project past: donna karan, vintage vogue american designer pattern 2586

Like shoes, one can never have to many winter coats :-) because that is all everybody gets to see you wearing when outdoors in winter.

That's one of the reasons i still make my own winter coats. I prefer to wear a unique  coat because i dislike wearing the same store bought coat as everyone else. Plus i have a choice in winter coats to wear.  Mind you it helps that i can sew these coats myself.  This coat by designer Donna Karan was made a few winters ago from Vogue American designer pattern 2586.  Like the Montana coat in the previous post, a similar faux-fur fabric was used for this pattern.  I was lucky enough to purchase this dark forest green faux-fur material the winter before at the open air market in the city i live in for a great price.  (bought so much of this fabric to easily make another coat at some future point in time)

According to the envelope, the pattern needs average sewing skills to make this coat.  The following changes were made to the pattern: I added a lining to this coat, because of the fabric i used and because a lining adds extra warmth to a winter coat.  To do this i traced the necessary pieces of the pattern on special pattern paper and subtracted the facing, which was a bit of a nuisance but it worked out fine.  Another thing that was added were side front pockets, so much more practical.   The inset seams of the sleeves  below the armpit were also changed.   More room was added by sewing smaller seams ( i may even have added to the seam when cutting the fabric, i 'm not sure) in order that i could wear the thickness of winter clothes underneath this coat. I always make sure that i have plenty of room in the shoulder/ sleeve inset, and the picture on the envelope of the pattern showed that the sleeves at the upper arm seemed fairly narrow.  The faux-fur material works wonderful for this flared coat.  It falls in beautiful folds, something to take into account when purchasing fabric for this design. Heavy woolen fabrics may be too stiff, on the other hand that might result in a particular desired effect.  Fur hooks were used as a closure. The belt was purchased in a store.

It is a wonderful coat to wear with a dress or top,skirt and boots underneath or worn more casually with jeans. It's elegant, timeless and feminine, so typical of Donna Karan's designs. Thank you Donna Karan for sharing your designs via Vogue patterns with us, sewnistas  Affordable Democratic Design for your fans with a small purse. This design is less warm because of the shorter length than the vogue Montana coat described in the previous blog, but nevertheless serves very well as a winter coat.  Happy with the result and wear this coat often with a nice scarf or woolen shawl and mohair beret when the outdoor temperatures become cold.