Sometimes the 'Slow Sew' is good - Albion No.2

Sometimes you do have to be careful what you wish for.  One of my resolutions for 2014 was to make less items.  In the previous year I was on a 'sewing high' just on the sheer fact that I could 'sew a garment' for myself so hastened to sew just about every pattern that was released.  It was all a good steep learning curve, but a little bit 'over the top', after all there are only so many clothes you can wear.

So in 2014 I have been more deliberate in my choices of what to make and overall I am pleased with what I have made so far.  This is coupled with the fact that I have been trying to downsize and simplify and I am quite pleased with the progress on that.  I also had a successful summer Ten Item Wardrobe and also an autumn one (more about that later), so on the whole I am achieving what I set out to do in 2014.

However, the 'slow sew' lately has been a little bit forced upon me in that I have less time to sew because there have been daily hospital visits to my dad who is not very well. (and are likely to continue)  Nearest and dearest always come first clearly, but I have found it's good to have a 'slow burner-type project' on the go at these times.  For me, that has been a bit if knitting (with the right project it's therapeutic), but surprisingly I have found time for some sewing, in the form of the Colette Albion.  It is the duffle coat from Colette patterns and I made my husband one at the beginning of the year - here and it was always in my plans to make a winter coat this year.

Probably the longest and most tedious part of this make is sticking the pdf pattern pages together and all the cutting out, but I took about 4 1-hour sessions to do this, so a good dip-in-and-out activity.  Then, of course, was the actual cutting of the main fabric and the lining fabric.

I got my fabric in Clothspot, it is a wool mix, a tweed-type fabric,but if I'm honest I rushed in my selection of it and it is really a bit light weight for a duffle coat. I think it was £6.95/metre so didn't break the bank.  Clothspot got some beautiful coatings in just after that so I wish I had waited.  If you are thinking of a coat, you should have a look, they also have some beautiful fur which would be lovely for a collar (no animals harmed in the making)   I do like my fabric though, basically a teal colour with some rust and pink flecks. (I think it is sold out now)

I scoured the internet for ages looking for a super warm lining, but couldn't find anything, then remembered I had some Japanese double gauze that might do the job.

It is sort of fleece like, lovely and smooth and soft, and goes perfectly with the main fabric, so I'm pretty pleased that I got using something from the stash.  However, I still don't think it will be quite warm enough, so I have ordered some wadding for between the lining and the main fabric.

So, back to the pattern itself.  As I have made it before I know that there is nothing too difficult about it.  There are lots of little sections, but the instructions are great and as a project, it is really working for me at the minute.  Any free hour I have, I do one or two sections and it's amazing how it progresses.

Patch pocket on Albion

So no finished items but I'm getting there, slow but hopefully worth the wait!