Welcome to the third and final part of my dream trench coat series. In this installment, I’ll show you the final touches and review the finished coat.

Buttonholes

From the moment I envisioned this project, I knew I wanted to include handsewn buttonholes.

As I got started, I realized handsewn buttonholes would be a challenge. The coat fabrics are prone to fraying. Plus, the coat’s front buttonhole area has two layers of outer fabric and one layer of lining, which would multiply the possibility of fraying. After several tests with hand- and machine-stitching buttonholes on scraps, I landed on a combination of both for the neatest possible results.

I started by marking the placement for the buttonholes and machine-stitching a buttonhole over each marking with a zigzag set for a narrow and long stitch. I then cut the buttonhole open and carefully trimmed all the frayed threads. Once the buttonhole was completely clean, I worked handsewn buttonholes using a single strand of topstitching thread, using Gütermann’s Denim line. I appreciated how the first pass with the machine gave me a neat, stable base to work with, and I highly recommend this method.

Belt Loops & Hanging Loop

Initially, I planned to sew three belt loops, one at the back and one on each side seam. I ended up leaving the back loop out, as I preferred the way the belt hung with just the side loops. I also sandwiched a hanging loop under the collar at the back neck for an easy way to hang the finished coat without stretching the neckline.

In-seam Welt Pockets

One of the details that drew me to this pattern was the in-seam welt pockets. They are inserted between the front and side panels, and the pockets’ roomy pocket bags are…