Don’t you love foggy days?  Awesome for picture taking! 🙂

So here is my actual entry for the Project Run & Play Sew-along.  This week’s theme was Outerwear.  I didn’t know much about sewing jackets/coats, so I started with a pattern to sew this blazer.  I was able to sew it up pretty quickly last weekend so I felt like I was in good shape to make a coat next.  Unfortunately, I was totally stuck on WHAT I wanted to make.

I searched for coat inspiration and pinned a bunch of stuff.  One idea that stood out to me was a two tone, or color blocked coat, like this:

found here

I went back and forth about this idea so many times.  I bought 4 different shades of wool and couldn’t decide which combo to use.  Then I picked the colors and couldn’t figure out if I wanted gray on top or cream on top.   Should the color break be closer to the top of the coat or bottom??  Man, I wish I wasn’t so damn indecisive!!

Since I don’t like making decisions, I ended up stalling and stalling and I didn’t start making the coat until it was too late and I had no more time.  I pretty much made this coat all in one night (I had to stay up REEEEALLY late).  I took the pictures yesterday (Thursday) before work, edited the photos after work and loaded them into the flickr pool around midnight.  Phew, that was close!

Anyways, I don’t have a ton to say about this coat.  I’m very glad that I took the time to sew the blazer first from Melly Sew’s pattern because I learned what facing is and how a jacket is put together.  I drafted a new pattern for a basic peacoat using what I learned about facing.  I took the shape and ideas for the shoulder and cuff straps from a jacket I own.  I wanted it to be a long coat, so it looked a bit fancy and added extra warmth.  And now that it’s done, it reminds me of a navy coat.

What do you think?

I think the coat came out fine, but I wish it had something that made it more unique.  I love this coat from Anthropologie and now I’m thinking I might try to add something cool on the back.  My sister votes no.  What do you think?

from here

One of the downsides to procrastinating and running out of time, besides the stress and loss of sleep, is that I didn’t get “finish” the coat.  I feel like I would have added some fun detail somewhere, but didn’t even get to think about it.  I would have loved to have made a hat or some type of accessory, but that wasn’t gonna happen.  But the good news is, I’m not ACTUALLY out of time.  Just because I didn’t finish it before the PR&P deadline doesn’t mean I can’t touch it again, right?  So maybe I’ll work on it more.  Just after I finish next week’s challenge . . . (and the dozen of other projects on my to do list :P)

The theme for next week is Party Wear/Special Occasion.  I’m most likely going to make a dress for Yuki and I’ve started brainstorming ideas, but I’m pretty sure the same thing is going to happen again this week.  I’m going to mull over dozens of ideas and change my mind a million times and then finally decide on something, scramble to the fabric store to whip something up that I’m not totally satisfied with in the end.  😦  Indecision is definitely one of the traits I’d like to change about myself most.

And here’s the outtake:

Hee hee hee, my little cheeseball.  I almost never get her to smile, so this was a miracle!!