Vintage Simplicity 6933: Making a Coat in a Hurry

I think it’s pretty well established that I love making coats. And, perhaps a little less well established, that I am a little nutty. So, when I needed a black coat in a matter of days, my first instinct was not to purchase but to make.

I’ve made several coats before, but never in such a short period of time, so it was a bit bold of me to assume that I could do it. And that I could do it well.

But, emboldened by audacity that can only come from hating shopping for clothes more than hating yourself enough to put yourself through seemingly impossible quests, I decided I was just going to make the damned thing.

Because I was so short on time, literally five days, I knew I had to choose a pattern that required little in the way of fitting adjustments.

The first type of coat that came to mind was the A line style coats of the 1960s. They were not as voluminous as swing coats, but were still roomy enough to be very forgiving.

Luckily, I have accumulated a rather large stash of vintage patterns and found exactly what I needed in Simplicity 6933, released in 1966.

 

 

Vintage patterns come only in single sizes, and mine was a size 40″ bust. This could present a problem since my full bust at the time was considerably larger, but based on the finished garment measurements, I decided that there was enough ease for it not to be a problem.

I was right.

The only fit adjustment that I did to the pattern was to shorten the body 4″. And I had to finesse the raglan seam a bit to have it conform to the shape of my shoulders better. That’s it. These were both decisions I made after making a muslin.

 

 

Obviously, the fit is different on me than what was intended, but I worked out exactly how I wanted it. The fit also makes it look more like a modern coat; it blends in better, if you will.

Even the sleeves were a good length. They were supposed to be bracelet length, but on me, being the shorty that I am, they come to just below my wrists.

 

 

I could have shortened the sleeves, but bracelet-length sleeves only work when you are also wearing warm, long gloves, which was I never going to do.

The fabric is a lovely black wool with an almost imperceptible herringbone pattern. The lining is Kasha, a flannel-backed satin fabric that adds a bit of extra warmth to the coat.

 

 

For as rushed as this project was, I did not cut any corners. I even bound the raw edge at the hem that is partially covered by the loose lining. And I made swing tacks for the lining, for crying out loud!

 

 

The final touch was to get the buttonholes professionally made in the Garment District, which I highly recommend you do if you can find a similar service where you live.

I LOVE how this coat came out, although I regret the reason why I had to make it in the first place.