Ok folks, here ya go – big reveal time!
LOOK THAT GORGEOUS BLUE TRENCH COAT.
JUST LOOK AT IT.
For the full nitty-gritty of this project, see my posts part 1 and part 2 for the making of.
If you just want quick facts, here ya go! The pattern is the Robson Coat by Sewaholic Patterns. I cut a size 2 at the shoulders/neckline, graded out to a 4 at the bust, and then down to a 0 at the waist/hips. I removed about 3″ of length from the bottom, and about 1″ of length from the sleeves.
Both of the main fabrics are from Mood – the blue lace for the top (and yeah, sorry, but I bought the last of it! HA!), and the cotton sateen underlining. The polka dot batiste I used for the bias stripes came from my local fabric store. I’m sure Mood had something perfect in the store, but it’s hard to color-match from several states away (and if you were wondering… I had one of the employees help me pick the underlining to make sure I had the right color).
Fair warning: this coat eats up a LOT of fabric! Not the full 6 yards as suggested by the pattern envelope (at least not in my size!), but I still wouldn’t recommend this for a very expensive fabric unless you are just really really in love and willing to deal with the cost. I spent about $175 on materials for this coat – that includes the blue lace, the navy underlining, the polka dots that I used for the bias strips, the interfacing, the thread, and the buttons. Yes, part of this *was* subsidized for Mood as part of the Mood Sewing Network, but I still had to pay quite a bit out of pocket. I’m not saying it’s not worth it – because it isssssss – but be forewarned that this coat can get very very expensive, very fast.
Still, it’s a helluva lot cheaper than that $2000 Burberry trench I see floating around Pinterest. Forreal!
Plus, it’s not a boring neutral color. That fucker is BLUE.
Anyway, I used a little under 4 yards of 54″ wide fabric to cut the coat. Keep in mind that I did shorten the length (and my ONLY regret is that I shortened at the hem instead of at the waist because the pockets are a bit low. Oh well! I don’t use pockets that much anyway). My cotton sateen was 50″ and I used about 4.5 yards of that. For the bias tape, I bought 2/3 yard of 45″ fabric and made my own 1/2″ tape…. I did not use the whole 2/3 of the yard, as I stopped when I got to 20 yards. I did however, end up using about 15 yards of the stuff to bind my seams. I know the envelope calls for less than that, buy an extra package if you’re unsure!
I can wear the lapels up or folded down. Which one do you like better?
Here it is open. Omg I felt like such a flasher taking that picture, ha!
Ok, I’m running out of things to say so here’s a picture dump.
I could not be more thrilled with my finished coat – all the workings of a classic trench, but sewn up in a beautiful (and colorful!) lace! Yes!!
Special thanks to my friend Jenna for taking these gorgeous pictures (oh yeah, you didn’t think I took these, did ya? :)) and capturing our beautiful city in the background. She is the best, and if you don’t already follow her you are SORELY missing out. Also, sorry not sorry for the picture overload… I’m just elated, ok!?
Yay Nashville!
It’s absolutely stunning! Congratulations!
One word, AWESOME.
Ingenious fabric choices and totally works. You look ace and I get you’ll get so much more enjoyment of your trench than yards of bias you’ve used 🙂
Beautiful!
Wow! Speachless, that coat is beautifull!
It’s BEAUTIFUL! That lace.
I’d be elated too…it’s frickin’ gorgeous. I LOVE the colour and you’ve done an AMAZING job of it! And I’d happily pay $175 for a coat that cute…yah boo sucks to Burburry, I say
Your coat is amazing and I’m so jealous that you bought the last of this fabric 🙂 It really does make a stunning, unique coat.
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Such an inspiration to tackle some of those difficult patterns!
OMG! That is the prettiest coat I’ve ever seen!
Oh my G, everything about this is STUNNING!! You say it got expensive but that looks like a £1000 trench coat so actually I think it was a bargain!
Gorgeous colour too!!
Beautiful job. Beautiful color, beautiful coat. As for the lapels, I like them folded out and visible.
Just gorgeous.
Soo pretty! This is like a masterpiece. Do you ever enter your sewing in the state fair or anything? I just feel like it needs extra recognition.
Stylish as fuck. I love it x
Yeah, that’s pretty amazing. Great coat!
Beautiful coat!
Excuse me while I get over my ‘inside of garment neatness’ envy… ok done. Lauren, finishing that coat is a fantastic accomplishment and it’s been so worth the hours you put in.
I have spent the last five minutes staring at the pictures! It is absolutely gorgeous. Your choice of fabric is inspired and the colour is just amazing.
I’m speechless?…………You make me sick?………… Who do you think you are making something so pretty?…………I’m going to burn down my sewing room?……………
😉
This coat turned out every bit as amazing as I thought it would. So incredibly jealous!!!
That is really beautiful.
so, so beautiful! i enjoyed seeing the construction deets along the way. enjoy that coat!
Exquisite!
it is so incredibly beautiful and you look fantastic wearing it. I love it!
So effing gorgeous!
Akk! Amazing! I’ve followed along as you made it and was anxiously awaiting its reveal. You said you took some amazing photos of it and you didn’t lie. So much better (and cheaper) than the Burberry coat!
Amazing coat! It’s beautiful and so professional looking. Great job!
Lauren, this is amazing! The colour is even better in the daylight! Want!
Gorgeous fabric choice! It was great to read about your progress on this project. It makes me want to make one too.
I seriously love this coat, Gorgeous
Who wouldn’t be elated with success like that!? It’s awesome!
If you’re going to spend that much making a coat then it better come out as absolutely gorgeous as this one! I love everything about it! The color, the fabric, the details…I could gush for days!
Love it! I’m a sucker for a coat that is not black, grey, beige, etc. So great to see something in a bright color! Yay spring!!!
Seriously this coat is a complete show-stopper, I can’t wait wait to get to the stage when I’m confident enough in my sewing skills to do a great coat for myself too 🙂
I love you. Well, the coat. No, you for making it. Oh hell, just, I love it.
Oh my God, that coat is GORGEOUS! I love everything about it. Awesome job, girl!
It’s so BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love it! I am inspired to make my own (someday, when I feel I finally have the skillz). Good job and I know you’ll get tons of compliments wearing it around town.
I’m so fucking jealous of this coat. If you weren’t, like, eight sizes smaller than me I’d totally mug you for it.
But its cool, mine’s gonna be in red houndstooth.
AWESOME. That is fantastic! Who the hell needs a neutral trench anyway when you could have a fabulous blue lace version?! I am really not a big lace fan either, but this is an exceptionally fantastic use of lace. WOW. The fit and color on you are perfect!
Gorgeous job Lauren! You’ve done such an amazing job, the whole coat is just so beautiful and truly a labour of love. The fabric is stunning! I love that it’s a bold, bright colour, it totally suits you. Well done! So excited to see the Robson pattern sewn up in such a beautiful way! (Mind if I share a couple photos on my blog?)
Of course! I’m so flattered that you’d want to share it 🙂 Take whatever photos/info you like, out of any of the posts 🙂 and THANK YOUUUU for making this pattern because, god, it’s so so perfect.
Freaking fantastic! It’s a beauty and I’d never wanna take it off. One of my favorites from you.
Stunning! I knew it would be fabulous, but, just, wow!
It is GORGEOUS I tell you! Just gorgeous! You did a magnificent job on it!
Well, look at YOU! That is one FABULOUS coat 🙂 Congrats on wrestling this puppy to the ground and coming up with a clever, beautiful addition to your wardrobe! I have a feeling you’ll be wearing this and accepting compliments a lot! Enjoy, and thanks for ‘walking’ us through the construction, too 🙂
Wow. Just wow
This is unbelievably beautiful, I have mega sewing envy!
I’m all like Zack-and-Kelly-kissing-Saved-by-the-Bell-style-audience “Woooooooooooh!” Just a question because I’m about to venture out into FBA territory for the first time ever, and you’re like my FBA idol, why grade out to a larger size at the bust here instead of FBA?
Mostly because I’m lazy :B haha! I really just take it on a case by case basis… patterns that don’t include a bust dart and/or are princess seamed (as the case for this coat), I find I can get away with just widening the area instead of putting in a whole FBA. If there were darts, it would be a whole ‘nother story.
OMG, It’s awesome!!! I have fabric in my stash that I could use for this coat, but I don’t want to use it… it’s such a boring grey color. I need a pop of color after seeing your blue beauty. 🙂
I was going to comment along the way about your construction woes… but here you are with your finished trench already. It’s fab!!!
Deee-lightful! Your Robson is delightful! My Robson is still in the queue. Fabric is purchased but sitting on a shelf…
Thanks for the Nashvegas backdrop! Oh, how I miss it!
Spectacular! To my eye the buttons look a little
undersized which of course does not mean they look wrong.
No, I agree – I think they look at little small. They are 3/4″, though, which is the size suggested for the pattern.
Utterly amazing! Well done you! Happy coat twirling!
Ab-so-lute-ly gorgeous. I love love love the lace for the coat (also loved the one that inspired you) and I might steel the idea, because it is too good not to. Looks wonderful on you, what a beautiful fabric and a lovely color. Great job!
Super gorgeous!
Stunning!
You deserve to be elated, this is freaking amazing. I hope you’re constantly stopped in the street by people asking where you got it from so you can see “this??? Oh, I made it.” And then they can squeal in admiration and amazement. Because you deserve ask the admiration there is. Wow!
Wow it turned out amazing! I love the lace and the colour is great. A nice twist 🙂 I think I prefer the lapels folded down btw. Love it!
That is one class act. You’re a class act!
Fabulous. I love the lace on a trench-coat.
Hah – love it (almost as much as I love you)! I am sure kitteh helped you and I hope you rewarded him for his hard work. The color / fabric is just right.
Wow, this is completely amazing.
It’s fabulous!
Lauren that looks so flippin awesome!!!
This is amazing!!!!! Truly!!! I love the lapels up as it shows off such lovely detail and is a bit different if you know what I mean!?
Ummm. It looks better than I could imagine and yes that fucker is blue and that fucker is awesome
A-mazing!!!!
Nailed it. I love your coat. Well done! I totes want to visit Nashville
Do ittt!! You can crash on my velvet couch 😉
Gorgeous!! It is perfect and lovely. And Nashville! Your coat coordinates so well with the AT&T building!
I’m just tickled that you know it’s the AT&T building!
Such a lovely coat!!
And so totally deserving of an on-location photo shoot!
So damn good!
Looks amazing. Good work
It’s beautiful! I am so envious I cannot see straight!! If it didn’t rain like a MOFO here i would totally make a lace version. As it stands I will have to settle for a bright yellow water proof version to stand-up to shitty weather of the PNW
Still, that sounds pretty awesome!! Can’t be unhappy in a neon yellow trench coat 🙂
It’s absolutely gorgeous! I’m totally wiping drool of my keyboard right now. What a great set of photos, too! AMAZING!
Exquisite. I love the lace. Is it cotton?
It’s not… I’m not sure exactly what the content is (as I never saw the bolt it was cut from), but the flowers are definitely nylon and they melt when you burn them, ha. It presses very easily, though – no scorching/melting as with pure polyester.
Booyah! That is one blue coat and it looks RAD! I am team colourful coats all the way and this is spectacular!
Well, you got 76 people in front of me telling you how gorgeous the coat is but I have to pile on the pile on. It is worth all the drool from all the people. And, I like the lapels UP! Gorgeous! Simply wonderful.
I think I’m most in awe of how gorgeous it is INSIDE and not just outside. I bow down to your skills! Beautiful!
It looks soo good! Materials may have been a little pricey but this looks like an item that you will love forever. And Nashville looks pretty too. 😉
OH MY GOD. That is all.
Well, obviously this rules. Well done! 😀
This is so gorgeous. It will make all the other trench coats jealous. Plus, it matches your eyes!
Amazing!!! That coat is so worth the cash and effort. The colour choice is great, too. After all that work you want it to be seen and noticed by everyone. I think I prefer it with the lapels down. Perfection!!!
Very impressive, I love your coat! The lapels open is a little more dressy, but it looks good with them closed as well (that’s great for when it’s windy).
That is one super clever fabric choice! Great work! 🙂
Gorgeous!!!
Speechless
Gosh I hate you … you sew up projects soooooo quickly. That lace is just to die for and the colour is stunning…. Maybe you could consider auctioning this baby – I’m sure you would get way more than $175 for it 🙂
Haha! I was thinking this took foreeeever to make… over 2 weeks, that’s a long time for me! Mostly because of all the prep work I had to do; I bet a “normal” version with one layer of medium-weight fabric would sew up quite quickly!
Ooohhhhh gorgeous coat and amazing color!!!
That is awesome!! Love, love, love the colour and the flowers, every detail! – right down the the hint or orange peeking out in the first shots – stunning!
That coat is OFF the HOOK. I am dying over how pretty it is all finished, you should be super proud. I don’t think my skill level is at a place where I could make one of these myself, but I’m definitely putting it on my list, now.
Absolutely beautiful and the pictures show it off to perfection!
It’s perfection! I love it! Thank you for the picture overload!! I’m eating them up! And seriously… $175?!?! You could NEVER buy a coat this beautiful for $175! Enjoy it! You look drop dead gorgeous in this blue!
This is exquisite. From the moment you posted your sumptuous blue lace I knew the finished item would be stunning. Be prepared for more compliments IRL. So many people are gonna being asking ‘where did you get that coat’. Simply gorgeous
Oh my goodness– great job! That blue lace is gorgeous! I’m starting to get all the stuff together to make my own Robson coat too. Eek!
My goodness this is a gorgeous coat. I love that bright blue!
This is STUNNING!! You are stunning!! 🙂 I would pay double the price it cost you for a coat like this. It’s one of those pieces of a wardrobe that someone could own forever.
HO-LEE-CRAP I died. I am dead because that coat is so amazing. I just… I can’t even… you’re so damn good! That’s all I can say.
This is simply a “MASTER PIECE”…. congratulations (I am blue of envy) LOL (in a good way)
Wow! That coat is absolutely gorgeous! I prefer the lapels down, but it looks great both ways. I can’t wait until I have the skills to make something this amazing!
Really really lovely! Makes me want to try a coat someday 😉
“That fucker is BLUE” made me laugh. Also the coat is beautiful!
So beautiful, Lauren! I really love this color. I know you think 2 weeks is slow, but I’m AMAZED at how fast you can sew a garment, and one as detailed as this coat no less! Also, your writing cracks me up, too funny. 🙂
Really beautiful ! totally in love with the fabric !
This is awesome!!! So worth all of your work to have such a beautiful and unique item in your wardrobe!!
Congratulations:)amazing:)
This is absolutely gorgeous! What a perfect fabric choice! Beautiful job!!
This coat is a real beauty. You did an amazing job! Yay!
It’s so perfect that I can’t stop watching at this coat…
So so so so…….. ouah !! you’re just a crazy girl !!!
That’s a really great project ! One of my favorite 🙂
Okay, I’m going to be the 117th person to tell you what an awesome job you did with this coat, but it’s true, this coat is amazing. Two weeks ?!? This would take me at least two months to make, if not longer.
Wow, that is amazing! I love how you always choose fabric that totally suits you! Great great job!
I love the picture where we get to see your eye color! Now the color of the coat is even more awesome!
Absolute masterpiece! There are no words to do it justice, but it is perfect!
I think you did the most amazing job. I love everything about this coat and you have inspired me greatly!
This is an amazing jacket you will wear for years. Well done!
Beautiful color!! It looks great=)
Wow! So clever. Kate x
Awesome post.