Simplicity 2508 in Orange Wool

Two years ago, I picked up a significant quantity of orange wool coating for $6 per metre at Fabric Vision.  It was such a a bargain, I bought about six metres from memory.  Courteney made a bomber jacket for her brother out of it but there was still a ton of it left for my planned project.  It took a mere two years for my plans to come to fruition.

My black coat made using Simplicity 2508   is starting to look a little tired.  It is my favourite because it is nice and roomy for layering.  The raglan sleeves mean it is not too snug so perfect for wearing jumpers underneath, a necessity first thing in the morning when temperatures are frequently below freezing.  To make sure though, that I stayed warm I added an additional layer of flannel interlining.  After basting in said interlining it quickly became apparent that my choice of green plaid from my stash was visible from the outside, darn it!  An evening in front of the tv with my seam ripper and a dig around in my linen cupboard later, and my interlinings were replaced with an old flannelette sheet, in a more practical shade of cream.  It isn't glamorous but it is practical.  I did have doubts about interlining at all as the coat came together because this puppy weight a to!  Don't even get me started on the difficulties maneuvering it to sew buttonholes and top stitching!

Given the weight of the outer part of the coat, lining it in satin was a good decision.  Last years make, Grainline Cascade is lined in cotton and I do find it grabs my clothes and isn't at all easy to put on.  I still love it but wouldn't line in cotton again for this reason.  The satin is an op shop purchase so was a no brainer for lining anyway.

I bought the fur for the hood from The Fabric Store and initially was intending to button it to the hood so I could remove it but decided that actually, I probably wouldn't bother removing it anyway so just hand stitched it on after the fact.

My coat has been sitting on my mannequin for several weeks, ironically in the coldest days of winter, waiting on the arrival of buttons and shoulder pads from Aliexpress.  Considering the number of buttons on this coat, I wasn't willing to pay big money for the buttons.

The verdict;  despite being a seemingly endless project, and taking up many evenings, I am happy with the results.  Who wouldn't be happy wearing such a cheerful coat!