I was lucky enough to win a competition where the prize was the
Goldstream Peacoat pattern from
Thread Theory. At that point the pattern itself was not released - I had the option of choosing the digital pattern (quicker!) or the paper. I think I originally went for the digital, but then saw
their paper patterns and swiftly changed my mind - those puppies are drool-worthy!
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Image from the Thread Theory website because I forgot to photograph my copy.... |
So when I won this I showed it to my husband Nick, and he liked it - but then his parents bought him a (nice, but clearly inferior..) coat for his birthday. He then didn't really "need" another coat. So my thoughts turned to a girl version for me - there are many super gorgeous examples out there (
google women's peacoat and marvel at the results), so that was the working plan. I even tried one on in Jeans West, to see what they looked like on me (I liiiiike...)
But then my Dad came over. Two weeks before his birthday. Two and a half weeks before he left Australian "Autumn" (temps in the 20s) for English "Spring" (temps in the double digits if you are lucky). He saw the pattern and waxed lyrical about the coat he had when he was a twenty-something lothario (my mum remembered it too, so it must have been good!). As soon as he left I started tracing the pattern and sacrificed the Italian Wool from Cleggs in Melbourne on the altar of the surprise birthday present.
This. Pattern. Is. GORGEOUS. For me, it's the perfect blend of doing it properly with usability and clarity of instructions. I noticed the
recent sewalong they had and that was eye opening (of course it came after I already made the thing). The sewalong took the base pattern and said - hey! if you want to, here's how you do this shit like a pro. They had the horsehair canvas (seriously, I had to google that) and there was lots of hand basting, tailor tacks and the like. It was a GREAT sewalong. Most of them just sew through the pattern, and frankly, if you bought the pattern for a full on tailored coat, you probably don't need to see how you understitch something, you need to explore the other ways of achieving a great result with different techniques, fabrics and approaches. Their sewalong was perfecto.
So here is the result for me (I finished the day the sewalong was announced...go figure):
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My crapola phone pic makes this look dirty and shabby - in real life it's ace I promise! |
I made the version without the pleats in the body. As this was a surprise, I was making it a bit blind. I know that my husband and father can wear each other's clothes *mostly* but my husband is a little broader in the shoulder, a little taller and with longer arms. Usually the broader but skinnier cancel each other out, but I was nervous. I got mum to measure a shirt of Dad's, figuring that was a good fit for fairly snug - though not his actual measurements, obviously.
Here it is on Nick, several times :)
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What is he looking at? |
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The photobombing dog, of course! |
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Being silly... |
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Being serious and super stiff! |
And also, on me - given that I still intend to mod this pattern for myself! It's a good basic starting point, to know how it fits made out of the box as a size L.
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Needs more shape, but I have a good starting point... |
So this was a super nerve-wracking experience for me. Dad like clothes more than most men (though still cares a lot less than most women). I have never made anything for him before, so I was kind of nervous. Being English, he was a bit overwhelmed and didn't really know how to say thanks or whatever. He compensated as all English (and most Australians) will do - by being stupid and posing in the coat, as a cover for any display of emotion which might compromise the stiff upper lip:
All up though, he really liked it (I could totally tell). He went off to stupid-cold Newcastle and promptly got man-flu. Apparently he has both nursed his flu by snuggling in the coat, but has also had LOTS of unsolicited comments on the awesome threads. My work here is done :)
You have been SO busy - glad to see at least one of us is still crafting :). OMG your dad is adorable, stiff upper lip or not. He reminds me of my dad - who has a matching white moustache and would totally react in the same way.
ReplyDeleteHe is great! Apparently he is totally stoked and loves it and showing it to anyone who will look, but of course can't express any of that to me :) Australians are marginally better at that sort of thing I think?
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