Coat Sewing Series

Sewing coats Skills Kit

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.

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 sampler pattern

Practicing 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.

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.

SUGGESTED FABRIC

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.

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)

Ormond coat pattern

A timeless outerwear piece, thoughtfully crafted to be a staple garment in your autumn-winter wardrobe the Ormond coat boasts an uncomplicated classic style that you can rely on for trans-seasonal heavy lifting.

For a versatile piece, we love it in denim and neutrals so you can mindlessly throw it over your shoulder as you’re walking out the door, just in case the weather turns. Or make it a focal piece in an over-sized print or buffalo check. Either way, you’ll quickly wonder how on earth you survived without it.

Garment details

The Ormond coat features a boxy silhouette, convertible collar and raglan sleeves. View A offers a calf-length coat with a centre back vent for ease of movement, French-seamed welt pockets and bias bound seams for a durable and elevated finish.

With its chore coat vibes, View B finishes at the high-hip and features distinctive asymmetrical patch pockets and hard-wearing flat-felled seams.

Sizing

The pattern is available in both sizes A - J (drafted for a B sewing cup size) and G - P (drafted for a D sewing cup size). Our size charts can be found here.

The Ormond coat is designed to be relaxed in fit so that it can be layered with your autumn-winter wardrobe. Select a size based on your high bust measurement and then check the finished garment measurements for your size before choosing to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA). The waist and hips also have considerable ease, so check the finished garment measurements before choosing to grade between sizes.

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. The size A-J pattern has been drafted for a B cup bust, while the size G-P pattern has been drafted for a D cup bust.

Suggested Fabrics

The Ormond coat is compatible with mid to heavy weight outerwear fabrics such as cotton canvas, waxed canvas/oil cloth, cotton moleskin, rigid denim, corduroy and heavyweight cotton drill.

Wool coating and boiled wool can also be used, but please keep in mind that the coat is unlined. For some, this may be uncomfortable, or make it tricker to slide the coat on and off. Sleeves can be underlined with a smooth fabric to help with this.

Fabric requirements and finished garment measurements can be found here.

Notions

• Coordinating thread
  
  VIEW A

• 22m (24yds) x 32mm (1 1/4in) single-fold bias tape (if using pre-made binding, this is 25mm (1in)).

• 0.4m (0.5yd) pocketing fabric (lightweight cotton or lining fabric) for one set of pocket bags.

• 1.3m (1.5yd) light or midweight fusible interfacing

• 6 x 2-2.5cm (3/4-1in) buttons

  VIEW B

• 0.9m (1yd) light or midweight fusible interfacing

• 4 x 2-2.5cm (3/4-1in) buttons

Patterns include seam allowances.

Difficulty

The Sewing coats Skills Kit and Ormond apron pattern are 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 project will have you feeling very proud of both the inside and outside of your garment.

By working through the Sewing coats 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.

The Ormond coat pattern is placed at a Level 3.5 on the In The Folds pattern skill scale, and has been designed for intermediate sewists and beyond. Through careful drafting and beautiful finishing techniques, this pattern will make you feel very proud of both the inside and outside of your garment.

By working through this pattern, you will gain confidence in sewing curved seams, pockets, seam finishes with bias binding, flat-felled seams, interfacing, top-stitching and more.