Well well, 3 posts in one week! That doesn’t happen too often, huh? Hopefully y’all aren’t tooooo sick of hearing from me, because I have lots to say apparently!
Starting with yet ANOTHER muslin post. Forreal, tho, y’all were so helpful in my last muslin post, that I’m sticking my hand back in the cookie jar again. A little help, yes yes?
First things first, you probably noticed that this coat looks entirely different – that’s because it’s a different pattern altogether! I ended up scrapping the original Vogue pattern plan – a shame, because I really wanted to use it (it was a gift from a reader, and I like to make use of awesome things, see), but there’s no point in trying to make something work that needs, well, that much work. Especially considering all the modifications I’d have to make beyond just sizing – including drafting a new lining, facing, and undercollar. No, no thank you.
So I dug around in my stash and pulled out Vogue 7666, which happens to actually be in my size. And to make things extra exciting, this pattern has all sorts of fun goodies in the instructions for creating a beautiful hand-tailored coat – things like separate lining pieces, instructions for padstitching, a marked roll line, etc. Fun!
I made up a quickie muslin and here are the pictures! Based on everyone’s suggestions, I am wearing this muslin with a sweater underneath, and I slipped some shoulder pads in the muslin as well. The shoulder pads may be on the large size, I dunno, they were in my stash.
I think it fits much better than the first, off the bat. Look, the arm holes are normal!
I can’t tell if the shoulders need to be narrowed a little, though?
Back and sides look ok.
I know the back looks a little loose, but I honestly can’t go much smaller without making the coat difficult to move around in.
Also, ignore that weird shit going on at the bottom half – there will be a back vent there, but I didn’t bother sewing it in the muslin, ha.
I know the collar and lapels are kind of weird and pointy, but I like them! Keep in mind that they will be a little bit smaller – the 5/8″ seam allowance is there, and once I get the facing installed there will be notches and topstitching and all that.
I also need button help! What would you choose? I really love these black glass buttons from Mood Fabrics – one, two, three or four?
Or do you have a better suggestion? My only requirements are that they are black (sorry, but I think anything other than black is just going to look off with my fabric choice), 1″ with shank, and they reeeeally need to be $3.50 or less because I need 8! Again, you can see my fabric and pattern in this Instagram picture.
Sooo, to sum up: coat muslin #2, y/n? See any fitting changes I need to address before I start slicing in to my beautiful coating?
LLADYBIRD 
Oh, muslin #2 looks good. I think you could take the shoulders in if you want a “perfect” look, but in coats, I am more interested in how they feel than perfection. In other words, I don’t want to find out that I can’t wear something under it without feeling like I am in a straight-jacket! I think the shoulders look fine as they are. Overall, I think the fit is very good. With your fabric, I vote for the black glass buttons. Some of the others seems too feminine for the fabric. This is going to be a fabulous coat!
I always go for simple and understated, so I say button number two. But whichever ones you get, I think this coat is going to look gorgeous! I love the fabric.
As much as I loved the other coat, this one is just as cute and it will be fabulous in that fabric! I think narrowing the shoulders just a bit might me a good idea, but other than that I think it looks pretty good. Maybe someone more advanced in the world of coats will chime in with something else 🙂 Can’t wait to see it! I need to mull over the button choices, but I think my favorite so far is option 3…but I am going to keep my eyes out for others 🙂
I like the fit of this coat better, but I loved the collar of the last one.
Yep, narrow the should seams a little bit, by 1cm I think 🙂 Otherwise looking GREAT!
*shoulder
I like button option 4, since it’s very feminine up close, but would look nearly solid black from a few feet away!
What do u do with the muslin you make?
I usually just transfer my changes to the pattern and throw the muslin away (or, rather, put it in my scrap box and donate :)). Some people save their muslins; I don’t have the space for that!
I think saving muslins mostly comes into it’s own for people who change shape/size a lot (or just know lots of people they really love/other sewers in roughly the same size)
Overall it looks really good! I’d leave all the ease in the back because a coat weight fabric will us it . I would take about 1/4″ off at each shoulder. It looks like there is a little strain from your apex up to the princess seam join at the armhole in the 2nd to last photo. Perhaps you need just a little more ease in the front bust? The other thing to be careful of, make sure your armholes aren’t too high – again, the thicker weight of coating fabric will take up more room in there. Especially if you’re going to adding interlining and shoulder pads and lining. Think about a sleeve head for the cap if you haven’t already. It gives it a great, rounded shape.
I like this muslin a lot. Button #1 please!
Button #3 definitely has the vibe of the 70’s for me. I think it would look great.
Muslin #2 definitely looks a lot better. I really love the first button, I actually think that all 4 buttons are pretty. I think it will look beautiful when it’s finished, can’t wait to see it haha 🙂
I like button number one. I really think you are on your way with this muslin.
Love this muslin!!! Love that you are making a coat too. I vote for button #1. Can’t wait to see your coat.
I want to make a coat too. I have this navy wool coating I have had in my stash for at least 20 years. I may have had it since high school 🙂 It is really nice stuff. I have finally found the right pattern for it. It is a military style and my aunt saved some buttons from my uncle’s old navy uniforms. She is sending them to me so I can see if they will work. Cannot wait to see them 🙂 I hope it will work. It is not an over the top military style and has a collar very similar to your coat. Should be fun. So excited to see yours.
Oh, that sounds like it will be lovely!
So does yours. I just love your fabric and am really looking forward to seeing it 🙂
Ooh, this is really looking cute! I really like the collar style– it’s adorable! You could narrow the shoulder a touch, but not much. How do you feel about the ease in the bust? I wonder if it might be a little too tight when you’ve made this up in your coating, but it’s hard to tell from a photo how much ease you actually have. I’m really excited to see this made up!
I feel like the ease is just right; any more or less fitted and it would be uncomfortable. I actually wore this while cleaning up a water spill from my washing machine (fuck yeah, shop vac haha) and it was very easy to move around in! Ha!
Then that’s awesome– it’s always the greatest when a muslin fits right off the bat!
#2. It is modern and simple. the others are too busy for the fabric.
Your second muslin looks like a winner to me! I would go with button #2, but then I’m a plain Jane kinda gal when it comes to something like this. I think the fabric is more on the casual side and the other buttons are a little more intricate for the casual fabric. Just my opinion, I can’t wait to see which one you pick and how it turns out!
Button #4 is my favorite. I would take the shoulders in just a smidge. I think. But it looks pretty darn as it is.
I like button #1 – the way the light hits the pattern on the button will pick up the pattern in your fabric. As to fit – I don’t know how heavy your wool is. But I’d be a little concerned about how closely fitted the front armscye and upper sleeve are. The picture with your stretched arm out to the side shows some tightness through the bicep/sleeve into the armhole that I would be uncomfortable wearing. And the close-up with your hand on your hip shows a bit of a pull through the princess seam into your armhole as well.
Your shoulder seam might could come narrowed a bit – if your shoulder pad is too large as you suspect, it will may drop even further when you replace it with one of the correct size.
I like this pattern so much better than the 1st!! I do think the shoulders are too wide and could be brought in a bit. Also those shoulder pads are definitely too big so I’d use something smaller. Just my thoughts! I’m sure it will look amazing once it’s completed 🙂
id use a small sleevehead to fill the cap nicely and a smaller pad to level things out. if you use a sleevehead, you have to check the sleeve length again. it may be too short afterwards. i would also scoop a tiny bit out of the lower armhole. not too much. i’d shave a bit off the top of the shoulder width. remember to make those corrections on the sleeve caps. looking from the sides, i’d say you need to add length to the bottom of the center front where it rides up. that’s a common problem where there isn’t enough fabric to fall over and down from the bust. altogether a terrific improvement over the last pattern even without any adjustments. do you think you’ll wear it with a belt? tied or buckled?
Thanks for the tips! Looks like I can get away with small tweaks to get everything perfect 🙂 I’ll actually be wearing this exactly as-is in the photos – just buttoned, no belt or tie, although I thought about adding some kind of bow/belt thing between the center back seams. Maybe… if it doesn’t look stupid haha.
woohoo aggravating pattern and kidney stone TOSSED!
i love button #3…
Yes – Button #3 – It’s just right for style and era of the pattern.
No worries on my account about not ending up using the pattern! I’m just sorry it didn’t work out and that it caused you to waste time/energy/muslin. You should pop it up on your Etsy site (you can probably get around $20 for it; I got even more than that for a copy of the same pattern in another size) and then you can pick out a different pattern that you really want, and hopefully, it will be better drafted!!!
I vote for Button #2, and I agree that the shoulders could be narrowed a little bit, but I would also suggest looking at the fit across the bust and the armscye.It looks a little snug in those spots. As another commenter mentioned, the face fabric, interlining, interfacing and lining will take up further space, and you want to be able to move.
I like to “test drive” by sitting down (sometimes in the car) to see if I have enough “driving room”. Love your fabric and lining choices, as usual!
You’re so sweet! I never consider a bad muslin a waste of anything… it’s all a learning experience for me 🙂 I may stick it up on Etsy to see if i can swap it out for something, maybe the pattern will fit a different body shape much better haha
I like button number 4 best, but they would all be lovely :). It does look like the shoulders could be taken in a wee bit, but once it’s all made up I don’t think it will LOOK off, so as long as it feels good, don’t worry about it!
Buttons one or four. they aren’t shiny, which I think would be weird with that fabric.
So – I’m gonna give you some straight up sincere advice. i think Vogue is a serious waste of time. You’re too tiny for their sloper and while the adjustments made on the sleeves look really really good the collar has gone all wonky. It’s not you – it’s Vogue. I have the same problem with Vogue and I’m like 25 years older than you are – Vogue proportions are just not suited to small women. I think you need a better pattern company like Marfy. Beautifully drafted and much more fashion forward.
Thanks for your advice 🙂 You’re probably right about not being the correct size for the sloper. I would love to try a Marfy pattern but it’s not really an option right now – not with this particular coat, anyway, as I don’t have the time or patience to deal with the lack of instructions! But I will file that away for the future… maybe a 2014 goal?
Actually you’re ready for Marfy I think I’ve been following your blog for a while and you can do it. It’s an urban legend that Marfy is “difficult”. Some of their patterns are indeed pretty complex, but most of them are no different than average Big 4 styles. It’s true there are no instructions but one thing I do is fine a similar pattern in my stash and use those instructions as a starting point. Marfy’s are also already cut out by hand (no SA) so that actually saves several steps and the patterns pieces are actually marked too so it’s not totally like driving blind. And the best thing? Marfy’s are *beautifully* drafted, they go together like a dream. I think you’d enjoy them and Marfy is definitely a worthy 2014 sewing goal 🙂
I MUCH prefer this muslin than the last one an would go with button 1. I can’t wait to see it made!
#2 buttons!
Looks good! I’d be tempted to leave the shoulders as they are and see how they fit in coating fabric. You can always tweak a tad when you see how the fit is.
I would add length at the CF since it’s riding up there and not parallel to the floor. Other than that, go for it.
This is looking much better! It’s especially flattering from the side and back, but I’m sure the front will look stunning when sewn up for real. All four buttons are beautiful too, but I really like the intricacy of #4 and the pure simplicity of #2. Totally opposite ends of the spectrum, I know, but I think either could work 🙂
This muslin fits you much better. I agree that the shoulders should be taken in a smidgen, however I think that the front riding up as well as the stress at the bust line may be caused from how you pinned the coat closed… check that out before you add fabric and it goes wonky. Good choice. I like button #2. It’s a classic.
I’m seriously loving this! I just checked out your instagram feed to see pattern + fabric and got TOTALLY stoked to see this come to life! I think the fit looks pretty spot on – I might take the shoulders in a bit … but not too much!
I vote for the fourth button option! I was eyeing those same buttons except in a brown/bronze kind of color the other day. So pretty!
Ooh I love this coat! Much more than the first one. I think that button #1 would look best! Although #3 was a close second. 🙂
Looks great. You definitely don’t want to take it in much more since you need to be able to lift your arms above your head. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Working on a muslin is a long process. I find that I need to try it on for a couple of days before I can spot all the changes that I need to make. It could be that I still have to train my eye a lot.
About yours I just think that it seems a tad large on the shoulders. I find fitting coats especially difficult because I like my clothes fitted and with a coat you need some room to be able to wear a sweater and also be able to move around. Good luck with yours. I’m really looking forward to see it finished!
BTW, I’m hosting a give away. The prize is a pattern of your choice from Ravelry. You just have to leave a comment on my last post.
Im sure it will look lovely (as always). A bit off topic, but I was wondering, when you buy stash fabric with no project in mind (just cos its pretty – I have a cupboard dull!) how much do you normally buy? I seem to end up with either far too much for any project or just short when I finally try to match a pattern to a fabric.
Hope youre feeling better now x
I actually try not to buy stash fabric unless I have a specific plan for it. If it’s just too good to pass up (or a mega deal), I try to at least determine what type of garment to pay from it – pants, shirt, dress, etc – which helps me figure the yardage. Price also matters as well (if it’s mega cheap, I’ll just buy like 4 yards. Splurges, I gotta be a little more careful!), but for the most part 1.5-2.5 yards is usually enough for me to do something fun with 🙂
thank you – will try and follow your fine example and behave in future 🙂
cupboard full (by no means dull!!!)
Button selection #4! Though they are all cute. I love watching these works-in-progress. Looking forward to seeing the real deal when you get done with it!
Very educational seeing a coat muslin! I’m trying to figure out mine right now, but not quite sure where to start… If anyone has any thoughts they would be most welcome 🙂
http://cashmerette.blogspot.com/2013/12/muslin-advice-needed-and-open-coat.html