September Showcase :: Serendipity Swing Coat

It’s my turn to play the reviewer (reviewist?) for a pattern for September Showcase!  I jumped at the chance to try the Serendipity Swing Coat by Destri at Sewlosophy.

I did a mild flip of the pattern, adding a cowl-shaped collar, welt pockets, and extending the buttons along the entire front of the coat.  I love the pattern as written, but fall is rapidly approaching and I wanted to warm it up a little.

The houndstooth fabric is flannel shirting and the floral is quilting cotton, both from my local Jo-Ann Fabrics.  As much as I love stripes and floral combined, I think I might have found another combination I enjoy just as much!

We’re here to talk about the pattern, right?  First let me ask a question – are you the kind of person who likes to follow directions with text and photos, or a step by step video?  Well then this pattern is for you!  How’d I know which way you’d answer?  I didn’t – Destri has both bases covered in her patterns.  Clear, concise photos and written tutorial or for those video lovers out there, you get a nice personal one-on-one sewing experience with Destri herself.  It’s like having a sewing date with a friend, and how cool is that?

I love the style of this coat, and beyond that there’s the entire Serendipity collection consisting of coat, blouse, trousers and beret.  I’ve definitely got the trousers and blouse on my wish list!

So the cowl collar I added ended up working out really well!  I drafted it using the top of the coat pattern pieces for the bottom of the cowl and then a straight line at the top.  When buttoned all the way to the top it should help keep her neck warm, and when it’s unbuttoned, it lays open like a casual collar.  The only thing about adding a button-up cowl is that it kind of negated the reversibility of the coat since you wouldn’t want buttons on your neck, which is too bad since I love reversible garments!  Ah, trade-offs…

I had a little fun with the construction and bagged the coat instead of edge stitching at the sleeves.  Bagging a coat is like this origami magic trick where you pull a coat out of a sleeve!  Essentially, you sew the entire outer edge of the coat and lining together with rights sides facing.  Arrange the sleeves carefully so they’re not twisted.  Then you fold up the edge of one set of sleeves and slip the other set over so right sides are together and sew.  Open a few inches of one sleeve lining and pull the coat out through the hole.  Push sleeves into place and stitch the opening closed and ta-da!  You’ve bagged a coat!

So, how much fun has the September Showcase been?  I loved seeing the LOL Swing Tops sewn up by the sewists who reviewed my pattern, and I’ve enjoyed seeing all the other designs being featured each day.  Have you found any new designers to follow?

There’s still one more day to enter the giveaway, and also one more day to pick up any patterns you’d like to add to your arsenal at a discount.

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