Friday, June 6, 2008

The Virtual Coat: A Girl Can Dream!

While my hand recuperates, I am not supposed to sew, trace or trim patterns, or cut out fabric.

But a girl can dream! For the next couple of weeks, I am going to blog about virtual coats. I have no intention of actually MAKING them, but I want to play around with matching up patterns and virtual fabric to inspiration.

How about this sunny yellow coat by Chado Ralph Rucci (Fall 2008):

Photo: http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2008/fall/main/europe/womenrunway/chadoralphrucci/

This is a beautiful basic shape, with curved horizontal bands across the coat and down the sleeves. I would love to see more details, but this will have to do:
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2008RTW/detail/thumb/CHADO?trend=&page=3


It looks like the braided edge is attached with bullion stitches, or "worms," as Kathryn Brenne reports that Rucci calls them in her article "Deconstructing a Master: The Art and Craft of Chado Ralph Rucci" in Vogue Patterns (June/July 2008). I cannot tell from the runway photos if the bands between the sections of coat are braid or simple rouleau bands.

For my pattern, I would use something without princess seams. This Sandra Betzina pattern (V7976) offers nice shaping with multiple darts, and a nice high armhole. Perhaps the darts could be rotated and used as seams between the curved, horizontal bands across the coat. Other pattern alterations: extend fronts to create button placket; lengthen; and construct collar so that it extends up rather than laying down.
At Denver Fabrics and Fashion Fabric Club I found these beauties in the $10-$14/yd range:




Sawyer Brook has this wool/viscose/silk blend for about three times that price:



And ManhattanFabrics has this lovely double-faced wool:



I think I'm in love. . . .And I don't even like yellow! Which one would YOU choose?

3 comments:

Nancy K said...

Love the coat. I bought that double faced yellow for my jacket on The great coat sew along. I too am making a Burberry raincoat in the black. I just bought a red wool and cashmere for the button out lining.
Buttons are up next for purchase.

Mary OK said...

Nancy, I was smitten with that yellow fabric. After I wrote this post I read K. Brenne's article about Rucci's technique. I am SO tempted. . . .I will watch your coats with interest!

Marji said...

The Yellow - and I don't even look good in yellow - but oh my that is a fabulous fabric.
BEfore you order all your coating from FFC, I think it's worth the 1/8 yd cut to get a swatch from them. Some of their fabrics are just wonderful, and others are just - Not.