Blue Floral Persian Coat

I've had this fabric for a while. The plan was always to make a Persian outfit from it. I plan on getting started this week.

16th Feb, 2005

I started cutting out the coat tonight. I am using a basic t-tunic pattern. I looked at the instructions from Roxane Farabi, which is basically the same but with a few more pieces. Since the sillouette is the same, I am going with the simpler design.

I cut out all the pieces and overlocked the edges. It really did need this. It's fraying quite a bit without the overlocking.

17th Feb, 2005

Last night I got the first of the Persian coats sewn together. This is just the outer layer. I still have to do the lining. It sewed up really quickly. And more importantly, it took a press on the seams when I ironed it. I was worried that it wouldn't and that I would have to sew the seams down to get it to sit right, which would have ruined the look of the coat. But all is well, just need to get onto the lining.

18th Feb, 2005

I got the yellow/gold lining done for the blue Persian coat. Well, mostly done. I just have to sew a few of the seams down and put the centre back gore in tomorrow and it will be done. I didn't iron the seams before sewing, and now I think I should have. Ah all, most of it won't be seen.

19th Feb, 2005

I went shopping today and managed to pick up a couple of bits of brocade that should do for the head-dress for my Persian outfit. A cream floral and a gold swirly pattern for the duck hat. I got a pattern from Roxane Farabis' page and made a couple of modifications (I put some iron on interfacing in to stiffen it up). It turned out pretty well. I just have to cut and edge the chiffon for the veil and it will be done. The only thing is I might have made it a bit small on the sides, so that it doesn't stick down the sides of my head enough. But at this stage I am runnning out of time. But if I can get some nice material (I'd really like some nice orange and gold), I will make another one. They don't take long.

I am still waiting for the red fabric to arrive for the second coat for my outfit. Hopefully it will arrive on Monday. That should give me plenty of time. But I am worried that my gold metallic frogs won't arrive and that I might have to get some other sort of fastening for this coat. I found some buttons on the weekend that will do in a pinch. I should've bought them but I am bit broke this week.

I just managed to get all the sewing done when we got hit by a huge thunderstorm and were blackedout. We lost power for a few hours. I just got out my mini-disk player and listened to music.

22nd Feb, 2005

Houston, we have a problem. The fabric for the red coat arrived last night. But there is one small problem. It' s not red. It's maroon or deep plum. The pattern is fine, but the colour is not what I wanted. I wanted really bright and striking. The plum will work, but it's just not what I had planned. But at this stage, with the event at the end of the week and no money left, I will just have to use it. Bugger.

26th Feb, 2005

I managed to get the maroon coat done in time. Here is the finished outfit.