Put a Hood On It: Or maybe not.

I am not sewing for me right now. I have a lot of work, and much of it paid because I like living indoors and eating. So I am going through the blog posts I started and finishing them up. I have a couple of hundred of orphans, and my hair is going to change color in them. LIKE MAGIC.

I made this short robe for Son from an Ikea duvet cover (as one does)

So I took some measurements off the original and did some mathing

And then I gave it a hood.

Oooookay.

This was more a 'do ya think this could work?' exercise in sewing. I cut my hair shorter and shorter, and I don't turn the heat up very high in my house, so the back of my neck gets cold. Not the front.

So, hoodies. And it would be nice to have a hoody for work that isn't advertising something else than my organization. And we don't have a hoody.

Shame.

So I was looking at how the facing/collar works on this jacket and ...well, when you are into something (hoods), you want to put them on everything?

The continuous front/neck facing is twice the height of the body plus the width of the opening, sewn all the way around in one go. It's doubled in width, to fold over that edge.

 So, if I were to add the hood, I'd be extending those facings (and adding a piece at the back for the head width).

I think you're always better with a higher hood than what I'm mentioning here. You could measure your whole head height from shoulder to shoulder over your head. That is why the tape measure is flexible, right?

I try to make muslins I don't want to keep (I got too attached to makes that were almost good enough, and I wouldn't bother to take it further). I make parts of stuff; when I know what works, I just work on the part I'm unsure of. Get enough to get a good proof of concept before I commit to the fancy fabric.

This might not have been the best choice for this project, but it did work for the toile. I can't even remember what this sample fabric was for. I don't buy grey stuff much (even if it is delicious).

This kinda works. Hood should be deeper...

My ultimate fabric choice is a Kokka knit, semi deep stash, 40" wide.

Hug Snug as a seam finish (preventer of future stretching) at the shoulder/neck seam.

Oooh. Sewing.

Awkward selfie before the sleeves, with derp face.

Now, looking back, this is the point where I should have put sleeves on the muslin. 

The original does not have a hood, and it hangs fine.

The finished item has a hood, and it is less than pleasing, at least in this version, with these proportions and this fabric.

So I took off the hood.

Better.

Now if the black was actually black. Next to black, it's kind of green.

Raincoat cause rain

Do raincoats cause rain?

The wool jacket didn't stop winter.

Yes, they are in the sewing cave. Yes, I have family.

But it's never going to stop raining in Seattle.

Well, I surely hope not*.

I made this jacket, not using a pattern, years and years ago. I've worn it to bits, and it's failing at the seams. The hood never stays up. One breeze, even one step forward and it's down. I've been meaning to alter it, but then I noticed the seam damage.

The Riri rainbow zipper has held up, and I'm going to reuse it.

The reflective tape on the seams was a good idea. Even if it does slice me at the chest, it's VERY reflective, and between the front, the back and that little slash on the side pocket entry facing, it catches the smallest light and makes me visible enough even with the all black matte material.

I am working it into the next coat.

However, I'm done with black coats.

I've been coat watching in Seattle, and it's like we're all going to a funeral all winter long.

I just went to a funeral, and one of the things someone pointed out about the late Marian was that she NEVER wore a black coat. As proof, her red leather jacket was a part of the family photo table. She was stylin' she was.

I've been grabbing pix on Pinterest, 

picking up a couple patterns, taped this one together 

I took the body pieces and made them into one pattern piece to eliminate leaky seams

sorry this is hard to see, but you get the idea

And I noticed I have a style theme going here

Yes, you have seen this coat before. This particular version is from 1985.

I have worn the life out of this coat. It's the parka version. A sample my stepmother loaned me over almost twenty five years ago. I did add interior pockets.

This wasn't cheap. It is gorgeous. I am going to make one out of velvet. 
McVoguerick - you should rerelease this design!

Bathrobe would be good raincoat with the right fabric

So I have this amazing nylon fabric from Pacific Fabrics, and it's going to turn  into the new raincoat. I need to make a second muslin first.

Preliminary layout unsatisfactory, but a good photo of the fabric. You'll see it later

And before I cut into Precious, I have to remind myself that I keep looking at the same shape because I have been wearing the same shape over and over again.

I am cutting out the Green Pepper Oregon hood for this coat. I've tried a lot of hood patterns and they know their stuff. 

This was the very first thing I ever pinned on pinterest. Pretty sure.

 Because there is nothing more annoying than turning your head and seeing the inside of your hood.

*to be honest with you, it doesn't rain all the time. It's cloudy much of the time. It has rained a lot more this winter, all up and down the left coast. And it's been heavier rain; usually we just get sprinkles. It's poured several times; it flooded out the sewage treatment plant, which is just now operating with all of it's functions repaired.

So yeah, I need the hood now.

So cutting has begun and so has some crying

Sometimes the fastest way to get the photo off my phone is by posting it to Instagram....

The sleeve runs off the edge. I will have to piece it. Damn!