Pauline Trigere Coat - Finished Just in Time

Pauline Trigere for McCall's, 1956

I started this coat a while ago, then got distracted by a load of things, like Christmas, snow, knitting, blah, blah, blah. It started to become one of those unfinished things that was hanging around, reminding me how I don't finish stuff. But I didn't let it defeat me, and here it is today:

Me half-heartedly trying to recreate the pose on the original packet.

The coat is really very simple, but the sheer massiveness of its swingy shape makes you feel totally glamourous wearing it. It swings and swishes as you walk; if you turn too quickly, it swings out, threatening to knock small children over:

Arty action shot!

As you may have noticed, my version is not exactly like the picture on the cover of the pattern. It seems that the pattern cutters at McCall's left a few things out and changed some details. The pocket on mine has a scalloped detail, there is no split in the hem of the cuff, and I left off the cape, as I didn't like the way it sat:

The cape - just not sure......

The pocket - not really like the one in the picture

The reason the coat took me so long to finish was the amount of hand sewing and inner construction involved, which I got a bit bored with at times. But as soon as it started snowing, I got back into it!

I decided to use canvas for all the interfacings, as well as reinforce the cuffs, pockets, and hems with the same canvas cut on the bias:

3" canvas bias strip, for reinforcing cuffs

This involved loosely catch stitching each piece to the inside of all the hem allowances.

Pocket hem reinforced with canvas

Revers reinforced with canvas

 Doesn't sound like much, but when your hem is about 12 feet, it can be tempting to leave it and watch T.V.! I spent so long hunched over it, I started to get bad neck ache:

But it was all worth it in the end! 

The coat is a raglan sleeve construction, which meant the seams had to be clipped to make them lay flat. The coat is really heavy, and I was worried that the clipped seams would not withstand the weight. Solution - I reinforced the junction of the seams with some ribbon, which just happened to be some Trumpers ribbon from an old Christmas present Mr Needles received:

Ribbon reinforcing underam seams - I don't throw anything away!

And finally, the buttons. I'm never very pleased with the buttonholes on my machine, I've tried doing them by hand, but I'm terrible at it, and I really don't have the nerve to do bound buttonholes. So I took a leaf out of Marc Jacobs book, and avoided them altogether by using press studs sewn underneath 2 large buttons:

Press studs under the buttons

I also added this little chain at the neck, but I doubt I'll ever use it - I never like hanging coats and jackets from those little loops as they pull the neck out of shape. But it just adds a nice finishing touch:

There you have it, a glamourous winter coat. I'm off to swish about in the snow!

The Coats Not Done, but I've Been Busy

I trust everyone had a lovely Christmas! Personally, I had a great time, but I'm a bit sick of meat, chocolate, and gravy, and feel a real need to de-tox.

Anyway...

A little while ago I did a post about starting this coat:

Pauline Trigere for McCalls, 1956

Well, it's about halfway done! Here's how it looks so far:

 

The basic outer shell is complete, but the lining still has to be attached, then the hems need to be stitched and the little capelet made. Maybe another week - or 2 - and you'll all be able to see the finished results!

But I haven't been idle - what with Christmas parties to make dresses for (see my Sid Vicious dress here) and various Secret Santa's to knit gloves for, my sewing machine and knitting needles have been humming and clicking away. I also found time to knit a few woolly bits for myself.

First, I made this hat from a 1940's pattern, using Debbie Bliss cashmerino:

 

This is the original. I know - it was meant for a young girl, but kids dressed like old ladies back then, so it didn't look so 'young' on me:      

Close up of finished hat

 Then, I made these fingerless gloves to match:

Finally, I had a bit of yarn left over, so I made another hat:

A beret!

And this was the pattern I used (bottom right). (Don't you think these ladies look a bit like a slightly off Pans People?)

I'm off to do some more work on my coat, and I'll see you all in the New Year!

It's Coat Time - Pauline Trigere for McCalls

 The turn in the weather has made me realise that I need a new coat! I have a few already, but most of them are really only suitable for mild weather, and my one really warm coat is looking a bit worse for wear (thread bare around the cuffs, etc).

A brilliant excuse to make this coat:

 


I've had this pattern for at least 15 years - I can't remember where I bought it, but I can't have paid much for it because I seem to remeber buying it when I was a penniless student. I'd never heard of Pauline Trigere, but a few years after acquiring it, I noticed a familiar name in the credits of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' - 'Miss Neal's gowns by Pauline Trigere'. Cool!

'I'm a very stylish girl...'

Patricia Neal in a Pauline Trigere dress

Since then, I've managed to find out a bit more about Miss Trigere - she was an award winning designer, based in New York. She was a very outspoken lady, and kept working into her 90's. Originally from Paris, she bought a bit of French sophistication to post war American fashion, and her pieces are much sought after today, especially her coats. Apparently, she popularised the 'swing' coat shape, and it became her signature shape. Read more about her here.

The late Pauline Trigere

I've taken this pattern out from time to time, but only now do I feel 'mature' enough to really pull it off. After an indecisive visit to the fabric shop (I get in a panic when confronted with all the possibilities), I decided on this:

Close up of black and white wool

And for the lining, I went for this scarlet satin:

From previous experience, I know this is going to take some time. I'll probably use a combination of techniques - as well as follow the instructions, I'll probably use some ideas that have worked previously for me, such as padding the hems with canvas, and sewing them by hand. But don't be surprised if you see me make other things at the same time, because I'll probably get bored of all that hand sewing and will need a break!

UPDATE - 

You can see the finished coat here