Coats suitable for a blizzard!

I found a beautiful piece of Marc Jacobs coating last winter at Gayfeather fabrics in Madison, Wi (where they are currently getting 6-8 inches of blizzard/snow- I know because the weather channel radar is impressive esp. in 70+ F in Florida).  I made a coat last year that got gifted, as the small amount of nylon and the structured design were not compatible to my Rowenta steam/box iron.  Still cleaning that puppy off this year.

Then, in April, I found these wonderful Eiffel Tower snaps at the most incredible button store in Paris, that I thought might work instead of trying to make bound buttonholes with that thread woven through fabric.

So, before I left Madison during the second Atlanta blizzard, I made this version of the coat with more of the same beautiful M. Jacobs black with blue thread wool (thanks to Gayfeather's generous birthday discount-at my age 1/2 my age in discount is substantial!!!)

I used a vogue pattern, 8937, that Marcy Tilton said she should have used in her winter coat saga last year.  HA 

I love the coat and plan to wear it in March when I return to the Polar blizzard called Wisconsin.  This shot I showed off the incredible Paris snaps, that don't really show on the finished coat.

Then, I picked out another Marc Jacobs coating I bought around the same timeframe from fabric mart. It's very heavy and two-sided.  I picked a vogue pattern, 8933, I now remember was a disaster the last time I tried it.  I allowed lots on the sides, but incredibly, the sleeves are also way too tight.  

Which brings me to this picture.   Fortunately, I still have plenty of fabric and lining to do a complete sleeve redo.  While sitting with friends at a Linda Lee seminar in Milwaukee (almost cancelled after a huge, similar blizzard) a couple of years ago, Linda held up said tool, and said "make this your friend. Sewing is as much about ripping as it is stitching". And I couldn't agree more.  I really don't even mind ripping during a great episode of Downton or Mad Men (it is coming back with new episodes, right?)

This shot shows finished coat with too tight sleeves. . . . I plan to finish this one too.

Oh yes, these Eiffel Tower "Paris" snaps I found at stone mountain and daughter in Berkeley last spring.  They will be added to the second coat above after the sleeves are done.