Winter coat

[Morgan]

2) The whole thing is interlined - my fabric is fairly heavy and warm already so what should I use for this? The requirements helpfully just say "interlining fabrics".3) There is no reference to interfacing, only a front facing that is identical to the front sections and is cut from the main fabric. In fact there is no tailoring at all. Is it best to leave it like this or to add interfacing?4) The instructions for the buttonholes are left off of the English instructions but are in the Spanish ones. It is the last step and just says "make buttonholes at the marks". I was going to do them by hand as I'm using an unfamiliar machine, I've read it's better to do them earlier in the construction but the facing won't be attached then. There's also no interfacing to stabalise them which I would have thought was important, any ideas what I should do?

Sometimes it helps to take a step back and bear in mind - the guide provided with the pattern is only a Suggested Guide for Order of Assembly. They are only ever basic suggestion guides and they are rarely (substitute) tutorials. 
Often it's more useful to read through the supplied guide, then decide what you want to do and then write out your own preparation and sewing plan.  A sewing plan is more than a guide to assembly.

First step in the plan is to decide whether you want to create your coat using a Soft Tailoring method or a Traditional Tailoring method or a combination of both.   (Soft Tailoring uses fusible interfacings and in general is perhaps more familiar to modern dressmaking approaches than traditional tailoring techniques which 'build' the structure.)



Once you decide on which method, the next step is to do your sampling for the combination(s) of interfacing and fabric in the different parts of the coat or jacket.  This can be important because it can affect whether and where you make adjustments for turn of cloth on your pattern.  (Pay particular attention to turn of cloth for collars, lapels, all edges and sleeve cap seams.)

When you've settled on your fabrics including interfacing and lining, you make and check your stitching samples & all the seam techniques plus you test how you will apply any trims along with with your buttonhole method and construction.  This matters a lot because it can affect your assembly order and the materials you will use.  (Usually on coats it comes down to bound buttonholes or hand made buttonholes)  This is the time in the process where you look at the tutorials, your books and so on.


After sorting out the sampling and deciding which sewing techniques you will use, now is the time to start writing out your sewing plan. 



Re your question at no. 3.
Strongly recommend that you interface, unless you particularly want the fabric to collapse.
https://fashion-incubator.com/interfacing_10_tips/

[Sonatine]

Cutting out is very slow progress but I'm getting there. I've cut all of the main fabric and lining now, but even though I was really careful a lot of the pieces seem distorted now that I've unpinned the tissue. I don't have enough fabric to recut so I'm just going to have to hope that it works out once I'm putting it together.

I've had to cut a size smaller than my measurements, the finished garment measurements on the pattern pieces have such a huge amount of ease that it won't have the silhouette I want, even over winter layers. So I took my measurements again, this time wearing the most layers I would wear, and compared those measurements to the finished ones. The next size down seemed to have a much more reasonable amount of ease and it's comparable to my current coat. I've also added two inches at the hem as it would barely cover my knees otherwise - I think I must have abnormally long thighs!

[Ploshkin]

but even though I was really careful a lot of the pieces seem distorted now that I've unpinned the tissue.

Presumably you needed to use the tissue to cut more than one piece (i.e. main fabric and underlining / lining).  It's always best, if you can, to leave the pattern piece attached to the main fabric and do not disturb until you need the piece.
Many of us, including me, learnt that the pattern pieces are numbered in order of the construction given in the instructions so you can pile them up in order of use.

[Sonatine]

@Ploshkin yes unfortunately I have to cut each piece multiple times and because of the nature of the cutting layouts (which I have to follow as I've not got spare fabric) I have to cut all of the pieces to be able to access the ones needed early on. It's not too bad though, I'm just neatening off the edges once I've attached the interlining and the fabric is quite stable because it's almost felted, I think the issue was mainly with my cutting out. Most of the projects I've done recently have been self-drafted and I could just draw the pieces straight onto the fabric mathmatically and know that they would be accurate.

With the interfacing for the buttons and buttonholes, will it matter if it's attached to the main front piece or the front facing (identical pieces cut from the main fabric)? I've been puzzling it out in my head and I can't work it out! Just because I've already attached the interlining to the main pieces so I'd rather not remove it if I can just interface the facing.

[Morgan]

@Ploshkin

With the interfacing for the buttons and buttonholes, will it matter if it's attached to the main front piece or the front facing (identical pieces cut from the main fabric)? I've been puzzling it out in my head and I can't work it out! Just because I've already attached the interlining to the main pieces so I'd rather not remove it if I can just interface the facing.

The usual way is to cut away space around openings, pockets , darts, pleats and anywhere that there will be bulk or detail. 
For bound buttonholes, when the facing is the same fabric as the shell, then interface both.
The purpose of the interfacing in this case is to stabilise the fabric and to support the stitches for the bound buttonholes.   I like to interface with a light or medium, knit fusible and then use a letterbox method with silk organza to create the openings.
The interfacing you use and how depends on your preferred method for making bound buttonholes.
Interlining is an extra layer for warmth and often swings free between the interfaced shell and the lining.
It sounds as though you have underlined the shell fabric with the warmth fabric.  It depends on what you've used for the interlining as to whether it will also do the job of interfacing which is to support the shell fabric.
Either way, as mentioned above, you cut away sections where you have to reduce bulk.

[Sonatine]

@Morgan sorry I wasn't very clear! You're right, the main fabric is underlined with the interlining and it's treated as one piece from then on. The interlining is cotton flannel so I don't think it will provide enough support, hence wanting to interface the front sections which include the buttons, buttonholes (hand sewn not bound) and the collar all on one piece. I'm fairly sure that this needs to be on the main piece not the facing though, as if I interfaced the facing it would end up on the top side of the collar instead of the underside.

[Sonatine]

Progress and pictures!

I've got the front half put together so far, it's a big relief to actually be sewing after so many days of cutting out.
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I'm sewing the seam allowances down to the interlining as they're reluctant to stay pressed open otherwise, and it's got the added bonus of giving the coat a bit more structure.
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Please forgive me for my hand stitching, it's not beautiful but it does the job!

[Nevis5]

That's looking great, @Sonatine  !  And no one will see your hand stitching (although it looks fine to me) anyway xx

[SkoutSews]

Nice to be moving on to the construction stage at last! Your handsewing is perfectly fine for the purpose.

[Lachica]

Looking good! Your hand stitching is plenty neat enough, and no-one will see it.

[Sonatine]

More progress!
I put in my first ever sleeve:
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And the main coat outer is now done, ready to start work on the lining next.
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[Acorn]

That's looking fabulous - and your sleeve is just beautiful.   

There's something very pleasing and satisfying about a sleeve that is put in perfectly!

[Ploshkin]

That's coming on really well and well done on the sleeve, it's spot on.

[Tamnymore]

Looks fabulous @Sonatine . 

[Lachica]

Looking good, I like your pattern. It should be toasty warm.