DONE!

What I went with were some gold-ish toned buttons that have a hand hammered look to them. They are a matte finish, not shiny. They also came in a few different sizes so I could find the smaller ones for the sleeve cuffs. It was about $20 just on buttons. Figure in the fabrics, time and everything else- it's easy to see why stuff is so damned expensive sometimes.



I have never in my life made a button hole. Not even in Home Ec in school. My mom has probably done over a million of the damn things and here I had never done even one. Never attempted it- nothing. The coat was going to need 3 if not 4 of them and does anyone have any idea how important they are?  Their placement is everything. Think about it.



If you have too much room between buttons- the fabric can pooch open and whatever you are wearing underneath (or not) is exposed. If the buttons are too small and there's not enough of them- they are 'lost' on the coat. Too big, too many- the coat looks too small on you and crowded. They should also be evenly spaced and certainly in a straight line. Let's not forget that the top of the coat and certainly the bottom line up and are even... They are just buttons, but sheesh!

On went the coat yet again. I had already pinned it closed down the front several times, what was another 12-15 rounds of try not to stick myself with a pin? If only that could be used as a way of deflating a few body parts to a more reasonable size... *sigh*  I pinned it for 3 buttons. Take it off, lay it on the couch and set the buttons on it.  Does it need 3 or 4?  I decided on 4. I had already sewn the buttons on the sleeves as a faux cuff.



Who knew the sewing maching book would have directions on making buttonholes? Thankfully mine does. They are easy to do too. I had no idea. I whipped out 4 of them in nothing flat. My coat was almost done!  All that was left was sewing the buttons themselves on. I was excited. And could not find a needle. (Insert more swearing) Consider it was already after midnight and at least it was a weekend, but still.


Buttons, tailors chalk and my impromptu pincushion- not the one I normally use.
I make it a point to leave a piece of thread in my needles, knotted and stuck in one part of my pincushion. No such luck. Because the pincushion has fallen on the floor a few times, several of the pins are pushed down into the fabric. The needle was among them and no thread to be seen. It had almost slipped through the fabic on the pincushion to be lost in the depths of it. But I found it and got the buttons all sewn on. HOORAY! It was finally DONE!



Look at those buttons and the button holes! lol



The bottom needs to be pressed, mainly the one seam on the right...



A better, close up view of the buttons



My coat in all it's finished glory. Wahoo!

For anyone interested- the pattern was Simplicity 4032, View A. Yeah, how close does mine resemble theirs? Made a few changes there did I?

Now, on to the apron and the hat......