Ready to go

There are so many bits and pieces required for my Burda 114 11/2019 coat. Shell fabric, lining, and a very thick batting. There are only nine pattern pieces, which isn’t many for a coat, but it’s taken me a few days to get it all cut out.

The batting ends up quilted to the outer pieces of shell fabric. I’m slightly dubious about Burda’s method for this. They say to hand baste the two layers together and then sew along the quilting lines with the machine. I’m using the specific batting recommended in the pattern (Vilene 295 high loft) and it’s extremely soft and fluffy. If I stitch with it against the feed dogs of the machine I foresee it being chewed up and not feeding or even jamming my machine. But I don’t want to sew with the shell fabric against the feed dogs because they’ll mark the fabric surface, and the bobbin side stitching is never as nice looking as the needle side.

My current idea is to take my toile apart and put the calico pattern pieces under the batting so it’s sandwiched between the calico and the shell fabric. Then baste all three layers together and sew with the calico side down so the feed dogs have something to grip onto that won’t disintegrate. I’m going to do a few tests of that before getting started on the real deal.

I’ve got some good notions for this coat. It needs a two way zip and also some snaps. I was surprised to find that two way zips with silver coloured metal teeth are less available than ones with gold coloured teeth. This one fits the bill though and I like the puller shape. The snaps are a gunmetal colour which looks good against my fabric so I don’t have to cover them.

What I haven’t found is a coat chain I like. I have a Prym one left over from a two-pack but it ends in tiny metal loops that need to be hand sewn to the back neck facing, which I found quite difficult to do on the coat I used the first chain for. And the chain itself has a regrettable tendency to catch on whatever jumper I’m wearing. Maybe I’ll just make a fabric loop. Or if anyone knows a supplier of nicer coat chains I’m all ears.

16 thoughts on “Ready to go”

  1. Looking forward to seeing your finished coat. Suggestion for your quilting-maybe tear-away stabilizer. It wouldn’t add any extra bulk. Never having worked with such a product, It’s downfalls maybe cost and sizes that aren’t conducive to garment construction.

  2. I can’t wait to see your coat. I wager that it will be beautiful! I agree with Susan in that you could use tear away stabilizer on the bottom of your pieces that will be quilted. You definitely need to use something. It probably would be difficult to sew with the quilt batt “unprotected” on the bottom. Using your calico would add a little bit of bulk but maybe that’s ok. Experiment.

  3. I wonder if tissue paper might work as tear-away stabilizer under your quilting? I have a packet that I use to wrap odd shaped packages at Christmas, and I’ve been eyeing it for those sewing projects where the feed dogs seem to want to swallow my fabric.

  4. Consider silk organza instead of calico. No bulk and breathable. Love the notions. If you find a source for coat chains let us know. I need a couple!!

  5. If you go the stabilizer or tissue paper route, would it work to put it only in strips along the quilting lines? You might need to do a fast baste to keep it in the right place.

  6. Oh I’m so keen to see this coat. I love all the ideas above. Isn’t it great sharing the knowledge!

  7. Okay this is a sewing adventure and I’m here for it! Hopefully you will share more installments of this before it’s finished because I’d love to know how the quilting turns out!

  8. When I made my duffle coat all those years ago I found the calico added a lot of weight. That still life (photo) is sensational. I could see it framed like an old master! Go girl!

    1. That’s a good point. On the other than I suppose it might make the coat even warmer, although I can’t say we get super cold winters here 🙂

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