Vogue 1419: My Winter-White Winter Break Coat

It's done! After over two weeks of working on this coat over my whole winter break, it's finally done!

I'm really proud of this coat. For one, it's the first Advanced/Plus Difficile Vogue Pattern I've made! More substantially, it really pushed the boundaries of my sewing knowledge. It's probably the most meticulously tailored garment I've made so far. I learned a lot of new sewing techniques, like bound buttonholes and welt pockets (see my last blog post for detailed pics/tutorials!) And I think, for all the work it entailed, it turned out really well!

Here's the pattern I used--the oft lauded and blogged Vogue 1419 Ralph Rucci coat. I (like a lot of us), fell in love with it on first sight. Here's the line drawing so we can admire it more.

Isn't it cool?!?! The coat has no shoulder seams! It has a front panel and a back panel, and then there's a piece that goes over the shoulder and a side panel/gusset that connect the front and back to form a sleeve. Aren't those some awesome style lines? And the silhouette--a flared skirt, flared sleeves, and nipped-in waist--is very flattering.

Perks of Sewing: A Perfect Outfit for Every Pair of Shoes!

Let's be honest, there is nothing more bitchin' than topping off a stunning outfit with a perfect pair of shoes.

Black-on-black checkerboard created in squares of different fabrics, like leather, velvet, satin, all molded around your foot...TOO AWESOME

Most people try to match their shoes to their garments; but a seamstress can match a garment to her shoes ;)

COULD THIS FABRIC BE ANY MORE PERFECT?!?!

I pretty much had to get some of this just so I could wear it with my boots. Don't get me wrong--the fabric is inherently gorgeous; it's slippery, shiny, fluid silk, with this subtle but intriguing pattern; it almost reminds of Alice in Wonderland, in the most sophisticated sense possible. But yes, it really caught my attention because of these boots. When I went to show my mom the bolt, she pointed out that she had extracted it from the heap of surrounding silks in the first place on the strength of the same correlation. (She was also quick to remind me that the boots are actually her boots, and I just borrow them occasionally because she is the best mom in the world and shares my shoe size.)

I rushed home to choose a shirt pattern from my mom's stash.

MOOD!

I went to Mood the other day...wow that was two weeks ago. I guess I have been busy!

For those of you who don't know, Mood is a giant L.A. fabric store. They sell all kinds of fabric, including silk, suiting, denim, beautiful beaded textiles, hides, even upholstery (read: pants and coats). There's another one in New York that supplies the designers on Project Runway. It's a great place to go if you're looking for inspiration or aren't quite sure what you need because their fabric is varied and beautiful.

I love Mood.

My mom and I made a pinch weekend trip because I wanted to make myself a dress for a fancy lunch my grandpa was hosting that Friday. I was looking for a pearl-gray silk-satin with some sort of beading/ intricacy. My first idea was to try dying grey a white beaded polyester fabric that my mom had in her closet, which despite being synthetic was very beautiful. My mom took one look at this

with its dubious dying capacity and glued-on beads and all of its as-of-yet unadulterated loveliness and suggested that we go to Mood.

I didn't end up buying anything, mainly because I was being picky and the only beaded silk-satin they had was bridal. But my mom did buy some alpaca fur for a vest she's making, and I got inspired for an essay I have to write, and...

I BRING YOU PICTURES.