Another coat to reveal!

This morning, I finished E's new coat (I guess I could have done it last night, but Downton Abbey was on).

I had sort of planned to do a photoshoot like the one for my blue redingote, but mister wouldn't play along... So, regular indoor pictures to the rescue ;)

I think I've already explained some of my thinking behind this design. I wanted to make this a somewhat classic coat but one which would still work with E's casual dress sense. This is why the back isn't that fitted: he needs to be able to move around in this thing, it's not purely a show-piece.

I think I made three muslins to get the pattern right (self-drafted of course, based on a casual jacket block made years ago), dealing mostly with the width in the lower half and drag lines at the shoulder. 

On the real coat, I used horsehair interfacing in the upper front panel, all facings, the collar and along the black vent (I paid close attention to the vent in the muslin stage: I think it's such a bad look when a vent is permanently gaping). I also used a type of shoulder pads made from layers of thin foam and I put half of a third one on the right shoulder pad. I'm really pleased with how that turned out: no drag lines, even shoulders and no excessively heavy-shouldered look. 

And I made bound buttonholes, as I've shown you before. 

This weekend, I bagged the lining and sewed the hem facings in place, by hand on from the inside, after attaching the lining (I'm just mentioning this because apperently, it's not a standard construction order and it can potentially save quite a bit of hand-sewing). 

Then, I attached the backs of the buttonholes and sewed on the buttons and a snap on the inside.

Here are even some phone pictures of E wearing the coat, walking in a local shopping street:

All in all, I'm rather pleased with this coat. I think it looks quite good on him. 

The outer lower lapel will, despite the padstitching, not lay really flat that easily, but I think that was to be expected with such a heavy material. It may get more obedient with wear... 

And I hope I can discourage E in his unfortunate habit to pull the sides of the coat up to stick his hands into his trouser pockets.