Coat assembly instructions

Sewing a coat is like sewing a car. It has a lot of parts and an order to assemble them in.

Every time I've sewn one, I've made a list of the tasks, the parts, and used my time to arrange them in the order I need them to get done in.
I am parking this list here for my future benefit.
There is one highlighted activity in the middle that came up this week. 
Oh, you'll see it right away.

The raincoat has a sleeve and upper body overlay as well as the main body piece, pockets that were internal and outside welt pockets. And it's fully lined. This made it complicated in ways that the winter coat is not.

Nevertheless, much of the same process applies.
So, for your entertainment, and an explication of how you can take a complicated task and break it down into a long list of five minute activities
(or: what I learned I could do during a child's nap time, when I had napping children), here's the list. 

Raincoat 2017 assembly instructions

Materials:

  Things that need sealing:
  Upper front shoulder seams
  Hood seams
  Collar seams
  Welt pocket seam
  There is so much fabric at the placket and overlays, I don’t think that needs sealing

Order and name of Layers:
  Outer: upper body overlay, main body
  lining: main body
  mesh for upper body overlay

Zippers

  One long center zip with placket/flap to cover/underlie (zip flap opens to right hand)
  Two shorter coil zippers on lower side seams to close in windy weather
  Two Interior pocket zippers

  Anorak snaps for placket

Seam tape for inner zipper finish, collar, side zips. Grosgrain, whatevers….

ASSEMBLY

Assemble fronts

Stay stitch neck seams all pieces

  Baste front/back linings together at shoulder seam and mark for pocket locations, adjust fit. Remove basting stitches.
  Sew Welt pocket through outer fabric (outer) to oversize lining pocket rectangle (both sides). Seam seal, let dry.

  Sew inside pocket to lining at chest height (both sides) and add zippers to tops to close.

     --finish ends of zippers so they don't uncoil and snag clothes

I'm not showing you the snagged sweater, but there were some tears. I'm adding some ribbon over the ends. The coil wants to uncoil. It wants to be free.
Nice little fishhook it is.

Happened on both sides of both pockets

  Finish outer pocket, wondertape to outer fabric to secure.

  Sew outer front to back at shoulders,check pieces to line up at center – ZIPPER BASTE?
  finish shoulder seams = ‘body’

  Sew front to back mesh at shoulders, finish seam

  Attach mesh to lining, finish seam

Assemble upper fronts

  Stitch upper fronts together at shoulder seam, sew outer hood,
 seal both and let dry
  Hem 1” leave side seam ends open. Do not finish cuffs. Be careful about matching hem position at center seam

  Baste upper fronts/outer hood at collar seam. Adjust for fit. Stitch, seam seal, let dry

Hood assembly

  Sew hood lining, stitch seams open.
  Baste stiffening material at center brim section (horsehair trim?)

Final body assembly

Sew all side seams, checking upper hems to match

Sew Short zipper to outer fabric (with end join at side seam), fold under lining to cover zip tape on inside

Baste outer fronts and backs to lining Check and stitch

Sew lining  hood to lining. Check with outer hood assembly to match. Flatten collar seam.

Sew hood and lining to outer hood at front hood edge. Turn and topstitch

Cuffs? Turn later? Check for length and turn later?

Secure layers together at center seam. Leave it open to add zipper?

Big outer pocket will need tacking to lining for support.

Zipper placket

Placket will get a couple snaps to close quickly (two at hood part)

Mark zipper both sides with thread at hood collar seam intersection

Baste zipper and unfolded flap to front finished upper/front/lining .

Order is front, then flap wrong face to right face of front, then zipper on top: stitch together, leave a lot of zipper tape open.

Yes, I made myself a diagram because I knew I would forget. And no, I haven't put the zipper in the raincoat yet. Fall Raincoat season blew by in a week. Now it's winter. Don't worry: there will be a Spring raincoat season. A long one.

  Fold flap  and zipper out, fingerpress and stitch to secure front

  Fold flap over zipper to cover, then back and  turn under to seam.

Finish cuffs with fold and topstitching

Trim flaps to match sides

And this is what I think about when I go to sleep at night. It's boring enough to put me to sleep, thinking I've done my duty and can sleep well.
And since I've put it here on the blog, I will be able to find it again.