.

[Francesca]

I didn't know this.  I wonder why she was allowed to put her name on the pattern sleeve?

Cos she's the designer. I highly doubt Zandra Rhodes is poring over the pattern paper to draft her next Vogue pattern! It's a celebrity endorsement, like when an actress comes out with a perfume. In reality they sniff a few and put input into the design and then the professionals take over.

[charlotte]

I gave away my copy as I never wanted to see it again and I no longer have the coat I made either.

Haha UttaRetch I remember we were making that coat at the same time! I completely redrafted the top to have set in sleeves and it worked out fine but unfortunately the waist seam has now pulled totally out of shape from the weight of the skirt. I was thinking of re-making it actually but thinking about it I will probably look for a new pattern!!

[UttaRetch]

A few others did the same as you, and did set in sleeves.  Since the Gertie, I have made Vogue 8346 - I think you did too - and



Butterick 6143 view D.

[DementedFairy]

Ah Pamela- that coat is still getting rave comments via the pic on my blog.  You undersell yourself you know!

[sewingj]

.

[Snowgoose]

Beautiful!  It's absolutely stunning 

[UttaRetch]

Thank you, kind people.  @sewingj: the fabric was a 'tapestry' bought from Woolcrest Textiles, Hackney.  It's limp as a wet dish cloth and frayed before my very eyes.  I backed all the pieces with a too heavy iron on interfacing and as a result, the coat can almost stand up without support. 

[Lantana]

Just adding my admiration for the coat UR! Wow!!!  Seriousy in awe of you people who can make coats .

L

[UttaRetch]

   I would rather make coats than quilt or patchwork.

[Lantana]

  I would rather make coats than quilt or patchwork.

I used to come bottom of the class in dressmaking. The teacher used to put on my report 'L is trying so hard'  In the end she put me onto making patchwork with my classmates scraps! I never did finish it ..... it's in a box somewhere. <whistle>

L

[Holly Berry]

Since taking up patchwork my dressmaking has become much more precise. I don't make quilts, but have made a few bags.

[Tamnymore]

UR, I love Woolcrest. Loads of luvverly cheap fabric. Only been once but managed to get there and back from central London by bus without difficulty.

Lantana, I too came bottom in sewing and dropped it at 14 after failing to finish a manure coloured blouse. Of course the Latin I did instead has been so much more useful as you just never know when you are going to need to conjugate a Latin verb and I've never picked up a needle since.. (just looking for a sarcastic smiley here ).

[DementedFairy]

School sewing- gah!  They used to make us unpick things and baste every single seam before sewing, just so it would take forever to finish a project.  When we all had to make shirts, we'd all outgrown them by the time they were done!

I hated it, and taught myself to sew some years later.

[Francesca]

We weren't allowed to make garments at school. Just stupid cushions and applique things - I hated it!

[DementedFairy]

We spent a whole term making an apron, then straight onto a shirt, with nasty Peter Pan collar, and cuffs and everything.  We had to buy cotton or poly cotton, and there was very little choice locally.  I had to have some horrible red stuff with white daisies.  We laboured in utter misery for the best part of a year, and hardly anyone finished.