Fleece Swing Coat

As an instructor at a local Joann's store, I frequently have to make samples of the garments and items I teach. Most are of average styling and relatively easy to make, as they must be able to be made in a handful of hours.  Most are not worth noting, but, this fleece swing coat was one of the more interesting projects offered, so I thought I would share it with you. 

The garment is a simple one to make. No real fitting issues, no complicated construction, no seams that needed to be finished, no zippers or fancy closures to deal with. It has set in sleeves, which for new sewers seemed a bit intimidating, but with the forgiving nature of fleece they were a cinch to insert and are a great way to teach newcomers how to insert sleeves.

The most difficult part was the contrast trim. The pattern called for blanket trim, which in other samples I saw looked horrible, giving it that 'homemade' look I simply hate. The fleece leopard trim I chose gave the coat the much needed style and flair it deserved. Its a darling coat. I just wish I had made it in my  much larger size!

The coat is a 3/4 length, unlined swing style with 3/4 length sleeves.  Great over a pretty dress but equally suitable over pants or jeans for a weekend out. 

Topstitching all the seams finished the seams and helped to reduce bulk.

I love the way the back neckline turned out. Great lines.
 









The trim was easy to install. Since both interior and exterior portions of the coat would be exposed and the trim had a busy pattern, I didn't want any topstitching to show, so the inside trim was hand stitched in place.

This is a view of an inside seam. To reduce bulk, mock flat felled seams were used which produced a nice topstitching on the exterior and a relatively clean and flat finish inside the coat.