New Fall Coat

I may have mentioned once or twice that I'm a little excited to be attending the Creativ Festival in Toronto this year (please don't go on strike Air Canada!!!!).  First of all, it's been ages since I've had a holiday, and secondly I can't believe that I'm going to be surrounded by people like me who are just as obsessed interested in crafting and sewing as I am!!!

But I don't want to look like a little prairie chic walking around downtown Toronto, so I made a new fall coat especially for this trip (well, that's the excuse I'm using, but truthfully I just love making coats).

I used this pattern with a lot of alterations.


Vintage New Look 6538
Out of Print

I haven't bought a New Look pattern for a very long time (except at the second hand shop) so I'm not sure if they've improved their sizing at all but they used to only go as low as size 10 in most of their patterns.  This drives me crazy because I'm nowhere near a size 10.

So, I took it in several inches on the sides, added darts in the front and back, narrowed the sleeves and hemmed them instead of fringing them, and narrowed the shoulders slightly.  It's still a little big but I figure that will be nice when I pull out my heavy sweaters.

I love the colour of this fabric.  And you wouldn't believe how super soft it is.

The pattern didn't call for a lining but I wanted something to shield the wind so I lined the back and the sleeves, and then I ran out of fabric.

The fringing is really what makes this coat stand out.  I love it.  It took about ten times longer to do it than I thought it would but it was sooooo worth it.

So?  Will I fit in with all the city slickers in Toronto?  I don't know if my coat is downtown chic or ranch hand trendy.  What do you think?

PS....I also cut off half of my hair!!!