..., but the progress with this garment is sloooow. Due to the lack of time I am experiencing recently (looks like "recently" is "all the time") I only sew about three hours a week and that's just not enough to complete a Spring trench coat in a "normal" amount of time.
Right, I am working on a trench coat. The pattern I've chosen is McCall's 5525, the fabric is cotton purchased about two years ago with an intention to turn it into a coat one day. I had a vision of a floral white-black-pink coat appropriate for warmer weather conditions and this is the fabric that came closest to my idea.
This is what I've got so far. I am not trying to match the print (obviously). I don't have enough fabric for that. I know this is a big boo-hoo for some sewers out there :-), but I just don't have enough of the fabric to do that :-). I had ordered 4 yards of the cotton the two years ago and it's turned out to be just on the edge of what I need.
The idea behind this trench-to-be is a little bit extravagant piece of clothing with contrasting lining and piping (in fuchsia color). This is the second time I am working with piping (the first time being a piped fabric belt, which means pretty straight lines in comparison with the curves of this coat). What's missing from the pics is a piped collar, which has been completed so far as well.
The piping is a piece of work (especially for a novice), but I am doing my best and it is not as bad as I was first worried.
This is also the first time that I made a muslin before actually cutting into the fashion fabric. I have to say, an idea of making a muslin doesn't really fit my impatient personality - it seems like investing a lot of time into something that won't be needed afterwards (in a case of a non-wearable muslin). But I am learning to be more patient and I am learning to make me feel good about all the time and patience invested into everything, that perfects the end result of my sewing.
So I made a muslin, made some fitting changes (with help of my sewing course teacher), ripped the muslin apart, made it into a new and improved (for my body) pattern and cut the fashion fabric with help of the muslin pattern. Pheeew.
I have no idea, how it will turn out, but to be honest, even if it doesn't fit me afterwards, I'll be happy if the coat turns out to be wearable for anybody :-). But I hope it won't be completely ill-fitted :-).
Hopefully I'll be able to complete the other half of the trench's front tonight. It means I have to sacrifice a couple of hours of pre-midnight sleep, but if I want to have this done before the next Spring's arrival :-), some serious measures have to be undertaken ;-).
Wish me luck
and have a nice day :-)!!
