"Baby, it's cold outside"

Vogue 1276

Photo: VoguePatterns.com

It’s getting cold here in New England. The trees are nearly bare, the air is crisp, and holiday lights are strung all around—signs that winter is soon upon us. What better time to add a fashionable and cozy, warm coat to our wardrobes. Here is a selection of outerwear patterns—some are long, lined, and meant to keep you warm in the coldest locales and some are light and short for milder climates.

Vogue
Pattern 1276, by Sandra Betzina, is a loose-fitting calf-length coat or hip-length vest. Both options are lined, have a hood, and close with an inside snap and self-fabric belt. Suggested fabrics include: boucle, wool crepe, and double knit.
Show off your creative abilities with Koos Van Den Akker’s newest pattern, number 1277. This reversible jacket uses seven different fabrics—six on one side for an artistic “Koos-style” collage and one fabric on the reverse side for a more simple, reserved look.

Butterick
Pattern 5703 is an easy-to-sew loose fitting, lined jacket. The flared back extends lower than the front hem giving it a pretty drape. The simple style features a shawl collar and turned up cuffs. There are no closures, so if desired, consider adding a frog closure or coat hook and eye.

New Look
Pattern 6074 is a coat from the Workroom, Project Runway collection. This cocoon-style coat comes in two length choices and is lined. A wide range of fabrics are appropriate from denim to velvet to a variety of wools.

Marfy
An Italian pattern company, Marfy offers an extensive collection of fashionable outerwear patterns. Choose from coats and jackets in almost any style from short and fitted to loose and long and nearly any combination in between. Their patterns are for the confident sewer as they do not include the instruction or layout information. You can buy the patterns directly from Marfy, or select patterns carried by McCall’s.

Are you making a coat or jacket for this winter season? What pattern are you using?

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Annie O'Connor, assistant editor
Posted on Dec 8th, 2011 in sewing, patterns, coats, outerwear

Comments (5)

eatsallinsects writes: I just wish all those who have made their coats would be so kind as to post pictures!
Posted: 5:37 pm on January 8th

megamom writes: I am almost finished making myself a winter jacket of fake fur. This is the softest fake fur I have ever seen (felt). I am using a pattern from Linda McPhee, from Edmonton, Alberta. It is a simple style that I have modified to give it a placket that covers the zipper, and leather toggle closings. It is lined with Kasha lining and should be perfect for milder days or as a car-coat when going shopping. The fur looks like strips of many different furs sewn together, and the seams seem to dissapear. Tomorrow it should be done.

Posted: 6:09 pm on December 13th

SeaSprite writes: In the Southern Hemisphere my new winter coat is tucked away as the summer heat is turning up the temperatures.
In May this year I completed making a new coat for the June visit from the cool subtropics to NZ's winter chill.

The coat pattern was McCall's unlined scarf coat M5987. It is an easy pattern to work with and I was delighted with the chosen fabric. I made a few changes along the way and then had to nut out the construction for the changes!

The fabric was dark chocolate brown Melton Wool. I chose to add a lining to the coat as I do not like prickly fabric near skin. I chose a contrasting cerise (cherry) lining to lift the darkness of the chocolate.
A full bust adjustment had to be done and for warmth sake, another 30cm length was added to the coat, making it ankle length.
The seam edges for the scarf and coat front were all top stitched (my change).

The coat fitted beautifully and I had a number of comments on how nice it was. It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. The coat is quite heavy.
The lining on the under-side of the scarves made the scarf ties slip and they would not stay in place! Shall have to do something to keep in position.

Best thing? The price! Melton fabric was on clearance sale at $4 per metre because of its colour.
What I missed most? the overlocker to finish the seams!

Happy sewing for your winter coats!

Posted: 5:18 pm on December 13th

ustabahippie writes: A few of these coat patterns have already made it to the "ugliest pattern" lists. But I love the Marfy patterns. I have a gorgeous Marfy coat pattern I bought a few years ago, self-belted with a full bias skirt, to make in plaid. I've been intimidated to begin, because I have to make up all the instructions.
I made a 1930's coat in luminous lavender wool for this winter. It's got antique buttons from my mom's collection. Nice and warm for Northern CA.
Posted: 2:23 pm on December 13th

tzipi writes: I have a very cute story to tell. I was visiting Israel in September and a guest came to my house wearing a beautiful sweater coat. I told her I liked it and she said she bought it in Israel from an Israeli designer named Ira ( pronounced Eera). I asked her if she could take it off for a minute so that I could look at it. On examining it, I saw that it was quite a simple pattern composed of sleeves, a back and front with a very dramatic shawl collar. Again I asked her if she would mind leaving it with me for the night. I then proceeded to copy the design and found several meters of a bordeaux colored boucle knit fabric in my stash. It had been sitting there for years and I never knew what to do with it. Voila! Within another day I had a very beautiful sweater coat that can be worn either as a coat or belted as a dress. The problem was,my fabric was not reversible so that the shawl collar was different than the main garment. It could have passed but I decided to line the front pieces with black stretchy lace. I must tell you, that every time I wear this , I am flooded with compliments. I also added a little cuff on the sleeves with the black lace and finished all the edges with my serger. As soon as I have time, I plan to make another one with a different twist to it!
Posted: 9:17 am on December 13th

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