Sewing a reversible nylon raincoat – my longest Work In Progress ever! I started this coat from a (now) vintage Vogue Elements pattern back in 1997!! This pattern, now vintage, is one of the Vogue Elements line from the early to mid 1990s.
I’ll tell you why I haven’t worn it yet – I was unhappy with my toptstitching! My machine would do it, but it would leave every stitch on the navy side with a dot of gray – indicating unbalanced stitches. I could never really fix this and I’ve literally moved this coat from house to house, unfinished.
In fact, the sleeve hems are still NOT sewn! I’ll baste them at lunch today so I can wear it and I’ll topstitch it later. I’m headed to an away hockey tournament and bringing my portable Janome Sew Mini kid machine (which also is a great portable machine!) I got the inspo to take it with me on a hockey tournament weekend, inspired from Tampa-based designer Lone Daffodil, who is currently jaunting herself through Portugal and sewing with thrifted materials as she goes. She took it to Europe (she has the Singer version but it’s nearly identical) in a throw pillow cover inside her suitcase!! She also brought a hat knitting circle machine (Addi) in case you doubt her commitment to craft.
These two videos don’t have sound (IDK why YT Studio doesn’t allow us to do this easily like Instagram does!) They DO on instagram. But you can see the unfinished hems.
I’m 30 lbs heavier than I was in 1997 but since I often sew to the pattern envelope (not the tissue measurements) which leads to oversized garments – I can still wear this and it looks good. It’s a traditional “mackintosh” style coat – and it’s 100% reversible (a design intention.)
I do plan to sew a fleece one from some fleece I have in stash, for this winter. I know, I know, can you even GET fleece? Yeah and way better than Joann fleece, try MillYardage.com for official Polartec in both first quality and seconds (although the seconds are excellent as well.) I have bright pink and teal. IDK if I want a bright pink and teal but maybe I’ll have something to make in stash, with the bright pink (besides teal) that will “tone” it down. If you’re using fleece, definitely use snaps with decorative buttons if you wish.
