Simplicity 2057 Coat

My Chenille Coat Experiment



Front view showing in-seam pockets

This coat started out as a bit of a disaster.  I found some beautiful chenille fabric in the back of the store, clearance room, dig deep in the pile, "We really need to get rid of this fabric" table at a local fabric store for a whopping $1.00 a yard.  So, I splurged and bought 10 yards of it.  It had a wonderful feel to it, very soft and pliable.  I had no idea what I was going to make with it, but it was such a good deal, I couldn't pass it up.

Upon arriving home, I immediately threw it in the washing machine to pre-shrink it.  It rumbled and tumbled in the washing machine making lots of noise as the machine finally came to the end of it's cycle.  I think the fabric was actually crying "Help!" while being tumbled around in there.  I opened the machine and gasp at the wrinkled, shriveled up mess my "very expensive" fabric had become.  I threw it on the washing line to dry while I decided what to do with my now permanently wrinkled mess.  I figured anything else I did with it couldn't hurt since it was pretty much already ruined. 



Close up of coat front

I decided to embrace the new texture of my fabric and work with the wrinkles.  I ironed on some inexpensive Pellon interfacing to the back side, manipulating the wrinkles as I went.  And actually, it was turning out to be quite a nice surprise.  The picture above shows a little bit of the new texture.  I was now glad I had purchased so much of the fabric since it had now shrank to about 1/2 it's original size in width.

 

I then proceeded to make the rest of the coat.  It's a fully lined, knee length coat with in-seam pockets, a waistband, separate mock flaps on the front and a flap on the upper back.



Close up of jacket front with pocket flaps



The mock pocket flaps on the front I backed with a nice oriental satin fabric - this helped reduce the bulkiness of my now very heavy fabric.
  

Oriental lining on mock pocket flap

I used the satin for the undercollar and the back flap as well.



Oriental lining on undercollar

Of course I had to add in a wild print for the lining as well.  This fabric had been in my stash for about 10 years and I was glad I could finally use it!

My crazy lining!



All in all, I think my coat turned out very nice.  It's definitely warm with all of the additional interfacing and polyester lining!  



Back view





Happy Sewing!