On to the next thing

With the coat finished, I had started to work on the hat. In driving it is all about the hat and having the right one is a really big deal. I had one thing in mind and so far- it isn't happening. Lucky for me, my hat has options. Usually your 'turnout look' starts with the hat and you build it up from there. Knowing me like some do- when have I ever been known to do as I am told or follow the directions?  ;-)

The hat is made from the leftovers from the coat. There wasn't much to work with and very few scraps still. For the most part it is two long strips of fabric sewn together, stuffed with stiff interfacing and sewn shut. I wrapped it around my head and measured it where it met, hand stitching it underneath. The top didn't want to go on with the machine so it was handstitched too. It is the same interfacing between two layers of the taffeta I had bought for the apron.

I have also made the apron and have a lot of the taffeta left. So much in fact, that I will likely be making a skirt to go with the coat for the odd occurrance I should go somewhere and need a nice outfit for the occasion. I also figured I would use the taffeta to make the brim of the hat. It is cut out and sorta put together, but I am not sure yet where it will go from there.

Remember the collar I had made for the coat? I tried using that as a brim on the hat. It sorta works, but I am undecided as of yet. It does provide my eyes a bit of shade and since sunglasses are, as a general driving rule, taboo to wear in the dressage ring, I will be needing something or I will be squinting and grimacing my way through the test.

I have sewn the brim on 3 or 4 times, taken it off just as many, tried the hat as a pillbox style, with and without various different adornments and am still quite undecided as to which look I prefer. If you note in the pics, there is a small pocket on the left side, where flowers, netting and other adornments can be tucked in and pinned. Please feel free to comment on which hat style you like best. I'm kinda stuck at the moment and certainly open to outside opinions.....



The complete look- hat, coat & apron. Just need my gloves...



The hat with the collar piece as a brim- all pinned together.



I added a bit of decoration to the hat



And here is the hat as a pillbox style with tulle in the pocket for an accent.

So there you have it. What do you think? I have never made a hat before. I can still add a single or a couple layers of the tulle across the front. At the moment it has a big bow on it on the back. Ideas, thoughts, opnions??? Please??? 
  

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......

Almost there...

After posting the pics of the jacket, I sewed the sleeves on it. I had gotten to the point of just wanting it done. I made a couple of pleats in the back of the sleeve, pinned them on, sewed them, called it good and said to hell with it.  They were on, it looks ok and I could move on.

The collar was a joke. I had run short of fabric and decided to improvise. It did not turn out well and again I was getting frustrated. I went to bed and let it rest. When things start going wrong, I take it as a sign of a good time to stop and walk away.  I sleep on it and look at it later. A fresh mind is a good place to start. The next day- it still looked rediculous and no there were no pictures. Take it off and think again. I ended up going with no collar. Stitched the lining to the outer shell and again- called it good and said to hell with it.  I told you before sewing and swearing go hand in hand.  Thing is, the coat looks fine without the collar actually.



Then it was on to sewing the lining to the cuffs in the sleeves. I hadn't resorted to the directions on the coat before now, why start? Because that might make too much sense??? There is always that... I know how the lining in the cuffs is supposed to look so I stared at the coat and tried to work it out in my mind. Honestly, looking back I can't even begin to tell you how I did it, but it is done.  That will be sooo helpful for future projects, I know.

Soon all that was left was to hem the coat, find buttons for it, make the button holes, sew the buttons on and be glad it was finished.  The bottom of the coat was a few different lengths. That was a problem.  So I layed it on the floor, the lining hung out below... grabbed my scissors and took care of  that. Then I started to turn things under and pin them. I started with the piece that was the shortest. Pinned it all in place, hung it back on the hanger- front pinned shut and straightened it out across the bottom. I could see the finish line.

I took the coat to the store to pick out the buttons. I had almost bought them before, like before I had cut anything out and good sense told me to wait. I am glad I did. I layed the coat over the top of the cart & started laying different cards of buttons on it. The fabric has gold tones in it so pewter, silver, black and white were out. I found some buttons that were shiny and gold, flat, plain and they really stood out. Nope. I don't want to be remembered for the buttons on the coat.  Some were big, some were small, some were only available in one size and there were a lot of buttons to choose from...