Friday Freebie: Make a Coat

Heyyy those are the epaulet sleeves I used for my Patrones robot jacket. I should’ve read this leaflet back then! Harhar.

Another leaflet from the Massachusetts State College. This one’s dated 1946 (with no copyright) and covers everything you need to know about making a coat (awesome if you’re sewing from an international pattern magazine *Patronescoughburdacough* and need detailed instructions from start to finish. You could, of course, use your machine for everything instead of hand sewing the parts it recommends (but not if you enjoy the struggle).

This book takes you step by step, with lovely/ horrific illustrations through tools, linings, interlinings, interfacings, choosing and pre-shrinking fabric, pattern selection and cutting. It covers tailoring techniques, reinforcement, pocket and buttonhole design and sewing, dart placement and finishing touches. Lots of neat-o little details like hand stitching arrow tacks, attaching fur trims and the correct way to line and face a slit/ vent.

The laid back (yet completely aware and on the ball) attitude of the lady in the second illustration reminds me of Lix (Anna Chancellor) from The Hour (season two out soon). Lix is my absolute favourite from the show. Everything about her just is just really cool in an almost manly way (for the times. If you’ve watched the series you know what I’m talking about). She’s usually in straight-cut man-pants and boxy shirt-blouses (often nursing a scotch) lit cigarette dangling casually from the one hand, sharp mind racing with all the up-front questions and dodgy angles the other journos are too slow to catch. Lix is awesome at what she does and totally in control of her life (which I love).

Anyway, the booklet’s here if you want it and if vintage sewing books are your thing, there’s two more here and here. The internet archive is really worth exploring for commons/ copyright expired ancient goodies (I once found a hideously hilarious 50s video on sewing which had been released by one of the big four-it was truly hideous.. made me grateful to have been born when I was..).

Previously on Friday Freebies: Vintage Apron Patterns and Duct-tape dressforms.

Featured image of 40s coat from the Vintage Devotion Etsy shop (copyright the owners of the shop).