My Lady Grey

I know I promised to blog about this last week, but I have a really good excuse. We planned a last minute trip to upstate New York to check out the area that we are moving to! Matt is taking a new job, and we are all pretty excited about this move. Lots of work to do, but we are getting tons of help with packing, moving, etc. from Matt's new company!
So, about my Lady Grey coat! I joined the sew along at Gertie's blog last year two years ago, but soon learned that couture sewing is not my cup of tea. I hated hand basting all of the hair canvas, so the project sat for months. Then last fall I decided that I wanted to finish all of my UFOs. I abandoned the hand basting in this coat for a fusible interfacing and then hit another bump in the road - I should have done a small bust adjustment on the pattern before I cut my fashion fabrics. I tried to tweak the pattern pieces, but wasn't having any luck. Eventually I decided to just sew the princess seams with a larger seam allowance to fit my figure better. It's still not a terrific fit, but the coat is done so I'm calling it a win!

You may recognize this picture from my profile!

A side view:

The back:

And check out that lining!

All photos are the work of Melissa McClure. Check her out, she's fabulous!

I'm really happy with how this coat turned out, despite the imperfectly fitted bust. I need to find a pair of elbow-length gloves to complete the look. I've already worn my Lady Grey a few times on warmer days without gloves, and I really love it! It's a great piece to wear with a nice dress, but it also pairs well with jeans and ballet flats.

As much as I love the styling of Colette Patterns, I'm not sure that I have the patience to tailor the patterns to fit my figure. I know that many people love these patterns because they accomodate a larger bust (I believe the patterns are drafted for a C-cup), but they don't seem to fit me very well without alterations. I do love all of the dress styles, though, so I may tackle another of these patterns in the future - armed with the knowledge that I must make a muslin to check for fit!

(Check out my Sorbetto top here.)