Dylan Coat from Sewing Basics for Everybody

I made this coat towards the end of summer last year and I’m so glad I did.

When I ordered this fabric, I wasn't completely sure what it would look like in reality, and I'm very happy to say it is so much better than I was expecting! The fabric has a dark teal base and lighter turquoise spots, which are textured so that they bobble up away from the surface of the wool.

This fabric is 25% wool and has a slight stretch. It is a matt finish, and looks and feels a lot like a traditional boiled wool.

I deliberated over what to make with this fabric for a while. I thought about a bomber jacket, but ultimately wanted a hood to be extra cosy when it's cold. As the fabric is so bold, I wanted a simple pattern so after going through my patterns and books I settled on the Dylan coat by Wendy Ward. This coat is from her book 'Sewing Basics for Every Body', which is a great collection of patterns and techniques that are suitable for people of all genders and ages.

The Dylan coat has several options, including a pea coat, worker jacket, and anorak. I mashed a few of these options together to get a coat with a hood, a zip front opening and a curved hem. It's really easy to do this because the instructions explain each step by referring to techniques elsewhere in the book.

The hood on this pattern is great. It's really snug and finishes nice and high so that your neck stays warm. It's also big enough to wear over a bun / hair clip / beanie hat.

The fabric is really easy to work with. It is thick, so when sewing through a few layers bear that in mind. it is also worth taking the time to grade seams to reduce bulk and use a pressing cloth, lots of steam and a wooden clapper to press the seams flat.

I lined the coat with a viscose lining, so that it remains breathable. The lining is the same as the coat and then bagged out, which is a quick and easy construction method.

All in, this is a quick, easy make and results in a great looking winter jacket. I know this will get a lot of wear through autumn and winter!

I’m tempted to use the Dylan coat as a base for a chore / worker jacket out of some heavy twill as I think this will be a nice transitional jacket as it gets warmer (I’m already looking forward to Spring!). Another jacket I’d like to try is a longer version of this in some waxed cotton to make a proper anorak. So many options with this pattern and it’s just one of many in the book.