The Princess Coat: Charm Pattern Review
I’ve always wanted to feel glamorous in the winter. Being bundled up in 27 layers of fabric isn’t quite that. You see, I’m from the desert of California; we measure heat waves above 100 degrees, not 90 like most of the country. Winter is a time when I freeze. While I have gotten more acclimated to the weather over the past decade, I still have troubles staying warm. Coats are a necessity but, like most of ready-to-wear clothing, they don’t fit me correctly based on my somewhat wonky proportions.
To put a name to those “problems,” I’ll elucidate from the neck down:
- Very square, slightly broad shoulders; most people need shoulder pads for to get the look of a 90 degree angle at the base of the neck, I do not.
- Thick upper arms; I generally have to size up things with snug sleeves because I can’t get them on otherwise.
- Lower bust point; I’m tall and have a long sternum, so my bust point sits at 11.5″ from my shoulder whereas industry standard is 9″-10″.
- Waist; that’s actually fine! It’s a little on the small side compared to my bust, and much smaller compared to my hips.
- Broad hips; I have curves, I love and hate them. I love how I look, I hate that ready-to-wear clothing only believes that people are rectangles.
Back to being fabulous in winter! I’ve wanted to make my own winter coat for some time, and like most projects I couldn’t find a pattern that sang to me. Then I stumbled on Gertie’s Princess Coat pattern with those incredible statement sleeves and giant shawl collar. My breath was taken from me; it was perfect. But I have no relevant experience working with coating fabrics, let alone how to construct a coat that would last at least a decade or more. So I did research. Lots of research.
What I learned was that I knew nothing about this and had to start from scratch. Luckily, Gertie’s pattern gave some suggestions, like using Kasha for the lining (that’s a fleece lined satin). Weight and content of the coat fabric was my first hurtle to tackle. After reading other first-hand reviews of coat sewing patterns, I found that getting a wool melton, or at least a poly/wool blend melton, was the proper choice. And then Fabric.com was shut down by Amazon. Just days before I was going to order my fabric. I had to go on the hunt for new fabric and found remnants of three and five yards in this stunning hunter green wool/poly blend. It was perfection, and I ordered their remaining stock (both the cuts of three and five yards) to be safe. Then I ordered the Kasha lining from VogueFabrics.com, which was painless. I highly recommend them if they have what you are looking for. I then found these gorgeous metal filigree buttons on Amazon and even though I was pissed at them for shutting down my Mecca, I still ordered them. The remainder of the materials I already had: weft interfacing and muslin, both from FabricWholesaleDirect.com.
Now for what you are here for, the pattern review!
To start, this was the best darn instruction book I have ever seen. It’s almost 80 pages long, includes some simple fitting advice, alternatives for setting sleeves, and detailed pictures and text for each view of the jacket/coat you wish to make. It reads like those old Goosebumps “choose your own adventure” books. I chose the following options for the style I made: unnotched shawl collar, lantern sleeves, and the full skirt.
I made no style alterations to the coat, only fixing the pattern for fit. I’m 5’9″ for reference. I dropped the bust point 1.25″ to match my shape, and lengthened the sleeve 2″ in the upper section to be the appropriate length for my gangly arms. I have a positive ape index, so no surprise there – I was surprised that I needed a full 2″ though. Having worn this now for a second winter, I actually wish I had added an additional inch to the lower portion of the lantern sleeve. The sleeves are comfortable and long enough, but they would be perfect just a hair longer. Not having to make a sleeve/bicep adjustment for my thick arms was refreshing. In fact, I can wear bulky sweaters under this coat with no binding on the arm. It’s glorious. Lastly, I did not alter the length of the skirt hem; for most people I would suggest shortening the hem so they are not overwhelmed by the length.
The coat features bound button holes, and I suggest watching a few YouTube instructional videos on how to create them. Then practice, practice, practice. I must have made six or seven before daring to cut into the half-completed coat. I also appreciate that the coat has a back muslin stabilizer, it prevents the coat from stretching out and pulling too hard on the back seam, increasing the longevity of the coat.
The lining follows the same cut as the style you choose, so mine had lantern sleeves. There is a facing on the front and the lining is tacked to the wool at the hem, not sewn in. It also features a back center pleat for ease of wearing over other clothing and for movement.
I added my label to this make because I was so proud that I completed it. The coat is aptly named, I feel like a princess every time I wear this out.
