Do you ever find yourself needing a garment, but you can't find one out there that suits your style? This is that garment. I have a few hooded coats but, they're wool or fleece. Not really a raincoat per se. And, I have two obsessions: coats and shoes. I need all the coats and I need all the shoes. Ha!

​I think coats and jackets are the best accessories because they add warmth- especially if you're always cold, and fabulous-ness to your outfit. Imagine yourself wearing a t-shirt, jeans, flats, and red lipstick. A normal little everyday outfit, right? But, then add a black velvet coat with a faux fur collar and your outfit gets a major upgrade! 

That's what coats and jackets do for me. I guess they're my jewelry. So, when Gertie came out with her Princess Coat pattern, I had to grab it. Then, a month later she rolled out her Patreon expansion pack to make a raincoat. I was sold! I needed a raincoat.


Fast forward 2 years and I still hadn't made my beloved raincoat. First of all, rainwear fabric was something I had zero clues about. And, second, I sew on a budget. I didn't have hundreds of dollars to drop on fabric for a coat I would wear maybe twice a year. Thanks Southern California for never raining. Living in the desert, we don't get a lot of rain but, when it rains, it pours. Hello flash floods. And, hello Little Red Raincoat.

This post isn't a How-to because it's an expansion pattern for Patreon only. Gertie is gracious enough to spoil her Patrons with all her marvelous patterns. If you're interested in making a vintage style raincoat, Grab the pattern here. Then, join her Patreon here. It's definitely worth it. We get a new pattern each month and honestly, it's too many for me to keep up with. But, I pick and choose which patterns are "need to sew now" and which ones are in the "someday" category. 

Anywho, I did have a few little areas I ran into trouble with so, I'll share my input on those. But, other than that, enjoy all the photos of my Little Red Raincoat. Yes, I named it. :D

Why did I start sewing the raincoat after 2 years you ask? Well, remember this post on January Jeans? My sewing friend on Instagram was still talking with her jeans sewing group. They decided to do a #JacketJanuary. I was invited and thank goodness for those ladies! They welcomed me and I made new sewing friends. Yay!! 

One gal finished her jacket on time and a few were waiting for the last touches by the end of January. We met every Monday for a fun Zoom call. the group kept me going and I was finally able to get my coat finished. It wasn't finished on time because I was undecided on whether to use buttons or snaps. In the end, I decided on snaps. Buttonholes and water don't go together so nicely

Snaps are usually easy but not this time. I put the first one in upside down. Cried (not really but, I wanted to). Then, put another one in wrong. Ha! I don't like snaps (anymore) or buttons. Face-Palm! 

One of the ladies in the sewing group told me about trench coat fabric. We had a quick chat about that and I had an a-ha moment. It was mind blowing, believe me. I ended up buying trench coat fabric and it was wallet friendly too. I found some beautiful red polyester twill from Mood Fabrics. They shipped quickly too. According to my measurements, I needed 8 yards. Well, technically I needed 7.5 but, when you order online, you can only order in whole amounts. Fun story, I ended up with almost 4 yards leftover. So, no clue what to do with all that leftover rain resistant fabric. Ugh! I think camping table clothes and bench covers?

The fabric itself is nice. It was a dream to sew with but, it wrinkles very easily. When I'm running through a hurricane looking fabulous, I probably won't mind my wrinkled mess of a raincoat, though. 

The lining is poly china silk I found online from Wholesale Fabric Direct. It's a blush pink color and I ordered 8 yards of that as well because... well measuring. I have tons leftover, over 4 yards. The leftover lining fabric didn't bother me because I can use it to line wool pants or anything else in the future. Plus, it only cost $2 a yard. LOL! No tears were shed over that. The rainwear fabric was a different story though. ;)

No potions except coffee. Lots of coffee.

​The thread and needles I used were simple and nothing fancy. 

1. I bought 3 spools of all purpose red polyester and 1 spool of all purpose poly pink thread. I read other peoples comments about how much thread they used for the Princess Coat and I didn't want to run out. Well, I didn't even use a whole of spool of the red. Ha! I always use red thread because it's the best color in the whole world, so no worries on that. 
2. I sewed my outer coat with a regular 80/12 universal needle. It sewed through the rain resistant fabric flawlessly. This fabric held onto the holes it was given so, I was cautious but, in the end just went for it. Backstitching on every seam was fine, no issues there.
3. For the lining, I knew better. I used a Microtex needle to sew all the pretty pink seams. When it came to sewing the outer and lining together in a few spots, I used red thread and the universal needle. No issues, no skipped stitches, and no birds nests. Yay for nice, cooperative needles. 
4. I used a tracing wheel and wax paper for the outer and lining pieces and cut everything with scissors. It was nice to open the leaves on my kitchen table and lay out the fabric and pattern pieces. My cutting table in my sewing space was not quite long enough for this project. 

1. After making my muslin, I decided I wanted a little more room in the tailored sleeves. I used a 1/2" seam allowance instead of the recommended 5/8". I graded it up when I got to the armpit area. This kept me from having to make other adjustments in the armscye area. 
2. I measured at a size 8 for the coat but graded down at the side seams, to a size 10 in the waist. I love that Gertie gives us different cup size pieces. The fit was exceptional. I love sewing for my own body. Talk about body positivity. :D
3. I also adjusted the length as I cut out the skirt pieces. Instead of shortening the skirt length at the shorten lines, I simply cut the length at size 2. This was probably the incorrect way, but it worked for me. Sometimes I like shortcuts. 
4. I added a hanging loop in the back. Cut a 2" wide by 4" long piece out of the outer fabric. Fold in half RS together and stitch with a 1/4" seam. Turn it inside out and baste it to the hood. A hanging loop for a raincoat is a must, right?  
5. I topstitched all of my outer seams. I sewed the center back seams to the left and the other ones to the right or left, depending on each seam. I thought this would help with the rain seepage as well. 

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1. The Instructions were a little wonky in areas which isn't normal for Gertie. She's usually spot on. However, I did run into an issue with pattern piece #15, the skirt front facing. Her video says she skipped the hem facings, fine. But, she still had the front facing on her raincoat and it didn't say in the extension instructions how to add this. The booklet instructions were on page 44, but were different. So, I unpicked some of the waist area and attached it to the bodice lining unit, albeight the wrong way, but I got it done. 
2. I had trouble figuring out how to add the neck facing because I hadn't had enough coffee or something. Below, is how it should look. The collar facing is cut with the outer fabric and sewn to the lining bodice at the back collar. It went on sorta upside down. Like I said, maybe I didn't have enough coffee. 

Okay, when it's time to hemm, be sure to let your outer and inner hang for 24 hours before you hem them. Fabric cut on the bias is no joke. My outer didn't stretch out but, the lining did need a little trimming and evening up. 

After hemming 4,000 yards of fabric and removing approximately 300 wonder clips, your hem will be done. Gertie preferred a narrow hem for the raincoat. The way she does it is nice too. Sew along the raw edge with 1/4" seam allowance, flip it up and under, sew again. Super easy. It is also nice for a circle skirt hem, you don't have to worry about any puckers. ;) I hemmed the outer and lining before I put them together. I liked hemming the outer and lining separately. Easy and no stress. 

I went back and shortened the lining hem length another 1/2" inch. I didn't want to get caught with my lining hem showing. Could yo imagine!? Gasp!  If you read this before you make your coat, hem the lining 1" shorter to begin with. 


The sleeve hems were easy to do too. I didn't attach them how Gertie recommends. Hand sewing, no thanks and on rainwear fabric especially. I prefer the bagged out sleeve hem method. You take the sleeves and pull them inside out, fold over the lining cuff 1/2" or so, match seams up and then sew. I didn't take photos but, here's a website that shows you how. It is my favorite way to sew sleeve cuffs and if you look at your RTW coats and jackets, they probably did it this way. 

You can see ripples in the bodice in the photo below. The water resistant fabric didn't take well to interfacing. I decided to leave it but, might rip it out later in life. We'll see.

I'm so happy with how my Little Red Raincoat turned out. It was such a fun sewing project. Thank you to the #JacketJanuary sewing group, you ladies rock! I can't wait to sew up a few more jackets and coats using The Princess Coat pattern from Charm Patterns. Gertie, you really outdid yourself with this beautiful pattern, as usual. If a hooded coat scares you, don't let it. The hood was the easiest part. It's a nice roomy size so my vintage style hairdos will fit inside without getting messed up. Yay for that! 

She gives quite a few sleeve choices. I want to make a mustard yellow coat next. I need some fun tweed to make a cropped jacket with a dare I say, faux fur collar! Perhaps some light pink boiled wool with a black fur collar too. Hmm...

I have no clue what to do with almost 4 extra yards of red rainwear fabric. Any ideas? Share them in the comments below, please. I need ideas. LOL
Scroll down to see more photos of my glorious coat without rain. 


Thanks for following along with my coat journey. Now, if you could all send some rain my way so I can try it out, that'd be great. 

Happy sewing,
Annette

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Have you ever dreamed of floating around the house in a 70's caftan? What about your beautiful backyard? I vote yes to both! Way back in high school, I borrowed a caftan from my mom's friend to wear to a dance. The 70s wasn't the theme but, I wanted to wear it. It felt so silky and soft while I wore it and danced all night long, with friends. 
When I saw this pattern via an Instagram friend, I knew I had to snag one for myself. She looked so fabulous in hers, and I knew I needed that pattern in my life. I hope you grab the vintage reproduction pattern and make a caftan, too.

I ordered the Simplicity #8505, 1970's caftan pattern from an Etsy shop. And after searching my local sewing shops for the perfect fabric, I decided to order that online too. If you make this, I recommend looking at fabric in person first, to give you ideas. It's fun to feel the drapey fabrics. Who doesn't love touching all the fabric? Are you ready to make the comfiest dress ever?
Let's get started.

Here's what you'll need. I also wanted to share a few tips and ideas for you to try, if you want.

• Simplicity Pattern 8505
• 3.5-6 yards of fabric (depending on your size)
• Interfacing Scrap
• 2 yards of twill tape or ribbon, 1/2" wide
• 1  1/2" button
• Matching thread
• Microtex or Sharps sewing needle
• Sewing machine + all the notions (scissors, clips/pins, rulers, etc.)
• *Optional: Fleetwood Mac playing in the background ;)
• 
  
  
  

Tips for making this pattern:

1. ​This pattern doesn't have pockets, but I would add some. Use another in-seam pocket pattern from a pattern you already own. Try the dress on after you sew the shoulder seams to see where you'd like your pockets to be.
2. When you sew the front to the midriff, to the yoke piece, make sure to match the center seams. I didn't pay close enough attention and wished I had. Use a water-soluble marker, Frixion pen, or another writing tool that will disappear to mark the centers. 
3. Measure, measure, measure! I measured myself and made a Large. It fit like a tent. I cut the side seams smaller, but it fits bigger than I'd like. You might need a smaller size than you'd think. ;) 

Measure yourself and write your measurements down. Read the finished measurements on the pattern tissue to help decide the correct size for you. The big four pattern companies usually give a ton of ease in their patterns. You want a caftan, not a tent. 

Cut out the pattern pieces. Trace the pieces onto fabric and cut them out. It's a lot of fabric so, a nice big workplace such as the floor is great for this part. 
I usually trace onto pattern paper but, this style is very loose and I knew I wouldn't need to make fitting alterations.

**You will have to tape the front (5 and 5A) piece to an extended piece. Match the stars and tape together. You'll do the same for the back piece (8 and 8A).
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The pieces were very large so, I used pattern weights and cut the fabric without tracing.  Gasp, I know! Trace the neck-facing piece though.

Time to sew.
Attach twill tape ties and sew reinforcing stitches at the corners of the front pieces. Clip to the corner but, not through the stitching.
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Sew the front center seam.

Gather those tiny ruffles.
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Sew 2 rows of gathering stitches using a 4-5mm stitch length, between the notches across the front. Pull the bobbin thread to lightly gather the front. It helps to leave long thread tails to pull the gathers.

Press down along the fold line on the front. This will become your front V neckline.

This is where I had the most difficulty. Gathers are easy but can be a pain in the you know what. So, go slowly, check twice, then sew.

Pin the yoke to the front pieces matching all the notches together. Sew and press the seam downwards.

Serge or sew the edge 1/4" under on the midriff pieces. Press along the fold line.

Pin the front midriff and yoke piece to the front pieces. 
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Make sure to match the center seams. Sew the bottom part of the yoke to the gathers first, then sew the sides. I didn't do this and found it a tad difficult to fit. Again, make sure you line up the center seams. 

Living in comfy clothes seems to be the new norm. Cozy pants especially. Fleece-lined leggings, flowy lounge pants, soft cotton harem pants, and PJ's of course. Gimme all the couch surfing pants.
Jeans don't really fit into the cozy pants category but, I'm going to talk about them anyway. Jeans are something I rarely reach for when I get dressed in the morning (afternoon?). If I do wear jeans, I reach for my Calvin Klein high waisted skinny jeans. They fit my body like a leather glove. So, when my friend told me about the January Jeans sew along, I jumped on board! 

This post is a little different than my usual pattern posts. Hundreds, if not more, Ginger Jeans tutorials already exist. So, I wanted to do something different. I'm taking you through my jeans fitting journey. Beware though, it's gonna get ugly before it gets pretty.

The January Jeans sew along was hosted by some lovely ladies in the UK, on Instagram. They set up a Slack app group for all of us to post and share photos to. We had live Zoom calls every Monday and then we were put into smaller Zoom groups. It was a whole jeans journey. We helped each other with fit issues and got feedback on our own jeans.

If you've ever wanted to dabble in jeans sewing, you really need to get the fit correct. Here we go!

• First, you need a pattern. I chose Closet Core's Ginger Jeans pattern in View B. It's a skinny leg, high waist pattern. My favorite style of jeans. But, you might want a low rise, wide-leg style. Scour the interwebs for a pattern that fits your specific taste. 
• 2-3 yards of Denim (check what % of stretch you'll need too)
• Cotton fabric for pocket linings
• Interfacing
• A jeans zipper (*it needs to be a metal jeans zipper so the pull will lay flat against the pants/ your body)
• Denim thread, regular thread, topstitch thread (optional)
• Jeans needles
• Fabric for a muslin (preferably denim)
• Jeans button
• Rivets (optional) 
• Awl and hammer for inserting button and rivets
• Rulers, chalk marker, scissors or rotary cutter, etc.
• Sewing machine
• Patience and time
• Serger for finished seams (optional)

Jeans sewing is an easy process. I've made a few pairs of jeans from Gertie's book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual. However, this was my first time making a zipper fly and I was a little bit intimidated. Sewing one in your muslin is a great way to practice a new skill or technique. It wasn't hard at all! 

I really do recommend sewing a muslin first. It's a trial run. You can rip out seams, cut fabric to make space for your hips and legs, and practice topstitching. Use it as your "scratch piece of paper". Through my first muslin (that I made with 0% stretch fabric) I found that the so-called high waist wasn't high enough for me. My first adjustment would be to the rise. 
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The photos below are of my first muslin fit. I cut out a straight size 12. I like to cut one size that is the closest to my measurements and go from there. 

Let's talk books. Big books, little books, tall books, small books. Whether you're new to sewing or a seasoned seamstress, it's a good idea to have a few books on the subject. This list may even spark your sewjo. These 5 are the ones I reach for most often. The internet is a great source however, if you need to refresh your memory on a specific technique, I urge you to reach for a book. Time is precious and you shouldn't spend it filtering through blogs or Youtube videos. The answer is going to be within one of these books. Each book in this list offers something different. Let's dive right in. 

This is the first sewing book I bought when I first started. Well, I think I asked for it for my birthday, but it was my first sewing book. It is the go-to sewing bible if you will. It has information on all the things. Tools, fabrics, techniques, and seam finishes, it's all in there. It is a little older so, you'll have to ignore the dated photos.
Bonus: It has patterns at the back of the book for you to make as well. Yay for patterns!

The images are clear and concise and it's a top choice for many sewists. If you're a visual learner, grab this book, you won't regret it.
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You knew I'd have to throw a Gertie book in, right? 
This is my favorite pattern book. If you've hung around here long enough, you know I'm a huge Gertie fan. HUGE! If she had a band, I'd be a groupie. No joke. I have all of her books but, this is my favorite by far. I have kids and can't always wear big, fluffy, glittery dresses to live my best life. I usually wear more casual 1940's styles. High waisted pants and a tucked in top is my go-to style.

I've made multiple patterns from this book and will continue to do so until I can't sew anymore. LOL
She shares sewing techniques and guides you through fabric choices. If you're a 1940s and 1950s fan, you need this book. It's her best!

​You can check out her old blog here. Her new blog is over here. 
Click here for a post on a few things I've made from her book. 

Need a gift for someone? Only have a yard of fabric to use? This book is your best bet. It has 101 patterns for things to make with only 1 yard of fabric! Yep, you read that correctly, only one yard of fabric.

We all have at least one yard of fabric in our stash, waiting to get used. This book has patterns for aprons, toys for kids and pets, other pet items, and even clothes!

It's a great beginner-friendly book too. I've had this for years and pull it out whenever I need a quick handmade gift idea. The holidays always creep upon us. Grab this book and start making gifts now. This might give you new ideas for everyone on your list. And, why not pick up an extra copy for your niece who recently learned to sew?

This is another pattern designer sewing book. I love Colette patterns. They are feminine without the fuss. The 5 patterns in this book are sweet and simple. She shows you how to create a scalloped hem, which you will love. The patterns are beginner-friendly as well. This book makes a wonderful gift for any sewist, new and seasoned.

Sarai has a blog that she is no longer on but, everything is archived.

She has, however, created an online sewing community and is very active in it. Seamwork, have you heard of it? It's is a great membership sewing community. It also has classes and patterns too.

If you love wearing cozy knit fabrics, you will love this book. Tilly's style blends modern with vintage to create something for everyone. If you've never sewn with stretch fabrics, she shows you how. From picking out the perfect fabric to the seam finishing. You don't even need a serger! She includes patterns for dresses, overalls, tops, and bottoms. The patterns aren't difficult and you can wear the clothing every day.

This book is also beginner-friendly. She will walk you through needle choice and stitches as well. 
I've recently made a Freya dress with star and moon fabric. It was such a fun pattern to sew! 
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Tilly Walnes also has an active blog, chock full of great information and more patterns. 

You can find all these books online and in book stores. You may even score a copy in a used bookstore. 

Each book pictured below offers different options. I love visiting the bookstore and rifling through all the sewing books. I never leave empty -handed. 

Hope this gave you some sewing inspiration. When I want to sew but, don't have a project in mind, I grab a small stack of books. Plop down on the couch with a warm beverage and just look through them. Flipping through the pretty pictures seems to get my sewjo train started. Toot-toot! 
Let me know in the comment section if you have any of these books. Or, share some of your favorites instead.


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Happy reading and happier sewing, 
Annette

Do you love wearing leggings? Yes, no, maybe? We are 100% team leggings in this house. My girls are on the slimmer side so, I've always had a hard time finding pants to fit them, even in their baby and toddler years. Enter in the legging fad that returned from the 80s. Yay!! I don't buy my youngest daughter any other kind of pants. Heck, they are even my go-to pants (that double as acceptable Pajama pants) to wear out of the house. So, if you aren't on board with making your own leggings yet, you will be after reading this. At least, I hope you'll be on board.

​If you're not interested in making leggings for yourself, scroll to the bottom. I share a tutorial I use for making little kid leggings.

If you've been dying to make leggings that actually fit your body, look no further. Grab this FREE pattern to get started. You'll be cozy and cute in no time. Lately, simple patterns have been more my jam. Take all your measurements and write them down on paper.

I measured my waist, hip, knee, calve, thigh, and ankle widths. The sizing put me into a size Large waist, Medium hips, and narrowed down to an X-Small in the ankle department. I love my weird body. Buying leggings from the store is never fun because they are baggy in all the wrong places. You might be the exact opposite. We're going to make these leg prisons according to your own measurements. Wooo!! 

My original plan was to follow a tutorial and draft my own pair. Well, my brain couldn't do all the math. So, in the end, I found this pattern that worked perfectly for me! Let's get started.

Click here for the FREE pattern. You will add to cart but, it is a free PDF. After you "purchase" you will be able to print out the pattern. 
Match the lines and arrows, then tape everything together to form your pattern. Figure out where your measurements lie in the legging pattern size range. You might have to grade between sizes. Grading is easy and doesn't take any extra time. You simply blend the sizes to fit your unique body shape.

You can use a highlighter or other light colored marker to grade your sizing, directly onto the pattern. Or, Take your tracing paper and lay it over the pattern. Trace your new pattern size. Doing this saves the PDF for future use or if you decide to make a smaller or larger size for a friend. 

I suggest making a muslin before cutting into your beloved fabric. If you have stretch fabric you're not in love with, use that. you want to get the length correct too. If you're taller or shorter, you will need to make adjustments accordingly.

Sew each inner seam with right sides together. You can use your sewing machine or serger for this.
Then, take one leg and turn it right side out. Place your arm back through and feed the leg through the other leg, making sure right sides are touching. Straighten the leg, matching the seams together. You're going to sew the large "U" shape crotch seam from one side to the other. Use pins or clips to keep the layers from shifting around. You can use the sewing machine or serger for this as well. After the crotch seam is sewn, pull out the legs.

If done correctly, it should look like a pair of pants. If not, grab that seam ripper because something went wrong. Uh-oh!

Try them on. They should fit nicely. 

• If they fit too snugly, use your seam ripper to let out the seam in the snug areas.  
• If they fit too loose, go back over those spots with the sewing machine to make them fit more snug.

If the length is too long, you can shorten them at the ankle hems. If you want them to have a lower rise, shorten the waist. If you need more length, add those inches to the pattern. 

All you have to do is sew the hems at the ankles and put in your elastic waistband. Comfy and super simple. 
Hopefully, you found the PDF pattern easy to print out, tape together, and use. I will be making more leggings for myself soon.
I LOOOVE leggings!! And, now they will fit my funky shaped bottom half of my body. Hahaha!!!

Will you be making leggings for yourself? If not, keep reading. I include a tutorial for making leggings for a little one.

Maybe leggings still aren't your cup of tea. But, they are great for kids.

Followthis fun tutorial on how to make a pair for a child. My youngest daughter wears leggings every day. They are the only leg prisons she allows in her dresser. When we go camping, she may or may not wear the one pair of jeans we keep in our RV for her. Yep, she's that committed. Ha!

• The tutorial
• Elastic for the waistband
• 1 Yard of knit fabric
• Sewing machine or serger
• Thread
• Ball point needle
• All the regular notions
• A small child ;)

You use a pair of leggings that already fit or are too short. You trace off the pattern based on that pair of leggings. Add length if needed. Sewing them is the same as the adult pair I made. Easy-peasy. I've made quite a few pairs for my daughter. She loves them. Mom-win!

So, that's it. Go make some new leggings for yourself and everyone around you. Hooray for comfy pants!! 

Check out my Bat wing top here. It's fun and makes a quick costume! Oh, and it's perfect for those chilly October evenings.

Thanks for hanging out today,
Annette

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