Friday, December 9, 2016

Time for a knit duster ...




Who can resist a fun unstructured duster when the weather turns cool...

Not I! I've spent hours in the past few weeks, just cruising duster patterns and lots of wonderful makes by sewists in the blogosphere.

Irresistible. I especially like the new Berlin Jacket by Tessuti and the Esme Maxi Cardigan by Named Clothing.

But I didn't particularly want to invest in a new pattern. Trawling through my stash, I pulled out an oldie but goodie, the Heading for Adventure coat by Louise Cutting.

I made it in linen way back in 2010, but it was very large on me, even thought I sewed the size Small. And the linen really bugged my skin - I never wore it.




Nonetheless, the design details are so appealing. I love the piecing and topstitching. And Cutting's techniques, which are beautifully articulated in the pattern instructions, are incredible.
 

It was a great starting place. But I wanted to go with the lines of the dusters I mentioned above - a softer neckline, an attached band, and slim-ish sleeves. And I wanted to use a knit fabric - a very lightweight rayon/spandex French terry that I purchased recently from Fabric.com. 

I was impatient to do all the re-drafting at one go, but I decided to be cautious. I actually sewed this in three steps. First, I cut out and sewed the entire coat from the Cutting pattern, using the size XSmall this time. And then I changed it, using the Jalie Cocoon Cardigan to redraw the neckline and draft an attached band, 



and the Grainline Studio Driftless Cardigan to alter the sleeves (I removed almost 6" from the width at the upper arm - the sleeve was voluminous). 


This sounds like a lot of tweaking, but it was not difficult, because the Cutting coat is all right angles. It was easy to lay it out and draw on it with chalk.

Time for pics (this gray is hard to photograph - it almost shimmers here. Squint, please)...


I love the back drawstring! It looks very similar to the back of the StyleArc Winsome Designer Dress (posted here), but the construction is not the same, due to the placement of other pieces in the back.



The patch pockets are very over-sized and long. Fun! 



I'm off to JoAnns now, to get supplies for Christmas gifts. And I have to remember to tell my kids to stay off my blog for a couple weeks :-) Check out this adorable cat house from SeeKateSew! My weekend project...


Hope everyone enjoys a safe weekend, with lots of sewing therapy time...bye for now, Coco

24 comments:

  1. This is a great duster on you! There are so many in the blogosphere that you forget about the old tried and true patterns. Great job!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carolyn! You're right about the oldies - sometimes I just cruise vintage pattern sites, some amazing patterns out there.

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  2. It looks wonderful and cozy! Seems lots of work to get it to the final version, BUT well worth it!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Linda. It was an interesting and absorbing project - I enjoyed it. A little challenge :-)

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  3. Very nice! I've also been craving more dusters! But the last one I made I ended chopping off to cardigan length and I'm still not sure why I liked it better shorter. But it makes me nervous about sewing more. ;)

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    Replies
    1. thanks, Shams. I know what you mean...don't tell anyone, but I'm thinking about remaking this into a tunic. Wore it yesterday, all day, and the band on my neck was tres uncomfortable...allodynia strikes.

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    2. I had to google allodynia, and it sounds awful!

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  4. The perfect match of pattern and fabric and it looks marvelous on you! I just pulled out an old Cindy Crawford duster/vest pattern. I'm doing a test run adding a high collar to the vest.
    Is the CLD still in print I wonder....

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    Replies
    1. Hi! I googled for pics of anything made, reviews, etc - nothing - and only ran across a couple Etsy listings of the pattern itself. It hasn't been on the CLD site for ages. It really is an interesting pattern.

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    2. Just found it on Vogue Fabrics...

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  5. Gorgeous! And the perfect color too.

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  6. Lovely duster, a cut above the usual.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carol. I love all the details and topstitching.

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  7. Your duster looks so comfy and cozy! Beautiful! Love the details.

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  8. Coco, STOP. I don't have the time or fabric to keep up with you and things I'd like to make.......
    Only joking! I like this as it is. Could you drape a silk scarf around your neck as protection?

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    Replies
    1. LOL - you make me feel the same way when you're on a roll! I wish a scarf would work - but it would bother me as well. I've removed the band, re-cut the back neckline a little deeper, and plan to narrow the band by half. Hope that works. If not - oh well, it was still fun to make!

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  9. I love everything about this!! It looks cozy, comfy and oh-so-stylish at the same time. :)

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  10. This duster is so marvelous on you. Comfy, elegant, soft...just perfect.

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  11. I really do love the drawstring back. I always want to make a duster but when I try them on in the store I feel self conscious, like I'm in my bathrobe, and that no one will really believe this is an actual piece of clothing. I'm not sure I have the confidence to pull it off. I think I'll just have to try hard to marry the right pattern and fabric because I want a duster! That cat bed is just begging for the disdain of a cat. Everytime I try to make a place for my cat to sleep its a lost cause, because she'd rather sleep anywhere but there.

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  12. What a great looking design. And big pockets too. Very comfy and great for those cold weather snaps you get in Florida.

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I love it that you came by...and thank you for your comments! Coco