Coat Update

Remember my fabulous thrift store find?  You know the one pictured above.  While the weather here is getting too warm to wear this wonderful coat I did decided to make the repairs and updates on it.

And by repairs I mean replace the buttons.  The only thing wrong with this jacket was the damaged button.  This was the only thing that needed attention.  The other day I picked up new shiny buttons at the fabric store and then sat down with some silk thread and repaired and updated my new dressy winter jacket.

I like the contrast of the white on the baby blue.  This is an easy enough thing to do that can really change the look of any jacket or sweater.  I liked the jacket before changing the buttons, but now I love it.  I think that it is more my style now.  It has a mod feel about it that I absolutely love.

I did splurge a bit on the buttons.  The are white mother of pearl or shell of some sort and they have some simple engraving on them that reminds me of a sun.  When you buy a coat for $1 you can drop $7 on really really pretty buttons.  Either way $8 for a beautiful wool coat, score.

I won't be needing this coat anytime soon.  See what I mean the trees are starting to blossom.  This tree is on the street I live on, and is being tricked into blooming.

For The Love of Philly: Pennsylvania Fabric Outlet

This is my favorite shop in Philly to buy fabric and buttons.  They have a huge selection of fashion fabrics, cottons, linen, wool, practically everything.  One of the best things too is it's an outlet which sells close out so the prices are half in not more off the original.  It's one down fall is that if you see something you like you should snap it up while you are there, because who knows if it's going to be there when you go back.  Since the fabrics are close out they can't order you more.

What I like about this shop is that it is easily navigated.  Unlike a lot of shops in fabric row you are able to explore and see all the wonderful goodies in stock.  Stock is neatly displayed on shelves and racks and hung up on walls.  It's not fancy, but it's not messy.  The staff is helpful and if you can't find something they will probably know right where it is.  

Not only is there a huge selection of fabric there is also a wall full of buttons and other hardware.  Also in the way back of the shop (not pictured) there are all types of zippers, trims, lace, cording, pipping, and elastic.  They also stock feathers and sequence and leather.  

The shop is located on South 4th St.  Just a few store fronts past Fitzwater St.  The hours are not posted in the store, but they are open everyday except Sundays to my knowledge and close around 5:30 on most days.  This is vague and not too helpful, but every time I have made a trip to this shop it has been open.  If you are looking for fabric I say stop here first.  

Sewing the Steffi Jacket: Final Touches

As promised, pictures of my progress with the Steffi. 

Basting the lining and jacket together in preparation of sewing the facing on.

Completed basting ready and waiting for the facing.

Facing sewn on and sleeves hemmed.  This is when I started to realize I was almost finished.  And I still needed to go buy buttons.

I under stitched the facing's seam allowance.  It gave the edge of the jacket a nice finished look to it, and it made the front of the jacket and the facing lay a lot nicer when i steam ironed it.  I am defiantly doing this more in the future.  (You can see that I hadn't taken out the basting stitch yet in this pic.)

In the end I did decide to finish the facings edge with bias binding, and it just so happened that I had some vintage bias binding in navy.  (Side note: I need new fabric scissors.)

The Bias binding took a big chunk of time to complete, but the final look was worth it.

Bias binding attached and hand sewn to the lining.

Here's a close up of the finished edge.

Yesterday I also practiced button holes on my sewing machine the top three were my last attempts and my best.  I'm still nervous about the button holes, but I am ready and know exactly what I'm doing. 

Yesterday I braved the wind and the rain to buy these little buggers.  BUTTONS! I finally went out and bought buttons for this jacket.  I ended up buying fabric and there was tons of new stuff in the shop that I wanted to get.

There is one more day to my self imposed deadline to finish this jacket and I think I'm going to make it.  All I have to do today is make six button holes and sew 6 buttons.  And then voila, a jacket.