A Coat Of Many Colors

Hello sweet friends. It has been quite a long time since I have written a Fashion Friday post. As many of you know it is not that I haven’t been sewing. Quite the opposite. I have spent the past 2 1/2 months creating over 40 exterior pieces and several undergarments for a Little House costume collection. It will go on display next week in Los Angeles at the Little House 50th Anniversary Festival. I had hoped to make myself several new pieces to wear at the festival but this incredible project has had its ups and downs and I simply have run out of time. But there was one thing I’ve been working on for at least two years that I did finish yesterday. Here is A Coat Of Many Colors.

A Historical Smock

In many of my previous Fashion Friday posts I often include a small historical segment. You can view these past posts under the Fashion tab HERE. 

In days gone by most modistes (one who makes dresses and hats) would wear a smock or lightweight coat over their street clothes while working on their textile creations. This ensured that if there was any debris on the maker’s street clothes it would not transfer to the garment. In reverse, it also kept stray threads and such from adhering to the street clothes.

Many modern design houses, such as Dior, Balenciaga and more, still to this day adhere to the practice of wearing a smock while working. 

The Pattern

I’ve been wanting to create such a smock for myself for a few years now. The smocks are generally just a simple design. I thought this vintage robe pattern would work well.

I can’t, in good faith, recommend this pattern. While it has such simple design lines there were several errors of the pieces not matching up, etc. It was sort of a beast to work with. 

Most modiste smocks/coats are plain white. 

However, I love color and wanted to inject a definte Prairie Style into my coat. 

I thought about Laura Ingalls Wilder creating her 9 patch quilt when making the sleeves. However I needed to add a few more blocks for the correct pattern size. 

This garment will literally have me wearing my heart on my sleeve. All of the fabrics come from projects that I have created in the past or from pieces that were created by family members.

The oldest piece of fabric is from the turn of the century. 

A Coat Of Many Colors

Just looking at this smock brings my heart so much JOY!

I had found the antique grain sack at an estate sale awhile ago and it was this piece that set the color palette. 

It represents the originial Little House On The Prairie which is located in Independence, Kansas. 

The pony is of course a nod to our sweet dachshund boy. 

All three of the Grandmother’s Garden quilt blocks on the coat were made by my grandmothers. Grandma Jingles aka (Eleanor Becker Ingalls) and my great grandmother, Emma Soelle Ingalls, who was a dressmaker. 

The coat is reversible and the sleeves can be worn flipped up to reveal more log cabins. (Fabric from the Little House collection by Andover several years ago.)

This coat has my name written all over it. 

My dear friend Michele embroidered this label. I could not have finished this project without her in many, many ways. 

In each pocket I have tucked some vintage handkerchiefs. I find hankies incredibly useful in many ways. 

The pockets are large enough to hold a measuring tape, pins, small snips and much more. 

I have a few garments, such as Nancy’s mermaid costume, that still need a bit of embellishment. But the bulk of the collection is DONE!

My house of late has looked like a prairie tornado had hit it. My dear friend Becky came over yesterday to help me with one final pressing before I pack up this immense collection. I leave for California early Sunday (St. Patrick’s Day). It is my hope that the luck of the Irish will be with me on the long drive to California. 

I’ll be in traveling until the end of March. The faithful Mr. Decor will keep the home fires burning.

I do hope to share some of this incredible experience on Instagram if you want to follow along.  

Laura

 

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