I have had an idea for a project for a while now.
My mom remembers very clearly a coat that she had as a child in 1957. My grandmother made the original coat. I thought it would be fun to make this coat in doll size.
The coat had a matching bonnet. It was dark turquoise, has a leopard skin print collar, and brass buttons.
I used Simplicity 1245 as the pattern.
I was able to go fabric shopping with my mom, so she could help me identify the closest color match.
The bonnet was very easy to make. The coat was more complex, but I was happy with the way it turned out.
I left out the flanges on the shoulders, as I wanted this to match my mom's coat. They would have been easy to include if desired.
I was very happy with the finished project.
I deliberately left out the leopard pint collar for two reasons: I only like leopard print when it is on the leopard, and I didn't think it matched the turquoise color anyway.
Mom says that this is close, but that her original coat didn't flare so much at the bottom, and her bonnet didn't have as much of a brim. She said it stopped at about the hair line.
I haven't added buttons yet, because I think it will be hard to find small enough brass buttons. I am trying to decide what I should do instead.
I may make another coat to try to replicate Mom's more closely, but all the 1950 coat patterns that I am aware of flare at the bottom.
Meanwhile, I really do like this coat.
