Who needs perfection anyway

Here’s the biggest pattern piece I’ve ever worked with. You see it folded in two along the bottom edge here; it’s over three metres long.

It’s the main pattern piece for this Issey Miyake coat from Vogue Patterns. I had to cut it out on the floor because of the sheer size of it.

Vintage Vogue 1476 envelope art

The very first step is to topstitch patch pockets onto that enormous body piece, a process that involves stuffing all the fabric through the harp of the machine as you manoeuvre round all four sides – the opening is a gap in the side of the pocket rather than the top. Luckily I’m using a lightweight coating, but it was still a bit of a struggle to get it done.

They don’t look too bad from this distance despite all the pulling and pushing involved.

But oh dear when you look closely it’s a bit of a mess with the stitching wandering here and there. It doesn’t help that it’s dark purple fabric and navy thread so even with my LED light it was hard to see what I was doing.

I am not unpicking it now; I don’t expect a second attempt will be any better. I suspect I’ll forget all about it once the coat is finished and no one who doesn’t sew will notice the pockets when there’s all the drama of that draped front to look at. So onwards and hopefully upwards because next I need to topstitch around the outer edges of that piece.

18 thoughts on “Who needs perfection anyway”

  1. I am sure nobody else would notice and I certainly wouldn’t want to have a second try, far too hit and miss. You (and us) will be the only ones who know.

  2. With that volume of fabric , little imperfections will not even be noticed. This will be another fabulous coat on you! Carry on!

  3. I remember the owner of the fabric store I worked at had this made for her in a fuzzy plaid mohair. Needless to say it was a lot of a look. And she on the short side as well. So her fabric hid some of the topstitching imperfections I’m sure.

      2. Thinking about it, the back and yoke seams would be straightforward to match but then there is no wiggle room for the sleeve seams so it depends on the fabric…unless cut on the bias!

  4. I hope you’ll do a step by step through the whole creation of this coat. I have had one cut out for years and am so confused by the whole thing, I haven’t sewed it yet. It’s a fabulous coat and will look stunning on you.

    1. I’ll try and post a bit more about it…I will say I have marked every dot very carefully with tailor tacks and cut my notches outward, which I don’t normally do. I am triple checking each step as I go because the construction is unlike anything else I’ve ever made. The diagrams in the pattern are proving a big help.

  5. First, your work is fabulous. Second, thanks so much for posting this. It’s encouraging to know that others have sewing techniques that don’t come out as planned. It’s part of the sewing game, I suppose. I think that the only one that will see the pocket stitching is you. And you know? Honestly, I kind of like it. Rather like drawn lines on a piece of artwork. Also, I made that coat decades ago. It was quite the project! Looking forward to seeing it all put together!

  6. I’d be happy with that. As you say only someone who sews may notice and even if they do, they are too close to you anyway!

  7. Remember Wabi Sabi Catherine,- the Japanese Art of Imperfection- I find it comes in handy for things like this! I’m sure this will look great on you as you are tall .

  8. I made this in a fluffy coating for my daughter when she had to walk blocks in frigid weather in college. Very warm it was. It is attractive in a drapy handwoven but I never tackled the pattern again. The blouse in that pattern has wonderful lines but some of the construction methods need modernization, IMO.

  9. Can’t wait so see it! This coat has drama and I’ve always admired it. I think the top-stitching is fine – it’s likely hard to see without the LED light shining right on it anyway.

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