I’ve been doing nothing but stupidities during the last couple of months. My doctor says it’s exhaustion. Being exhausted after having a baby? Seriously?
These stupidities – forgetting appointments, mixing things up, making bad decisions, wounding family members – affect me in many activities. These include sewing, as proves the story of Norah’s new Winter coat (for which I used this pattern).
It started with the fabric choice. Solid yellow, for a jacket for a child who plays in a sandbox at school everyday? The average 90-year-old Alzheimer patient would know better.
Of course, after day 1, the coat had mud stains all over. According to Norah, this was because a boy spat on it. Mmmmmm. If that is true, I would strongly recommend this boy to eat less sand.
After cleaning the coat, I thought I’d speed up the drying process by putting a hot iron on the front. Of course, the wool started felting immediately. Well done, Einstein!
But things also went wrong when I was cutting the pattern pieces. For instance, I made rather wide pocket flaps, with the intention of making them more narrow after I’d have a chance to measure the flaps on the previous version of this coat. Evidently, I ended up attaching them without measuring first, and now the coat has flaps which are completely out of proportion. Hurray for me.
I’m happy with the sleeve flaps, though. Piping is never a bad idea.
Despite all the stupid mistakes I made, Norah is crazy about her coat. Firstly because it has real pockets instead of the faux ones of last year’s version, and secondly because I lined it with some sheep-esque kind of fabric. In between the yellow and the sheep is a layer of Quilter’s Dream Cotton Select, bought here.
In sum, this coat is a failure, but a very warm failure!
(Yellow & sheep: Strass; buttons: Veritas)
Oh you're so hard with yourself !
This coat is adorable and if it was up to me, I'd like to fail as you did ;).
Ah that's lovely! And yes, I'm afraid mum-of-two-dementia is something you will probably have to get used to! I went to an important meeting today, smartly dressed, all prepared, turned up at the office bang on time, only to be met with 'blank looks' – I'd driven to the office in the wrong town!!!
Producing a coat within the chaos deserves a medal!
Ik begrijp waarom het Norah's favoriete jas is hoor, lekker warm en comfortabel, en dat is toch ook belangrijk. En de stofkeuze is super, zou hem zelf ook kiezen 😉
kan dit patroontje gekocht worden ? ik vind het prachtig mooi… 🙂
Natacha
I love Norah' s New coat. You are being to hard on yourself. It's not easy to be an octopus and trying to juggle so many things at the same time. 🙂
Ik vind het ook heel schattig! En dat geel heb ik toch ook gebruikt voor mijn jasje… Gaat nog steeds goed mee! M
What? You did a great job! Sand might not so outstanding with yellow 🙂 Looks so comfy and cozy!
Joepie … ik ben dus niet de enige 33 jarige die vanalles vergeet of over het hoofd ziet 😉
Funny with the timing of this, looks like I'm not the only one with coat problems! With the red military coat I just finished sewing up somehow when I put the front of the coat together it was off by an inch at the hem! So that had to be redone. Also red wool may not be any better than your yellow… the red wool had it's own set of problems, it created red dust which dyed everything it touched pink, now my white sewing machine is pink, my off-white dress form has some pink, while I was sewing with it the clothes I was wearing got pink stains… there is always something new to learn with sewing…
I too love the coat: piping, pocket flaps, sheepesque lining 'n' all!
Just think: we all know you're a great sewist plus a couple of little people think you're a goddess! They might never change their mind. It's not a bad place to be!
I can relate so well to your exhaustion (especially in this time of the year …).
Anyway, the coat is super cute (love love the color) and it looks perfect on her (extra sand and big flaps, included). I'm in the process of making one for my girl and I only wish it could turn out just as cute 🙂
Well I have mum of four dementia and 10 years on you so don't feel bad.PS it never goes away. The coat is gorgeous and I would never have noticed the pockets if you hadn't pointed it out!
Great job! It's so beautiful!
I love the jacket! The yellow is so cheerful and fun. You really are too hard on yourself!
mooi gemaakt … je de kleur is plezierig maar idd vlekjes zie je misschien snel … maar op die leeftijd maken ze toch alles vuil
Oei, zorg maar voor voldoende rust en loop jezelf niet voorbij… Niets moet, alles kan; you can do anything but not everything!
Here's what I've learned…it's never a failure if the recipient loves it. Plus just think, yellow is so easy to spot on the playground so you'll never lose sight of her!
ik heb zo gelachen, ik had het precies zo kunnen schrijven. en ik ben dan ook nog en jaar jonger 😉
dat terzijde vind ik het een leuk manteltje!
groetjes e
I think the coat is so cute! I can certainly relate to the brand new baby brain. 🙂 I've been there a few times. 🙂
I am crazy about this coat, too! Yes, please tell that boy to stop eating so much sand 😉
Thank you Marianna 🙂 What you're writing is entirely not true, but very nice to read regardless 😉
Ouch! Pink, of all colors 😉 Good to read that I'm not the only one 🙂
Thanks Ana Sofia :-))
Ha ha, that's a great story. Exactly something that could happen to me too!
He he, jouw versie was perfect!
Bedankt Natacha! Ik hoop het patroon tegen volgende winter klaar te hebben…
Thank you 🙂
Thank you Florencia!
Thanks Shino 🙂
He ja, nu herinner ik me dat gele jasje dat je hebt gemaakt! De stof pluist wel fel op vind ik…
Afgaande op de reacties, zijn we met zeer veel :^p
Thanks Justine! The fact that you didn't notice the pockets, might have to do with you mum of four dementia, though ;-p
He he, that's true!
Bedankt, Boomie!
Bedankt Elo!
Thanks Olga! I cannot believe how many 'been there too'-responses I'm getting. We should start a little club :-))
Thanks Jenya! I will definitely tell him. And tell his parents and teacher, so he gets grounded for it!
:-p
Spitting sand isn't so far fetched. My three year old ate massive amounts of sand and spat it all over my kitchen up until this summer. In a moment of utter defeat and anger I tipped the sandbox over the edge of our deck and ended it all. lol.
I think this version, and especially the polka dot version are absolutely lovely.
I'm really in love with the ocher color! And the inside of the coat sure looks really comfy!