Hello and Goodbye to Mariah's Coat

Oh boy oh boy lots has happened since I last updated, and I was so busy throughout that I didn't update at all, so I'm sorry.

So the coat was lined, and quilted with a lovely silver metallic thread. It was very difficult to work with, particularly because it was old, and prone to tangling and snapping. I think it is a really metal coiled thread, the spool was very heavy.
It was worth it though, I love the effect it gave. On the outside, it's actually really subtle. It blends into the gray wool and is noticeable mostly as a texture.
Against the black of the inside, it is much more pronounce and you really see the shine of it.


And then the sleeve cuffs got attached, which was tricky business. The pleating was just so thick, and I had to stagger the double braid that goes down the center or it just was not going to lay right. Then a five-strand braid went over that mess of a seam and I just capped the braid ends with two little reinforcement patches.
Lining of the sleeve cuff. You can see how thick that seam was.
Then the embroidery started. I actually ended up using the silk-wool yarn instead of the cotton thread. The cotton thread was giving me too many issues with getting an even coverage and it was snarling up a lot. The sheen of the silk also just looked better in the satin stitch. It's worked over that purple cotton braid you see to give it some body. The little white thread are there to indicated eight even sections, so I know where to change over colors.
The embroidered inside. If I had had more time and more silk yarn (I was cutting it close, should have dyed more!) I would have loved to repeat all of the leather braid from the outside to the inside, but I didn't have either, so I focused on the front closure and back designs. I used the echo quilting as a guide, so that these spirals reflect the leather ones on the outside.
Best image color-wise, the yarn tends to pick up the light a little, it's hard to photograph. Also notice I didn't use the full color range I dyed--the more purpley colors didn't look as nice against the background of the lining.

So the coat was finished at about 3AM the night before the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show! But it was finished and delivered, and I got to go to the opening, which was fantastic and had so much tasty food.

But the most surprising part is, on the last day of the show it actually sold! I was not expecting that--since my work takes so so long with all the handwork it ends up being really expensive, and I know it's not exactly 'wearable' for most people so I really never sell anything. I'm a little sad, particularly since I never got to make the rest of the outfit that went with it, but on the other hand, it just leaves an opening to make another great coat, so I'm okay with it.

I'll post up pictures of the finished jacket in the next post, this one is super long already.