New Coat From An Old Pattern

As you know, I am using as many patterns from my stash as I can. Shopping my stash first saves me time (gives me more sewing time) and money. So I made this new coat from an old pattern. Vogue 9069 is from 2014 but it is still stylish and classic.

Pattern and Fabric

The pattern is described as a very loose fitting wrap coat with front extending to pleated hood. Although this is supposed to be fully lined, I really didn’t want to do that. My goal was to make a simple, unlined coat that would be warm and comfortable. I definitely wanted a simple style as well.

The fabric used for this is a brushed polyester wool blend that’s warm and washable. It’s quite heavy so this is certainly a winter fabric. Best of all, I was able to buy it in one of my favorite colors.

If the coat is fully lined, it can be made reversible. For mine, only the front and hood are lined. that way, the front sections are finished nicely and the hood slides on easily.

Sewing The Coat

A size 16 needle for this really works well. Vogue 9069 is great for beginners. There are not a lot of details or complications.

inside details of Vogue 9069-new coat from an old pattern

Since I didn’t fully line my coat, I used binding on some seam allowances. That’s shown in the picture above.

There are patch pockets on the coat. I lined mine although the pattern doesn’t call for that. Lining the pockets helps them last longer (and it feels better).

new coat from an old pattern with Vogue 9069

Besides the lining (or lack of), I didn’t make any changes to the pattern. Making this new coat from an old pattern was quick and easy.

It’s been quite a while since I made a wool coat. My first one is here, done for the ready-to-wear fast.

Overall, I think this is a terrific pattern. It’s easy to make and the style is timeless!

Knit Dress With McCall’s 7561

This is my latest make. I was gifted this fabric by Minerva Fabrics. It’s a loop back French terry stretch knit. It is perfect for sewing this knit dress with McCall’s 7561 pattern. Although this is a beginner sewing pattern, it did present come challenges.

The Pattern

The pattern is from 2017 and is described as a close-fitting, pullover dress with back, sleeve, neckline and length variations. It’s a nice, basic pattern that has a lot of potential. But I did have several issues with it. First and foremost, there are no measurements on the pattern pieces or on the pattern envelope. Even a beginner will need to know what size the finished garment is supposed to be.

The Changes

With that in mind, I chose to go with the large, but do alterations. I found the bodice length to be incredibly short (by 3″-4″). Because of the short bodice, I added 4″ (although I could have gone with 3″).

Since I was making View A/B, I made the length of the dress 5″ longer. To me, that was perfect!

Although I graded to a wider waist, I think I should have added more. That probably would eliminate the puckering at the waist along the back.

For the sleeves, I used the lengthen/shorten line as my sleeve length.

While the instructions call for simply turning under the neckline, I added a neck band. This gives it a nicer finish and made it just a bit higher.

Overall, I do feel this is a cute pattern. Personally, I prefer the Moneta dress I made a couple of years ago. I did have to make many of the same adjustments to that pattern as I did to this. I would definitely refine the alterations the next time.

The Fabric

The fabric is exclusive to Minerva. It is very comfortable, soft and easy to sew. This is a medium weight knit with good stretch and recovery.

Until next time…

McCall’s 7561

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The Style Arc Avery Tunic

The Style Arc Avery tunic was part of a pattern haul I did last year. I chose this because it is for both woven and knit fabrics. It’s an interesting (and unusual) combination to have in one pattern, so I wanted to give it a try. The top also features an exposed zipper which is something else I’ve never done. So, here are my thoughts on the Style Arc Avery tunic.

Pattern Features

As mentioned, the Avery features an exposed zipper. It also has a high-low hem with hem facings, and can be made using a combination of woven and knit fabrics. Or, it can be made using all knit fabric without the zipper.

The Process

Because I hadn’t done the exposed zipper before, that was what I was most looking forward to. It’s also what gave me the most trouble. I actually wasn’t even sure what it was supposed to look like when done. Once I figured that out, it was still a process to install. The instructions for this task I felt were not clear. After some research, I was able to get some ideas on how to install it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was done.

As far as the rest of the top, It came together easily. The facings for the hem is a nice touch because it gives a neat, clean finish.

The pattern I used for this is multi-sized, so I traced off the one I needed. You can purchase one size or multi-sized PDF patterns, or a paper pattern.

My fabrics are black cotton interlock knit and cotton blend lemon print. Both of these are really easy to work with. This patten would be great for color-blocking with solid fabrics as well. There are also different pattern pieces for the back, if you choose not to insert the zipper. In that case, you are making this from all knit fabric.

The Results

With all the challenges putting this together, I’m very happy with the results. Once I got the zipper installed, It took hardly any time to put the rest of the Style Arc Avery tunic together. I really do like their patterns and have made other tops and pants from Style Arc and haven’t had any issues.

I might try one from all knit fabric next time with some color-blocking. That could be something really cute (and much easier to make)!

Until next time…