Red Wool Coat

 I bought this wonderful cashmere and silk fabric at Unique Fabrics, in Goldhawk Rd., London. I confess the salesman totally sold it to me, he observed and chatted with me while I was drooling over their silks (OMG!!!!), and he showed this beauty to me, I couldn't resist, a red coat came to mind and nothing could stop me, not even the 200Eur I paid for the motherfucker! Totally good value for money!

Two weeks before Christmas I decided I absolutely needed it for then, so I started sewing in another of my typical stupid deadline frenzy madness (as if I did not have a coat to put on my back!).

I wanted a coat with an imperial waist and I found this cute pattern at a Burda magazine (from the library), which patterns I totally and absolutely trust.
I followed my usual method:

First, I traced the pattern in white sheer paper (these patterns do not include seam allowances, as I prefer).

Second, I true the pattern over my dress form. It seemed OK, so I proceeded to (third) arrange the pieces over the folded fabric, secure them with pins and cut them.

Fourth, I marked all my fabric pieces with tailor tucks, including marks, and everything. 

This seems the reincarnation of boredom, but it is totally worth it, since you have your pieces exactly marked, and you can made slight or important variations (provided you leave generous seam allowances in dangerous places like waist, hips, bust, length).

Fifth, I started minor items constructions, since it is better to do them with the pieces not attached together. I made the buttonholes (following Shaeffer's steps) and pockets.

Sixth, a applied thermofusible interfacing to the whole bodice and sleeves (a thinner one for them).
Seventh, I basted all the beast together and ready myself for the crucial moment of the first fitting. I always sew faster and faster as the moment approaches, and hand-basting is thus more bearable with anticipation. In this case I saw it was too big and the waist, and sleeves were also to big oven the shoulders, but I decided to machine stitch it and press it before making it definitely smaller at those places.

I also finished the neck piece and the frontal facing before trying it on again and confirming I had to take one cm off each side and also at the side back panel seams, at the waist. I also reduced the sleeves over the shoulders, and it was then almost perfect.

I carefully pressed on the wrong side with a cotton cloth over it. I played The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (gosh, what wonderful dresses!!!!), and pressed and pressed, since it was crucial to make it patiently and well.

I cut the lining and put it together with pins. I machine-stitched it and pressed it well too. I made the buttonhole openings and pressed them too.

Then, I secured by hand all the seams well open, and hand-sewed the bottom and sleeve hems.
I put the coat on the dress from, on the wrong side, put the finished and pressed lining over it, secure it with pins and hand-stitched it to the coat.

Finally, the night before I applied the buttons and done!