Dress coat, Simplicity 4712, size 2.
Melton 100% wool, coat-weight, from fabric.com.
4 gold anchor buttons, from Joann Fabrics. Black velvet ribbon trim (found at AC Moore) on the pockets and sleeves.
Collar could still use some attitude adjustment from my steam iron. Tag says 'handmade by Katherine.'
I am very pleased with this little coat. Daughter looks darling in it, and I plan to knit up black mittens and a little black hat to go with it. The pattern includes a beret, and I have enough wool, but I really want something to cover her ears, and I fear the wool would be itchy on her forehead.
The only real problem is that I made the 2 because these patterns always come out so huge, and it just fits. I don't know if she will get a whole winter's worth of use out of it. Should have made the size 3, darn it. I'll make a note on the pattern so that next winter, when I go to make a bigger one, I will make the 4.
Wool is really easy to sew, but really challenging to cut and the seam allowances are super bulky. Nothing insurmountable, but with that pleat in the back plus the collar I had 6 layers going on by the time I stitched the facing down. Yikes! I had to really wrestle the facings into place and stitch them firmly to the seam allowances on the inside to keep them from rolling out. But I highly recommend the pattern. Very well written and very easy construction.
There's more, more, more...but I have to go clean my house. We have a black-tie thingy tomorrow night honoring my dad and my aunt is coming to stay with Daughter. Therefore I must scrub my house to avoid potential embarrassment. Have a great weekend!
10 comments:
First off, amen to your comments about dressing appropriately. I'm always a little sickened by the dress that people consider "appropriate" for church these days. The little girls in my house are always in dresses with their hair fixed (at least it is when we leave the house, though I can't vouch for how it looks by halfway through mass). The older kids living with us now have had to be totally trained on what is and isn't appropriate (that "Sisters are the enemy" shirt? Yeah, the 11 year old boy hasn't gotten to wear it out of the house much since he got here). And at weddings!! I could go on and on. But you already did, so I'll just say again, you're so right on. I may barely be pulled together because it took so long to get all the kids ready, but my clothes will be suited to the occasion at a minimum.
As for that coat, wow. I LOVE it. I wish I could find really nice dress coats for all the little girls, but it's so hard to find nice ones off the rack if you're not willing or able to spend a bundle, and I have no idea how to sew something that thick. Your daughter is going to be adorable all winter long in that coat!
Bravo. You are right on the money, Kate. I couldn't agree more. Some people call those feelings or opinions "materialistic" when it comes to appropriate churchwear but to me it's just a matter of respect (as you said). How you look matters, dangit!
The coat is beatiful! Last year Costco sold Rothschild's children's wool coats and yours is even more beautiful than those were. Incredible. I love the vanity tag in it, too.
It's cold enough today to bring out my KateMade wool socks! Wee!
First of all, I do understand your point about dressing smartly for church to show respect. However I have moments when I question my own motives (and only my own motives - I am in no way imputing my motives to anyone else) in that when I dress smart for church there is an element of showing off, which doesn't sit comfortably with my Quaker upbringing.
Another thought - my husband used to infuriate his mother when he was a student by insisting on wearing his beat up old jeans for church. This wasn't laziness - he said that that was what he wore all week, and he didn't want to feel that he had to put on different clothes to meet with God, but that he wanted to go to church without any pretence.
I did still sometimes point out that there are beat up jeans, and there are beat up jeans with holes bordering on the indecent, and those really were likely to offend.
And it's fine with me if you totally disagree with him - I just wanted to say that it was a thought-through position, and one that didn't disrespect God or people in the congregation - in fact rather the opposite.
These days he's still fairly casual, but because he doesn't dress like such a scruff the rest of the time, he isn't scruffy in church - and when he's 'on duty' as sidesman he is careful to dress smarter.
And I meant to add to my already too-long comment - I love love love the coat!
That little coat is exquisite!
And I agree with your thoughts on appropriate dress. I firmly believe in wearing my best for whatever the occasion, and if my best is jeans, then at least they can be clean and I can comb my hair nicely.
You're right on!
Love the coat! It is so lovely!
I agree with you totally! I was just at a wedding this summer and the aunts of the bride and their families were dressed more like they were going to the beach. It didn't even look like they ironed their "beach" outfits. I feel awful for the bride and the family photos the aunts were included in. Thankfully I never had any challenges with choice of dress with my teens. Like you with your daughter, I taught them appropriate choice of attire from a young age. I am not talking about fancy or expensive. Just clean, modest and in good condition. Keep instilling your values in your daughter. It will make a huge difference when she starts making her own choices.
The coat is beautiful! I wish my kids were still little and I could sew for them again. Sniff!
It was me, wasn't it? ;-)
No - you absolutely didn't offend - how could you? And I don't get the impression that you 'overdress', but I suspect that had you seen my husband at church as a student, you would have considered him underdressed.
And when I talked about myself showing off (incidentally I'm not a Quaker any more - we're Anglican [aka Episcopalian] these days) it's because church is one of the few places where I know that there are people who will recognise that I'm wearing a new hand-knit, and will compliment it - which is lovely, but I just need to watch myself that I'm not courting it too much. (By nature I'm rather a show-off drama queen - but I try to save it for when it's appropriate.)
I sincerely hope I didn't offend you either.
And now I'm going to shut up - I'm in danger of 'only opening my mouth to change feet'...
I have a problem with the church reference. I don't think the point of church should be what someone is wearing. That kid in the ripped up jeans and the saying t shirt, is there and of his own free will, he will not go home and talk about the ugly dress you were wearing. I am sorry but to me clothes aren't that important no matter where you are. I think it is all about how we act toward each other, and how we behave. Funny thing it was the kid in the ripped up jeans that offered the help to the wheel chair bound woman to help her out the door and across the parking lot. For all it is worth this is my opinion. not ment to be mean just something to think about.
Adorable coat!
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