I went to JoAnn Fabrics and bought 2 McCall's patterns for my coats. Look for reversible or easy patterns since you don't want a lot of tailoring and pieces for a fur coat.

BTW, the hood on my coat was absolutely huge. I guess that's the design but I wasn't thrilled with it.

Be sure to add pockets including a couple that close with zippers or velro for all that stuff you get or carry around on the Playa.

If you sign up for JoAnn or Hancock's mailing list, you will get coupons and be notified of sales. Patterns normally cost around $16. I buy them on sale for $1- $2. Timing is everything. JoAnn's has a sale almost every weekend but they rotate the brand of patterns that are on sale.

Suggested Coat Patterns:

McCall's 4222 (my hooded green & purple bubble fur coat)
www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4222.htm

McCall's 9578? (Chris's bubble fur coat - no hood - extended pattern to make it longer.) Sorry - Can't find a pic online.

Simplicity 5306 - Looks promising. Haven't tried it.

You can always just browse through the pattern books under Coats or Jackets and then look at the patterns close up.

Good luck!

Shawn

Thanks for the links. Picking out the right kind of pattern is extremely imortant. Here are a few notes to avoid pitfalls.

This is the long fitted coat from the Matrix. LOTS of seams and very complicated. You want as few seams as possible for sewing fake fur. Not recommended for the beginner or fake fur.
www.simplicity.com/index.cfm

This is a tailored mens coat. Too complicated for fake fur.
www.thesewingplace.com/index.asp

Men's jacket. Extra seams & straight. Do-able.
www.thesewingplace.com/index.asp

Duster Coat. Looks okay for the simple verision.
www.smockingstore.com/folkwea...tml#frontier

Duster Coat. Might be okay - hard to tell. They don't show the pattern pieces
www.createforless.com/product.....Detail.asp

Western Frock Coat. Mid-length. I'd skip this one. I'd either pick a short jacket or long coat.
www.patternsoftime.com/buckaroo3.html

Women's duster. I can't tell how complicated - looks like it has extra seams to showcase the special prnted fabric. I wouldn't pick this one.
www.fabricsandbuttons.com/patte.....ter.html

I think it's way more helpful to go to a fabric store and look at the paper patterns physically. You will see how many pieces you have and the shapes. The online patterns don't give you any details and look more complicated. You also have the benefit of asking the sewing store staff for recommendations for your skill level or using a given pattern with a certain type of fabric.

yayy...just finished hand-sewing two really big zipper pockets in my playa coat...now I am focusing on a *teeny tiny* little zipper pocket for hmmm....teeny tiny things...

I am 85% done with my coat...Yayyy...I will be toasty in it at 4th of Julplaya!!!

ps...anyone seen any 2 inch diameter buttons in clear or white?..having a time finding 'em locally

Sure, the second one will work, but the contrasting color on the sleeve cuff and collar is making more work for your friend (and possibly more weight for you, depending on what you use to line it. The first one seems a little tight and third one will be a nightmare in fur, so be nice to your friend and ignore that one completely.

Why not:
www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4222.htm
????? Okay, the picture is in pink and shows a very pretty girl wearing it, but paste your picture over hers and pretend it's in bright blue or some 'manly' color.

It's the playa-classic, a classic raccoon coat silhouette, done long like one of the little pictures to the right (or to whatever length you like) I've made one to fit my boy (5'10", 170lbs, used the Medium size, floor length) and he loves it. ...although I'd suggest either doing away with the hood (you don't seem to like hoods anyway) or making the hood smaller.

I helped make over a dozen fake fur coats for the NYBurners last year. I took the easiest pattern I could find. Front, Back, Sleeves, and Hood. Translated them into 4 sizes. I would suggest using the least amount of pattern pieces as possible. You will still get the wonderful bulky look, just less of a headache making it.

Even still, Fake Fur is not easy to sew. a couple of suggestions:

Basting, pre-hand sewing in large stitches before machine sewing helps keep the fur from stretching and pulling as you sew.
Use 100% Polyester thread, it's the strongest and least likely to break.
Use a slight zig-zag stitch instead of a straight stitch....this will let the sewn seam to slightly give, as oppose to a straight stitch which will not give at all. Fake fur is essentially a knit fabric and if your machine doesn't have a stretch stitch this is the next best thing. Works great for any knits!
For the a shaggy hem, I ripped the fur along the hems. I made a small cut, then ripped away. You have to be really careful and not let the rip go off-grain. Cheaper fake furs have more of a tendecy to do this. This allows the hairs to flow down like hair as opposed to a cut line. I might suggest using rotary blade. Make a cut carefully, not to cut the hairs but enough to cut off the access. Works great for hems, sleeves.
If you have to sew on the fur side....get some tracing paper and put on top of the fur before you sew,this will keep the needle from tangling with the fur, which happens alot. Just sew right on top paper and then rip the paper off. Works great for really slinky fabrics, chiffons.

Just make sure your pattern has enough space and is not a tight fitting design. Easier is better!

miyo

Had great success last year, and am teaching more fake fur classes this Spring/Summer for us New Yorkers. I'm also teaching hoodies, skirts, and much more if time avails.

Wow Miyo those are great tips. Thanks.

wow krissy, that rocks! Such a simple pattern.
But of the 4 "C" gores, wont 2 of them be sewn on with the fur running upside down, given the cut specs? it could work, if it looked like a choice.

Like you, it is timeless

;-)

Thanks for the great tips. I wish I knew about the sale at JoAnnes. I already spent my last dollar before pay day on the coat pattern. Ugh.

As suggested I think I will do a trial run on cheap fabric first. For the real deal I am leaning towards White Mongolian Fur.

If I ever get this project up and going I will post some info on my success or failure.

i 'copied' a loose fitting fleece vest for the body of my coat. i just extended the seam lines all the way down to where i wanted the length to end.
for sleeves measure your arm length, add about 4-6 inches. then measure around the vest's armhole for the top measurement, and make the bottom measurement roomy enough to be comfortable - you'll end up with a trapezoid.
pockets can easily be added to the exterior like robe pockets.