A Most Satisfying Refashion

As I mentioned a few posts back, I have a number of refashioning projects in my work line-up. I finished the housecoat-to-tailored coat project at the end of last week, and I'm excited to show you how it turned out.

If you remember, I received a house coat from a client. She had already taken it apart to make the lining, so I received the housecoat, the lining, sleeves, buttons, and a scarf. My job was to put it all together, while adding shape and details.

Here's what I did:

• Added darts to the front and back of the coat and lining and added shape to side seams
• Took out lining sleeves and sewed them back in (client had mistakenly sewn them inside out)
• Added tie interfacing to sleeve heads of main sleeves and attached
• Removed 4" from length 
• Used the scarf to make cuff bands and a waistband
• Drafted collar pattern with a timely tutorial from Rhonda Buss
• Used excess hem fabric to make collar
• Attached collar
• Re-attached neck facing and used interfaced hem binding to face the center front closure
• Added snaps and buttons to closure
• Hand stitched lining to coat 

3" mock up collar - too tall!

2" mock up collar - just right!

Pattern for collar

I think this is my biggest refashion transformation so far and I had a lot of fun solving the various problems that came up during the process. And the lovely Rhonda Buss came to my rescue once again - I woke up the morning I needed to draft the collar and found that she had published the EXACT tutorial I needed the night before! How's that for serendipity?