Simplicity's Pirate Coat
I'm almost done with my husband's new pirate coat, and I'm so happy with it! I used Simplicity's "Pirates of the Caribbean" pattern, and it went together very easily. I have a few quibbles with the pattern -- the placement of the "pocket" flap is about 5-6" too high (which I corrected), I'd rather see a full lining than a facing around the neck/front, I'm not crazy about the shape of the pocket flap (I redrafted it for my husband's coat), and I think the sleeves are a little short. (Of course, that may be intentional, to allow the shirt sleeve ruffles to show.) On the whole, though, it's a decent attempt at a historically accurate garment -- several steps above merely "costume" (as are all of Andrea Schewe's designs, for that matter). There are a lot of fiddly little details that the directions tell you to do that you wouldn't normally think of on, say, a Halloween costume. Things like stitching the facing to the seam allowance to make for a clean edge.
I used some gorgeous shot silk dupioni, brown shot with red. I washed it and dried it beforehand, and it came out with a lot of crazing and permanent wrinkles. I was a little upset, until I realized that it gave the coat a "distressed" look -- in certain lights, it almost looks like leather. Since the silk didn't have much body, I flatlined it with heavyweight linen, which gives it lovely body and drape. Since I was already flatlining, I didn't want to add another layer for a lining, so I flat-felled all of the seams (because I'm anal that way). That meant, of course, that I had to go ahead and use the facing. I also added working pockets under the pocket flaps -- my husband will love that! After I hem it and finish the waistcoat (embroidered silk - yum!), I'll try to post some pictures.
I used some gorgeous shot silk dupioni, brown shot with red. I washed it and dried it beforehand, and it came out with a lot of crazing and permanent wrinkles. I was a little upset, until I realized that it gave the coat a "distressed" look -- in certain lights, it almost looks like leather. Since the silk didn't have much body, I flatlined it with heavyweight linen, which gives it lovely body and drape. Since I was already flatlining, I didn't want to add another layer for a lining, so I flat-felled all of the seams (because I'm anal that way). That meant, of course, that I had to go ahead and use the facing. I also added working pockets under the pocket flaps -- my husband will love that! After I hem it and finish the waistcoat (embroidered silk - yum!), I'll try to post some pictures.