Teena's Black, Red and White Winter Tailored Coat: A one- of a kind design!

A few weeks ago, I received an order for one of my Winter Tailored Coat's. I met Teena at The Rocks Markets, where I took her measurements, then we discussed colours. We agreed on a palette of black and red with a hint of white. Since Teena lived in Perth, and I lived in Sydney, the fabric samples to were posted to Teena, and once approved, the coat became a reality!

The photos below show some of the steps taken to create this beautiful hand made, one of a kind coat...


Cutting out the Red silk lining



Cutting out the black wool


Sewing the black wool pieces together (above), and sewing the red wool and cotton interlining together. I add interlining to all of my coats to give it extra warmth and durability.



I decided to add white/ivory piping to the design, as it really made the red and black contrast and stand out even further. It gave the colours a dramatic edge and oomph! I made the piping from some cotton roping and ivory silk, cut on the bias.




As you can see above, the piping really makes the red and black stand out! I like it how it also makes a very graphic and almost pop art look to the coat. This is a photo of the sleeve.

Below, the inside of the coat, where the side pocket sits.




Above, the finished side seam- including the pocket.


Sewing the white piping to the red wool, before it is attached to the black wool.


Above and below, creating red piping for the button holes. I decided to use red piping in this case, as the buttons are already black and white, and I thought if I used white piping, there would be too much white in that area, and the buttons would not stand out enough.



Creating the welt button holes. I always make big stitching lines to guide me, then I sew in place the piping. Just to create this part of the button holes takes me around 90 minutes for about 5 button holes- then I still need to hand stitch the seam allowance of the piping down, and finish off the under side of the button holes. A very time consuming exercise, but the finished product is well worth it!


Sewing the interfacing to the bottom of the red wool- this is for the hem, and it makes it sit nicely every time you wear it!



I apply the fur collar to the lining, so I need to hand stitch the collar seam allowance down, otherwise it will not sit flat.


A little extra added detail: I decorated the lining with white embroidery!


And the finished product!....


And a few lovely comments from the customer:

" The coat has arrived and it is absolutely perfect. It is beautifully made and your attention to detail is amazing. I really am thrilled with it. " from Teena in Perth


I am very happy with the finish of this coat- it was very hard sending it off- as I really wanted to keep it for myself!.... Luckily, it wasn't made to fit me!

The Penelope Red Winter Coat

I have recently added the Penelope Red Jade Winter Coat to my Etsy site.



It is, so far, my most favourite design I have ever made- which is saying a lot, since I have made well over a few hundred pieces in the past few years!

I originally had made this design in another colour way/fabric choice, for myself last winter. I received so many comments on it, and when I found the fabrics in the Jade and Black coat, I couldn't wait to make more! I am so happy with the finish and quality of this coat- one of the reasons why it is my favourite!

I thought it would be nice to show you the original Penelope Red Winter Coat- The Emerald and Ivory Coat. This is my own personal coat. I love wearing it! It makes me feel like a million dollars as soon as I put it on! I can't help but smile when I wear this coat.


I had originally intended to create the coat using just the emerald and ivory check, and the faux fur trim. However, I started to realise I wouldn't have enough fabric. I am actually glad it turned out this way, as the contrasting panelling gives it that Penelope Red panache which I love!



I decided to also add ivory piping in between the contrasting fabrics, as well as for the welt button holes.


I am starting to realise that tailoring is truly where my heart lies... I love creating intricate coats and jackets, with a certain Penelope Red contrast. Each time I make a coat or jacket, I am learning something new, which I love! When I made this coat, it was the second time I had created one- I had done plenty of jackets and boleros, but not a coat.


I created the coat over the course of a month of late night sewing- and it was well worth it, even if I do say so myself!


The Penelope Red Jade and Black Winter Coat is now available in my Etsy shop. It is a one-off design, as I only had enough fabric for the one copy. So whoever buys this will be the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind Penelope Red Coat, and no one else will ever have the same!

The Making of The Penelope Red Jade Winter Coat

I am so excited! I wanted to introduce my very latest style to my Penelope Red range. This is the Penelope Red Jade Winter Coat, and I absolutely love it! This is a one-off, completely unique garment, and the lady who will eventually own this will truly have something special!

The photos included here with me as the model, have been taken today... they are, of course, not professional photos, but I couldn't wait for the real photos before I revealed this to you, so for now... these will have to do.

I am so happy with the colours, styling, finish and fit of the coat- I am really starting to see that tailoring and suiting is truly where my passion lies...

I decided on this style through many ways. I wanted a glamorous, classic silhouette, so I created a fuller hem. The subtle pleating in the arms, bust and waist area, tied together with the fuller hem also allows for comfort and ease.

The contrasting jade panels were created for two reasons. I always like to try to balance out a woman's body. So If I have a wide hem, I like to create the optical illusion of wider shoulders too.

The second; both of these fabrics are recycled, I only had very small amounts in each, so I needed to divide the fabric anyway.

I have spent over a week creating this coat, and for those of you who have no idea how much work goes into creating something as special as this, I will share with you some photos to illustrate exactly how much work is involved.

I have added a 100% cotton interlining to this coat. The main outer fabric is a beautiful bouclé, and I wanted to stabilise it with an interlining. It gives more body to the garment, keeps it warmer and soft.
Each and every seam has been layered as well as pressed.


Above is the lining, once I had attached the black faux fur.The lining is 100% black silk. To create a bit of interest to the inside of the garment, I decided to place a jade detailed stitching around the facings- even the inside is beautiful!


I love it when coats have welt button holes- it just finishes off the coat perfectly. It is quite a fiddly procedure, and takes many steps, but it is always worth it!



When I am creating a beautiful garment such as this, I like to use interfacing, rather than fusing. This means the garment will be more durable, will hold its shape for longer, and will look better than any fused garment..... It also means more work, but again, it's worth it!


I tried to match the check lines as much as possible.


As mentioned before, I like to place subtle pleats around the bust/waist and arms. This is a photo of one.


There are two side pockets included.

Some of the seams have been hand stitched down to make sure they stay completely flat.




Well, I hope this has helped to give you a clearer picture of how I create my designs, and the kind of work involved.

Below are a few photos of the coat on the dummy.





The Penelope Red Jade Winter Coat will not be available to purchase until September 09. Meanwhile, please take a look at the Penelope Red Etsy shop, or the Penelope Red official website for more information.