I’m not sure what it is about coats and jackets, but they’re among my very favorite things to sew. I knew I wanted to make Oscar a coat as soon as he started walking – there’s something about being upright that raises the cuteness factor on a little coat like this. He’s still pretty tentative and falls down every seven steps or so, but he’s earned his big kid coat!
The pattern is the Dear My Kids Unisex Trendy Pea Coat. I don’t see this one in their Etsy shop anymore ((update: it’s available! Thanks, Ashley!!)) – I bought it over three years ago to make for Lila, after seeing this version from Adelaide Lemonade. And since then I’ve admired Tara’s coat from Girl Like the Sea, as well as the many versions sewn by Ashley of Everything Else We Do.
I was finally ready to make it myself after coming across some Robert Kaufman Chamonix Cotton Moleskin at my local Fabric Depot – this stuff feels downright amazing. It’s an unbelievably soft, sueded cotton with a very substantial weight, all of which made it seem like a good candidate for coat fabric. Plus it came in gray, which is probably what put me over the edge.
I picked up the lining from LiMa Sews – it’s from Eloise Renouf’s Bark & Branch collection for Cloud 9 Fabrics. The whole line is beautiful and I was immediately drawn to this print (Passing Clouds in Gold). You know, because of the clouds and all. This coat should go well with the weather around here – we’ll see plenty of gray and cloudy for the next six months. Hopefully it fits him that long.
Speaking of which, I made the 12 month size and added an extra 1/2 to the length, based solely on the fact that I live in constant fear of things ending up too short. I think it came out about right.
The pattern itself was good, and everything came together pretty easily – there’s a lot of great detail and information included in the directions, but it’s missing a few little things in my opinion – like notches (I can’t help it, I miss notches when they aren’t there!), and basting stitches on the sleeve caps to ease the sleeves into the armholes. No big deal if you’ve set plenty of sleeves in your day, but if it happened to be your first time, you might be a little confused.
And one thing I might change next time – it has a sort of flared, swingy shape, and I think I would cut it straighter next time, for Oscar anyway. Lila says he looks like a girl in it, but I think it’s plenty masculine for his 14 month old self. And overall I think it’s a pretty adorable coat – I love the wrist bands and the big, boxy collar, the fit is great, and the construction was really simple and straightforward. Plus, I used a pattern purchased 40 months ago. Based on that fact alone, I’m calling it a success!
Oh my goodness. So fantastic! I think you’ve done a great job of making this just boyish enough. Love your choice of fabrics and buttons. And could he be any sweeter? (Answer: Nope.)
Oh man it’s so cute. I LOVE the moleskin fabric and the lining is perfect too. Yay for boys in gray and mustard! I see what you mean about the swinginess and thanks for the tip on that, but I don’t think it looks “girly,” per se. Just would look slightly more boyish if straighter. Hard call. Anyway, the coat is fantastic and I just want to scoop Oscar up and hug him!
He’s so adorable! It’s a lovely coat.:)
So sweet! I just love your style of sewing.
great jacket, gail! the fabric makes it looks so professional! and Oscar couldn’t look cuter in it!
What a handsome little man. I love the coat. I am working on my third coat/jacket for my daughter. And the patterns I have used so far are ones I have learned from reading your blog -so-Thank you! I love making coats and jackets now because I know they’ll get a lot of use. It feels very practical to me as opposed to the dresses that I love to sew that I have to bribe my little girl to wear.
Fantastic coat. That fabric looks dreamy (of course I’ve clicked on the link and am off to check it out). He’s really growing and looking very handsome in his new coat.
Such a cute!!! Sewing: Lovely, as always! It’s impossible for you to sew anything that I don’t love… and it always makes me want to run right out and buy the exact pattern and fabric and sew it up for my kiddos. Amazing!
The coat looks great! And I love the inside 🙂
I have also recently made a coat for my nephew; I understand why you like it.
Adorable!! And I love that lining fabric. Oscar looks super sweet and look at how grown up he looks standing on his own and walking around!
love everything about this, Gail! The gray, the clouds… that cute little boy!! Looks like a sophisticated little dude.
Oh my goodness that coat is fabulous!!! I love your color combos and that little kiddo inside the coat is pretty darn adorable too! I’ve been wanting to try a pea coat out for a while now, but just haven’t b/c of timing and uncertainty of patterns, etc….Great job!
I always love the coats you make Gail! Oscar is so sweet!!! Thanks for sharing about the moleskin, I’m going to have to check that out. Looks cozy!
You are seriously, so impressive! Love the coat…and baby!
oh, I love it! The fabrics are to die for, and so you. Never heard of the moleskin before but I’m super intrigued.
The coat and Oscar are both adorable! The fabric sounds lovely as well. And I know what you mean about the notches. I didn’t realize how helpful and reassuring they were until I sewed patterns without!
Arg! I LOVE this coat – how disappoint the pattern isn’t around anymore. 😦 I do need to hunt one down. I thought I’d make my kids light weight pea coats for Easter.
This one? LOVE. Can you make it in my size? 🙂
look, he’s a model! love it, it turned out amazing, no surprise there. i consider notches optional and i never organize things into beautiful little fabric bins that i made myself–do you think these are related?
happily for your readers, the pattern is still available!! check out this link, probably actually admirers: https://www.etsy.com/listing/54347961/trendy-unisex-pea-coat?ref=shop_home_active_1
The coat is truly gorgeous and I like the shape a lot- even for a boy 🙂 I’m a big fan of Christopher Robin’s style in the original AA Milne books- seems that boys had much more fun in the clothes department back in the day. Lovely choice on the lining. Sometimes I want to make a coat just to have a lining with pizzaz. So adorable.
Its gorgeous. Not girly at all!
I don’t see this as girly…he looks like a handsome young dude! Great job on the little coat.
This is almost unbearably cute! Perfect! And I want one too!
beautiful…. so lovely!
I love sewing jackets too, your little boy looks handsome in his new coat, very nice!