Curated by ITF - Issue 31

Sewing Coats Skills Kit

The Sewing Coats Skills Kit is a resource that can stand on its own. From the tools you need, tips for working with heavyweight fabrics and techniques for getting that professional finish, this resource covers everything you need to know and nothing you don't, and breaks it down into manageable chunks at the same time.

By working through the Skills Kit you will gain confidence preparing and working with heavyweight fabrics, and sewing:

• Flat felled seams on curved and straight seams
• Bias binding
• Welt pocket with French seams
• Vent openings
• Handstitching (eg. Slip stitch and hand basting)
• Block fusing + piece fusing
• Grading
• Clipping
• Understitching
• Sewing a facing

Ormond apron

Sewing a sampler is a great way to learn a new technique or build confidence before using your ‘good’ fabric. Trying new skills on an apron designed to be worn at home, is far less intimidating than sewing an entire coat, and we hope it will encourage you to focus on improving your skills rather than obsessing over perfection.

But, as you would expect from ITF, Ormond isn’t JUST an apron. We’ve included some fun elements to stretch your sewing muscles and help you prepare for sewing coats.

The Ormond apron features welt pockets with French seams for a deliciously clean finish on the inside AND outside. With a centre front opening and vent, it’s perfect for crafts where you need a bit more give or to sit, like ceramics. It also features flat felled curved and straight seams, crossed straps for stability and comfort and a cute asymmetric patch pocket on the front.

A true multi-hyphenate, this apron pattern will protect your me-mades from passata splatters in the kitchen, grass stains in the garden or muddy fingers in the pottery studio, all while teaching you new sewing skills.

Sizing

The Ormond apron is available in 3 sizes, which covers our full size range (A - P). The size chart for the pattern can be found here.

This pattern is drafted for a height of 170cm (5'7"). Use the LENGTHEN / SHORTEN lines on the pattern to make alterations to the length.

Supplies

The Ormond apron is compatible with mid to heavyweight woven fabrics such as: denim, cotton canvas, linen or cotton drill. We recommend thinking about the types of fabric you would use to make an unlined jacket or coat and use something similar for the Ormond apron so it gives you a chance to practice.

Fabric requirements

Sizing information, fabric requirements and finished garment measurements can be found here.

Notions

• Coordinating thread
• 0.3m (0.4yd) lightweight cotton fabric to cut one or both sets of pockets
• 0.3m (0.4yd) lightweight fusible interfacing. If you would like to experiment with different weights of interfacing, we suggest collecting a range of samples before purchasing the interfacing for your apron/samplers.
• 3m (3.3yds) x 2.5cm (1in) wide cotton webbing
• 0.8m (0.9yd) x 32mm (1¼in) single-fold bias tape. If using pre-made binding, this is 25mm (1in)

Pattern includes seam allowance.

Mighty Networks group

By purchasing this issue you will gain access to the extra resources we shared in our online community when we released the project. This means that you will be able to ask questions, share your makes and connect with other makers who are also on a mission to learn new skills and sew clothing in a slow and conscious way.

Difficulty

The pattern is placed at a Level 2 on the In The Folds pattern skill scale, and has been designed for advanced beginners and beyond. Through careful drafting and beautiful finishing techniques, this pattern will have you feeling very proud of both the inside and outside of your garment.

By working through this Coat Skills Kit and apron pattern, you will gain confidence in: sewing flat-felled seams, bias binding, welt pockets with French seams, vents, hand-stitching, block and piece fusing, grading, clipping and unstitching. You will also develop your finishing skills so that the insides are just as beautiful as the outside.

Digital product details

Sewing Coats Skills Kit: 77 pages of sewing technique tutorials and content. The booklet is suitable for printing on both A4 and US letter sized paper, or can be viewed onscreen using a PDF viewer.

The Ormond apron pattern is suitable for printing on both A4 and US letter sized paper. A copy shop version is also included in the file (A0 or US 36" x 48").

Print at home pattern:  28 x A4 pages
Print shop version: 2 x A0 pages