[rebekahricker]

I’m shopping for fabric for School Days coats for my daughters, and I’m wondering what the difference is between wool coating and wool suiting. Both are listed as medium weight. There are some things I hate having to buy online.

[Nicole]

A coating would be best for the School Days jacket.

Both fabrics would be medium weight for their classification. A suit weight is (usually) a fine weave with more drape.

It would not be as warm but would be fine for a light weight coat.

~Nicole~

[rebekahricker]

That’s what I figured. I just didn’t want to make an assumption with fabric this expensive. Thanks so much for your answer!

[Nicole]

My absolute pleasure Rebekah.

May I ask what your fabric looks like?

[rebekahricker]

I’m trying to decide between a black and grey herringbone and a black and grey zigzag. Both are from Mood and pretty subtle prints. The zigzag, though, says that it is double faced. Do you happen to know if that means that it is thicker? They don’t have weights listed on their site.

[Nicole]

I would love to go to Mood.

I confess I don’t know what double faced means,possibly you may use both sides?

Which would require the most pattern repeat matching?

[rebekahricker]

I would, too. For now, though, I just have to settle for their online ordering.

The zigzag would be more difficult, and it’s the more obvious print, too. So, I would see any imperfections more apparently. The herringbone actually just reads as a heathered-type effect unless you look really closely. It’s the one I’m leaning toward since I’m making three. The only reason I was considering the zigzag (besides it looking awesome) was if the double facing made it warmer.

[Nicole]

If you are making three at once you will be able to jiggle and save fabric,I would consider the herringbone but I bet the zigzag would look awesome!

[rebekahricker]

Maybe I’ll have just to use the zigzag on a coat for myself. It’s too pretty to go unused.

[Nicole]

I like your thinking!

You could use the scraps to make a Sunday Brunch skirt-how cute would that be?

[rebekahricker]

That would be cute; I love that pattern. But then I run into the dilemma of picking which daughter to sew it for.

[Nicole]

Too easy!

The eldest,if the scraps allow,then all the girls get to wear it!

Being wool it will do many children.

[rebekahricker]

My problem is that I always do that, especially when it’s a fabric I really love. The other two are going to start feeling neglected.

[meleliza]

Yes, the younger ones are good at feeling neglected. Still, I say in the case of a wool coat, best to make it for the oldest. It will be an expensive and time consuming project. I made this one in wool with an underlining for my oldest son a couple of years ago. I suggest adding a little extra length in the sleeves to be let out in the future. I used some really stiff synthetic underlining because it was all I could find in a time crunch but if I had it to do again, I would use some cotton flannel or even some thinsulate. It wasn’t exactly an every day coat, so it’s still in mint condition for younger son. Oh, don’t forget to line at least the sleeves in something slippery like Bemberg. I used a plaid shirting and it looked very nice but he had a hard time getting it on and off.

[rebekahricker]

Thanks for the input. I ordered Bemberg for the sleeves and an awesome houndstooth flannel for the hood and body. I also have thinsulate on order for underlining.

I’m actually making one for each of the three. We just moved to Nebraska from Texas, so we’ve never had a need for winter coats before.