Bluebird of Happiness - Coat - Part XXX

Collar Preparation

Part 30 and there is still more to come!

I've got the collar border finished and ready to attach to the collar. Before I can do that, the collar will need to be prepared in the same way as the coat body and lining fabric. I've basically followed the same method for construction as I did before. I've added an extra step because there will be a small straight edge which probably won't show due to the bow but I want to make sure that there will be blue only at the edge.

I've borrowed a technique used in making curtains to make this work the way I need it to. Many curtains are cut wider than the width desired, and the lining cut shorter than the width desired. When the two are on seamed down the long vertical edges, turned right side out and pressed, the outer fabric automatically wraps to the inside. This forms a facing and the lining isn't right at the edge of the curtain. This is what I've done with the blue outside of the collar and the beige undercollar.

To accomplish this I had to mark quite a few seam lines. In the photo below, the line on the far left is the original seam line, the one to the right of it is the line I stitched on. The original seam line becomes the folded edge.

For the lining, it is the opposite. The line on the far left is positioned to the left of the original stitching line.

The piece below is ready for the curved edge to be stitched. You can see in the lower right of the photo that a small blue facing is starting to form.

Once stitched and turned, there is the small blue facing so that the beige doesn't show.

The piece is now ready for joining with the border. It is now basted and ready for beading.

The collar is very close to being ready to attach to the coat. After the bow and collar are complete, there is only some inside final touches and closures to make. Tomorrow we'll start looking more at the dress and some of the work I've done on it.

Parting Shot: Offspring?!? I looked over at the computer family the other day and saw that this little guy had joined them. Where did he come from? From general genetics principles, I'm suspecting that the two computers on the right are responsible.