coat hem, Duffle coat, hemming, Lining a jacket, men who sew, Merchant and Mills, sewing for toddlers, tailoring menswear

Sewing for my Grandson!

by mainelydad
My little sailor

Trust me, there is no one I enjoy sewing for more than this little guy! In fact, he’s the only person I sew for other than myself.

Fabrics from Z Fabrics in Portland, Maine

I was delighted when Shari of MenzFabrics.ca contacted me to see if I’d be interested in helping her promote her new online shop, specializing in fabrics for menswear. I’ve received so much support and encouragement from the sewing community over the years, it was impossible to say no. So I was gifted the fabrics for this project in exchange for this post. I see it as a small way to give back to a community that has been overly generous to me in so many ways.

At the time, I was knee deep in my own Fall project….the velvet jacket that I just posted. So I asked if making a coat for my grandson would be acceptable and Shari was all in. It’s menswear, just ever so much smaller!

I dreamed of the day I could make this!

I selected this plaid wool blend for the coat, and the cotton Scandinavian look shirting for the lining. I have to say the print is beyond charming. I love how the llamas are standing in where one might typically expect reindeer!

The plaid fabric is only 20% wool which turned out to be a great choice for a toddler. Don’t gasp, but I actually prewashed it in the washer and took it to the laundromat to dry it on high heat. I don’t think there was a bit of shrinkage. Who knows what might eventually get spilled on this coat. I’ve told my son and daughter in law that there’s no reason not to throw the whole thing in the wash. It should come out just fine.

Of course, hopefully there will be adults making clothes from this fabric. It would be perfect for rugged outerwear. A big shirt jacket immediately comes to mind. I also see this made up in the very popular Ilford Jacket from Friday Pattern Co. Another good choice would be Merchant & Mills Foreman jacket. It kind of screams “workwear vibe”.

The print would make any guy the hit of a Holiday party! (Will we ever return to those days???). Too daring? Then I’d go for pajamas with red piping!

Burda has some of the most interesting and stylish patterns, but I have to say they’re not for the faint of heart. I’m always surprised at how much sewing knowledge they assume. They have a way of glossing over a lot of stuff. I find myself having to read the instructions over and over and over. And don’t get me started on the illustrations!

I underlined the entire coat with white cotton flannel from JoAnn’s. I basted it onto the lining pieces and treated them as one during construction. The flannel was then trimmed as closely as possible out of the seams. Even in TN it gets cold and they occasionally get some snow, so I wanted this coat to be warm.

I constructed this coat exactly as I would my own! Old habits die hard! If you’re interested in how to hem a coat there is a tutorial on my YouTube channel. You will find it here.

Credits

Wool blend coating and cotton. shirting — MenzFabrics.Ca

Flannel lining — JoAnn’s

Toggles — BiasBespoke

Thank You, Shari, for thinking of me. I wish you all the best in your new venture. There is a certainly a need for more menswear appropriate fabric.

Of course no post is complete without a photoshoot. Enjoy!

A special thank you to my son and daughter in law, the fashion photographers. And of course to “super model” ERM who endured wearing this coat in 80 degree weather! I love you more than you can ever imagine!

Until next time…….

Happy Sewing

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25 thoughts on “Sewing for my Grandson!”

  2. What a cutie! What a fun project………perfect color for an active boy.
    Your blog is such an inspiration for me…….I have managed to actually finish some projects
    and plan some future ones.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Absolutely beyond amazing and adorable. Very small clothes are almost harder to construct in some ways…. All those tiny spaces ! You almost have inspired me to sew one for my own tiny grandson!

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Love the coat! I have a similar pattern and made a coat for my granddaughter. What is the pattern you used for his color block shirt?

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  10. What a dream of a job….making things for grandchildren. And this is a dream of a coat! I’m inspired by your work, as usual. He was obviously having a terrific time with you and Agnes. ☺️ The best of times!

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Wow! Your grandson is even cuter than you are! He obviously enjoys his new coat. I was touched when my toddler grandson was delighted with the coat grandma made him; he seemed to know this was a special coat, as your grandson seems to know, too.

    Liked by 1 person

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  16. Yet another lovely execution. I also appreciate your comments about Burda patterns. It’s good to know that people with much more extensive sewing experience than I have also find issues with the minimalism of their instructions and illustrations.

    Liked by 1 person

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  18. I loved reading this post. How wonderful to be able to sew for your grandson! Maybe he will want to learn from you in the future. (Future sewing buddy?)

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