Simplicity 8262

I ordered several fabrics from Style Maker Fabrics all at one time several months ago.  I prioritized the other three ahead of this red wool which left me making a lined wool coat in the spring.  I was determined to finish it because I didn't want a UFO which worked out ok because it snowed yesterday and my kids went sledding on Easter.

I like the peplum quite a bit but I'm a little undecided on the double collar.  At first I liked it a lot, but I think it would work better if it wasn't quite so large.  I interfaced both collar pieces as suggested which made it really bulky.  Each collar piece is two pieces sewn together, which accounts for five layers when the collar pieces are sewn to the neckline. I broke three needles just attaching the collar pieces to the neckline. If I had it to do again I would interface just one collar piece instead of two out of the four and I wouldn't interface along the seamline.  

The collar is really bulky in the back and stands up quite high on my neck.  I steamed it a lot and maybe as time passes it will calm down.

The lining is fun.  

I had a major disaster occur on one of my facing buttonholes.  I chose bound buttonholes and for some reason I decided that I wasn't going to add my facing buttonholes until I had already attached the facing to the coat.  It was a horrible idea and I have no idea why I thought it was a wise choice.  The top buttonhole is so close to the neckline that it was terribly awkward sewing it on.  The real problem occurred when I sewed the interfacing to the wrong side of the facing instead of the right side.  The above picture was my best attempt to salvage it by removing the first one I did and sewing it on right which was made harder by the fact that I had already cut into the fabric. It looked hideous so I made a separate buttonhole and hand-stitched it to the facing.  It's not great but it looks better than it did.  

In addition to sewing it on the right side of the garment, in the future I'm going to use fabric instead of interfacing for the facing buttonholes.  The interfacing looks messy to me even if I do it right and I think the fabric will work just as well.  Then I can stitch around the facing buttonhole instead of steaming it to make it adhere.  

My face sums up my feelings about the weather we are having.  I can't even force a smile. 

Please make it stop!