[EllenMCM]

I went with organic purple twill with red binding on the seams. I’ve finished putting together the pieces. Now I need to hem, buttonhole, and attach buttons and belt loops. I’m nervous about the button holes. There will be a practice placket in my future.

[Jennifer1568]

Will you post a photo when you have it finished? It sounds cute.

[Mel]

I’ve been promising my daughter this jacket since the fall. I took her fabric shopping with me today and the only fabric we could find that was the right colour and weight was a heavy ponte de roma. (It’s crazy that I couldn’t find anything else because she wants beige so she can pretend to be a detective. We even went to two stores.)

If she hadn’t been with me, I don’t think I would have bought the ponte de roma but I did and now I’m wondering if it will work. Has anyone made this in a knit? It doesn’t have a tonne of stretch but it does have some. I don’t want to put in the time I know this will take if the fabric isn’t going to be suitable!

[Robin]

Ponte de roma is pretty stable. I noticed that Gap and Old Navy are making a lot of blazers out of heavier knit. I hadn’t thought about it, but I bet it would be a comfy, cozy jacket.

[Nicole]

If you interface well and perhaps use a thin strip(of interfacing) on the seams(especially the shoulder seams)it would have a lovely drape.

[Mel]

thanks for the help, I’m going to go for it. I’m sure it will be comfy and as an added bonus, it wont wrinkle! Maybe next time I can convince her to agree to a patterned twill — I could’ve bought lots of that today :).

[Lightning McStitch]

the non ironing sounds like reason enough to go ahead. I made my beige spy coat (and matching hat) out of a cotton/poly/nylon blend that was dirt cheap but gosh it wrinkles.

We had a lot of fun with the coat and hat and P still wants his magnifying glass whenever he wears the coat…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79480359@N03/7934810762/in/photostream

[Mel]

oh that’s too cute! I’m going to have to make her a hat, too. She wants a detective/spy theme for her birthday party (in June, she plans ahead!), magnifying glasses would be good for the loot bags.

[Sarvi]

What is ponte de Roma?

[Mel]

Sorry Sarvi, missed this — it’s a heavy knit that doesn’t have too much stretch.

I’ve finished the coat and it looks okay, not a crisp as i would like because the fabric doesn’t hold a crease but not too bad. It was actually suprisingly easy to work with.

My problem now is the button holes. I’m using a size 14 ball point needle and my automatic buttonhole foot/setting but the fabric is not feeding through. I don’t know if my poor old bottom-of-the-line Kenmore just doesn’t have the oomph to go through two layers of fabric + interfacing or if I’m doing something wrong. Any suggestions??

[with love Heidi]

Maybe make manual button holes? or even use snaps inside with the buttons sew on the outer layer? It seems that some automatic buttonhole feet dislike thick fabric and/or seams.

good luck.

[meleliza]

Ah yes, the automatic buttonhole foot. Seemed like such an amazing feature! But I think it has cost me more swearing than happiness. Mine doesnt work on thicker fabrics either. I have to make the buttonholes manually. Practic on scraps, write down all your settings and mark carefully. I would also use a square of fusible behind each hole.