Back To The Bog. Shirley Adams. Simplify chic 1. Shirley Adams Sewing Connection and Alternatives all rights reserved

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1 Back To The Bog Shirley Adams Simplify chic 1

2 Back To The Bog The concept for this coat is over 4000 years old, tracing back to the Bronze Age. The remnants of this garment were found in a peat bog in Denmark, preserved all those years in ideal climatic conditions on the body of an ancient man. Carbon dating pinpointed the age, and it is called the bog coat because of the location of the discovery. When such a simple garment can look fashionable 4000 years later, that shows real staying power. I wonder if the puffy sleeve will be around that long. I personally hope not. Undoubtedly, this simple garment originated from a need to turn an animal hide into something for warmth. When fibers were eventually woven into fabric, this procedure continued to be the best way to produce a garment with the fewest tools and no waste. Even the neckline oval cutout is used in this garment. Spread out flat, your 1 and 1/2 yard piece of 54 fabric looks like this with its necessary cuts marked. A coat from the Sewing Connection Series 6 program 11, was a nubby tweed silk rayon fabric that raveled so easily, I raveled out the ends and used them for a fringe finish. It was such a soft droopy fabric that after finishing, I pinched up a flange on each shoulder and topstitched it in place. This provided a more flattering squared-off look. I was reminded of this bog coat when Barb Gash, a columnist, walked into a meeting looking smashing in her bog coat. Hers was made of two coordinating print polished cotton upholstery fabrics beautifully blended together and quilted to a soft backing. The edges were bound with self-bias and the matching skirt and top completed a striking ensemble. I began thinking about how successfully this idea translates to almost any fabric: soft, crisp, thin, padded, metallic or leather. I cannot tell you how many times I have discovered the perfect fashion fabric in an upholstery shop. Figure just above illustrates Barb s coat spread out flat. 2

3 The coordinating fabric borders the lower fronts and the lower sleeves as it is sewn to the floral print. Quilt all this to a backing, perhaps cotton flannel or a thin cotton fleece. Barbara chose to quilt around designs in the fabric, which nicely accents to design. This firm fabric was made heavier in the quilting so she trimmed out a little fabric in the areas that are the sleeve underarm to reduce bulk. Next, notice how a self-bias trim finishes the edges that will be connected in the bust area joining top and bottom fronts. Some interesting bridging stitches then connect these two bindings. Look at your choices of decorative stitches to find something suitable, such as illustrated. An edge-joining foot or bridging foot is a marvelous aid for a uniform job. If you have no capacity for decorative stitching, no worries as simple zigzag will accommodate this joining. For many fabrics instead of using self-fabric, your sewing store will host a huge array of ready made, wide, double-fold decorative bias trims that are as lovely as they are easy to use. From jungle prints to checks, to denim to dressy, you could go mad trying to finish all the projects these bias finishes inspire. Barb made a separate lining for her coat, stitched its edge inside the coat edge, and bias bound the neckline, center fronts, and lower sleeve edges to finish. Shoulder pads covered in the lining fabric were applied last. This is a good idea for two reasons: removing the pads for cleaning, and removing pads to accommodate a padded blouse or dress underneath. Inspired, I made a fluid coat of a print silk coordinate meant for a dress project. As is most silk, this is 45 wide and if you measure from one wrist to the other across your shoulders, you realize 45 will not make full-length sleeves. These will therefore be shorter since the main part of the coat only comes a little beyond the elbows. The main part of the coat is made from one fabric. The coordinating fabric is draped into a slimming skirt with its remains bordering the coat as well as a scarf. Notice that the stripes are used horizontally for a taller, slimmer look. I know you have heard all your life that vertical stripes are more flattering, but that is not always true. If you look along the stripe, notice the same motif is repeated left to right. Your eye does not dwell on this repetition, rather it goes up and down to seek the difference between the stripes, which in my black and brown subdued fabric are repeated only every fourth stripe. When working with stripes, stand in front of a mirror and wrap the uncut fabric first in one direction, then the other to determine what you like best. After cutting the coat slashes and folding in place, those vertical contrast bands are folded and stitched-in-the-ditch to catch the backside. Barb s coat was cut with a high round neckline. My silk coat I instead cut out with a teardrop neckline to produce a V-neck. 3

4 Now let us address the difference the fabric hand will make. Barb s quilted coat was rather heavy and quite firm. On the body it hangs well, aided by the shoulder pads. My thin fluid silk, even with pads droops a little longer on the sides and can swing out in front, especially on a shapely bust. Drapey fabric must have more work done so it hangs correctly. Two alternatives come to mind. 1. Move the neckline farther back so the coat can be shifted more to the front equalizing it on your body as the dotted line indicates Add a bust inset, thus lengthening the front at the bust-line where the problem occurs. This is what I did on my silk. Notice how the squares in the design are not straight across above the contrast strip from bust apex to center front. That contrast trim has its raw edges pressed to the underside before pinning and stitching it to the upper and lower coat edges. The spread between fabric edges is mainly from apex to center front, the area where more length is needed. If a rounded back equalizes the bust in front, this may be unnecessary. For maximum flattery, think about all these options. 2. That horizontal trim was extended out to sleeve edge just because it gave a nicer sleek look. You need a duplicate enclosing cover-up strip on the inside, as this unlined coat hides nothing. It is astounding how much thought and actual work can go into what appears to be a super-simple garment. To do a lesser job than this would be unworthy for this lovely fabric. I bound the neck edge in a double layer of self-fabric bias, ending in tube ties at bust level. This takes a strip of bias 60 or 70 long. Piece it together if necessary. Sew that joining seam on the straight. Therefore when the bias is folded, the seam bulk will be staggered - again, a quality detail. To accomplish this in a thin silky fabric, cut the bias about 3 wide, join strips, and press in half lengthwise. Begin at the back neck, right sides together, and pin the center of the two bias raw edges to the garment edge. Stitch this in a narrow seam 1 / 4 ", extending to the lower edge of bust trim strip both left and right. 4

5 For the tubes that hang freely, fold the double layer bias ends wrong side out so the bias fold will be stitched to the two bias raw edges. Start stitching right where your neckline stitching left off. With a tube turner, turn these end tubes right side out. Wrap the bias fold around to the backside so this binding just barely covers the neck stitching line and pin. From the right side, stitch-in-the-ditch to secure, removing pins as you reach them. One thin silk layer without shoulder seams requires great care to stitch the shoulder pads in place invisibly. A lot of tiny backstitches (prick stitches) will be needed. I use a very fine matching thread to hand stitch 1 / 2 " apart, but do NOT pull the thread tightly or dimples will result. This whole network of stitches is very strong, but unobtrusive. When you finish your evening-out coat, consider how quickly you could make a fun, fashionable, donate-able coat for a child with pre-quilted reversible fabric all bound in bias tape. Take a look at HeartWarmers for Kids. So many fabrics work well for this Bog Coat idea that your closet will be full in no time. 5

6 From Shirley Adams Sewing Connection Series 9, available on a 2-disc DVD set of the entire 13 episode season ~ ~ 6