Making from the catwalk Chanel coat continued -

Packing for Nashville, where I’m going to be teaching a 2 day workshop, the canvas coat front, so have to get this coat finished before I leave. I will tell you all about this in my next blog!

Back to the coat; the next step is to attach the under collar. I’m going to make the under collar in wool felt supported by hair canvas to shape and support the collar. The canvas is cut on the cross grain or bias and joined with a lapped seam down the center back. As the felt has no grain line it is cut in one piece. Both are cut with no added seam allowances.

Lay the canvas onto the felt and mark the roll line. Pad stitch the 2 pieces together using small 1/4inch (.75cm) work along the roll line in the collar stand.

Pad stitch the fall of the collar working along the roll line using ½ inch (1cm) pad stitches going back to smaller stitches in the collar points.

Great! Hugo my kitten is sleeping in the light box.

                                                                     

 Meet Hugo Boss

What are pad stitches -

The pad stitch is a diagonal stitch that is worked staggered from one row to the next. It is used to join one or more layers of fabric together. The coats lapels and under collar are pad stitched so that they retain their curvature. Pad stitching also gives added firmness this is why it is also used to attach the chest piece to the canvas.  The stitch length is approximately ½ inch changing to 1/4inch where firmer stitching is required. The line of stitching will run parallel  to the roll line and be worked from the under collar roll line out to the collar’s edge  and smaller firmer pad stitches in the collar stand from the roll line to the neck edge.  Traditionally silk thread is used to make these stitches that match in color to the fashion fabric so that the stitches don’t show on the finished garment.

The collar is now shaped using lots of stream from the iron. Wrap the collar around a ham and fold down from the roll line press. Remove the ham and shrink some of the fullness out of the collar stand. Stretch the outer edge of the collar so that it will sit nicely over the shoulder. Press both edges of the roll line flat.

Trim any canvas back from the edge of the felt so that it won’t show in the edges when the collar is attached.

Mark with chalk around the neck line of the coat and pin the felt under collar onto this line. Using small slip stitches attach the felt under collar to the neck line of the coat.





Finish by catch stitching along the neck line seam allowance.

For the top collar I rough cut a collar adding a good 2 inches all round. Place this fabric over the under collar and pin along the roll line (If you have a dress form it is easier to do this with your coat on the stand).  Baste along the roll line.

Pin along the edge of the outer collar and trim the fabric so that you have a ¼ inch (.75cm) seam allowance. Turn this in so that you have a small edge of fashion fabric before the felt and pin in place before finishing with slip stitch.

 Some people like to attach the front facings before the collar; I prefer to attach them after I have worked the collar.

The facings are also shaped so that the grain line stays straight with the coat’s front edge. Stream and shape the facing until it matches the pattern piece.

I have also cut across the facing at the waist line bound button hole. When I seam the 2 facing pieces back together I leave a gap for the back of the button hole.

And what you see at the front of the button hole

Now it’s time to stitch the facings to the front of the coat and press in place. I fuse welt interfacing onto the facing finishing under the last button hole. I think this gives support to the point of the lapel and behind the button holes.

When you attach the facing to the point of the lapel make a small pinch in the facing and ease the facing around the point. Stitch along side the tape down to the hem line.





Press the front seam open before pressing the front facing to the back. This makes it easier to get the seam line clean and neat down the front of the coat.


Stitch the facing across the hem line and turn to the right side and press. I'm going to finish the edge of the facing the same way as I finished the hem.






Catch stitch the top collar in place along the neck edge


Pin the facing along the neck line finishing at the shoulder. This will be finished with slip stitch when the lining is attached into the coat.





The coat is nearly finished and in my next blog I will show you how to make and shape the shoulder pads, make the lining and set the lining into the coat.