. Your coat is beautiful and now I wish I had joined in on all the fun... I just didn't have the time to devote to that project as I thought I was going to a benefit dinner - which I made a dress for - anyways, I hope to sew one in the near future and will be able to utilize your posts... :)

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  4. thanks for this great sew along and instructions. I am about to start a coat and I will certainly look back at your steps.

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  5. Gertie, this was a fantastic sewing course! Also, I just picked up that jacket tailoring book you recommended a while back. It is quite helpful.

    My vote for your next sew along garment is a basic pair of pants. I just attempted to make the Hot Patterns Plain & Simple Everyday Pants. They were easy to put together and looked fine in the back but when I turned around I was shocked at how insane and unflattering the crotch looked. I have a feeling this fit issue has something to do with the crotch curve, width or length. I just purchased the Vogue pants sloper pattern and Pants for Real People in hopes of solving this problem. I bought the Making Trousers text a while back but it focused on tailoring techniques, not fit issues. I recall you took the pants drafting class a few months ago. I am considering taking this course when it is next offered.

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  6. I'm so sad its all over.... :(

    You've been the best teacher and I doubt I'd have ever made a coat otherwise.

    Thanks so much! Oh, we need you see you with your coat on!

    I'm working on my lining atm, but I hope to get it done by the week's end. So I'll post pictures soon.

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  7. Gertie: Just have to say that this whole process has been inspirational and entirely educational. It's helped me to develop my sewing TREMENDOUSLY and I am extremely grateful to you. Still have to finish the button holes and all the things you mention in this post, but I will show photos when all is done. Kxo

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  8. That coat looks glorious, and I've so enjoyed watching your progress, but I am really excited about the impending beginner sew-along project! I think a sew-along is just what I need at this early stage of my sewing development. I put in my first zipper last week, but I've yet to get a skirt that looks good on me and fits well. A group project might be just what I need to stay encouraged. -- Jennifer

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  9. VERY excited for the beginners' sew-along! That's great news!! Thank you!!!

    Can't wait to see photos of your fab Lady Grey...

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  10. Thanks for this sew along, Gertie! Though I didn't follow every tailoring option I appreciate the catalogue of techniques that you have left for all of us.
    I finished my Lady Grey and am really happy with the results. As a beginner I found the pattern instructions really great.
    Thank you, Gertie and On-line Sewing Community!

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  11. Your blog on the coat has been so wonderful. I am printing it out and keeping it! I do have a question. When you line up the seams of the lining and outer shell and pick stitch on the seam of the lining, aren't you stitching on the seam line of the coat not on the allowance?

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  12. Oh Gertie! Your coat is looking so gorgeous! I know I haven't been leaving comments much lately, but I have been following along with your sew-a-long, though making a boyfriend's jacket instead. Really, really great posts. Everything looks so fabulous and well thought out. I keep going back and referencing what you done here. I'm so excited to see this coat on you too! It will be the creme de la creme, I'm sure!

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  13. I'm terribly behind as well....but as soon as I get my seasonal clothes switched over, I'm starting back up on this so help me!

    With the colder weather coming up, I'm thinking about interlining my coat now...

    wondering if an added step for immediate wearability will give me more or less incentive.

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  14. I love the coat! I'm visiting NYC the week of Christmas, which is the perfect excuse to make my own coat. Thanks to your inspiration and coaching I don't seem so overwhelmed with the idea anymore. We'll see if that all changes over the next couple of weeks haha! Hopefully, my coat will turn out half as beautiful as yours!

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  15. Thank you so so much for all your amazing posts and tutorials, Gertie!!! The sew-along has been so much fun and I've learnt heaps. My coat is basically done except for a few small things and I'll definitely be posting pictures to the flickr group soon.:)
    Your coat looks beautiful!!! I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of you wearing it.

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  16. Your coat is fantastic, you should be proud! Your blog is so fantastic, very insiprational. Will you be doing another colette pattern for beginners? I'd love to do ceylon or chantilly! It would be fun and not that hard I hope.

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  17. Sounds like you already have a new sew-along project in mind, but I'll put a vote in for doing a classic button down shirt sew along at some point (women's or men's). I am so in need of shirt making skills, but I'm totally intimidated by the idea of making one!

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  18. I've really enjoyed all your posts showing how to make a coat. Can't wait to see a pic of you in the finished article!

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  19. Hi Gertie, Thank you so much for hosting such a fun and educational sew-along. I was on schedule when working on the muslin. Then when it came to cutting the shell fabrics, I got intimidated and put Lady Grey in my back burner. Now after having a Gertie-tailoring lessons marathon, I feel more comfortable and am ready to resume Lady Grey. Thanks again and wish me luck.

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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