Fly a Kite Raincoat Tutorial
Posted by jessicaG on Monday, May 21st, 2012
When I first saw the Fly a Kite fabric by October Afternoon for Riley Blake Designs, it was love at first site. And then I saw it came in laminate, and I just about keeled over! I couldn't believe I was seeing this adorable fabric, I had to get my hands on it as fast as possible.
I happen to love working with laminates. I think these incredible fabrics are so versatile, having the ability to be used for so many things. And the quality of Riley Blake's laminates are divine. My daughter simply needed to have a new raincoat made from this fantastic fabric line!
Making a raincoat isn't much different from making any other jacket - the key is of course to use a waterproof fabric. And these cotton laminates are perfect for the project.
Let me show you how to make this simple A-Line shaped jacket with front pockets and hood...
Materials Needed:
- 1.5 yards of laminate cotton (Exterior)
- 1.5 yards of regular cotton (Lining)
- Buttons
- A Shirt that fits well for pattern piece sizing
- A sweatshirt with hood for hood pattern sizing
- Basic sewing essentials
Let's Get Started:
Using a shirt that fits well, cut around for pattern pieces. Arc out the sides to your desired bottom length, and add an additional 1.5" for seam allowance around side edges. (We want the jacket to be nice and roomy). Cut with your fabric on the fold, this will give you your back pattern piece.
Repeat the pattern piece, cutting another one for your front jacket. Cut down the giving you right and left front sides. Also, be sure to alter your front neckline - similar to that of the T Shirt.
To cut your button plackets, simply cut them the same length as your front pattern pieces. You can make yours wider if you choose, but I like 2.5".
The pockets are of course optional, but I think they always add a nice touch to any jacket. What kid doesn't want a place they can put their beloved stuffed animal?!!
To cut the sleeves, simply follow your T Shirt pattern. I like to add extra length at the hem so that I can make a large cuff with the lining fabric to add contrast. This is optional.
Cut 2 hood pattern pieces, using an old sweatshirt as a reference...
Cut out all of your lining pieces, using your external fabric pieces as your guide.
For your pocket lining pieces, you will want to add an additional 1.5" to the top of your lining piece. See below:
Starting with your pocket lining pieces...
As you will be sewing directly on top of your cotton lining piece, you will not need to worry about the stickiness factor laminates can sometimes have with your sewing machine...
Now take your pocket and baste around the edges, securing the lining and exterior together.
Now working with the button plackets (No need to interface them when working with laminates)...
Repeat for lining, minus the pockets...
Now we will start to assemble your front and back of jacket together...
Pin the top of your sleeve arc to your armhole opening on the side of the jacket...
Repeat for your other sleeve, and you should now have this:
Set aside for now so we can assemble the hood...
It helps for this next step to use the middle hood seam, and center it to the back jacket piece. Then pin out around the sides...
Repeat all the above steps for assembling your jacket piece for the lining...
Now we are going to sew the exterior and the lining pieces together, but we are doing it a little differently. The way I describe will allow for us to have absolutely PERFECT sleeve seems.
With the lining and exterior right sides together, pin and sew along the front edge (hood & button placket). Do not sew any further along bottom edge yet.
Also pin and sew the bottom sleeve hems together.
Once you turn right side out, you will have something that looks like this...
Now we will be sewing the sides together and the sleeve bottom together. Put your hand inside the jacket and place the exterior sides right side together - from the bottom edge all the way to the sleeve hem. Keep going in one long loop, keeping the lining fabric right sides together and pinning until you get to the other end - which will be the bottom of the lining sides.
I know it sounds and looks weird, but it works! Pin and sew.
The key is to just be sure you are placing the right sides of the front exterior jacket piece together first, and then keep pinning along the same edge from there until you get to the other side.
Repeat for the other side of the coat with this weird technique, and you will have perfect sleeve hems now.
You will need to stick your arm inside the jacket and pull out the sleeve...
Edge stitch around all jacket sides. I like to edge stitch with the lining up, so I don't have to worry about laminate stickiness to the machine. If you don't trust your bobbin stitches, you may want to try adding a piece of scotch tape to the bottom of your sewing machine foot - this might help the laminate run through smoother.
We are almost finished...yeah!
You can hem the bottom of the coat any way you like. I chose to roll up the lining fabric towards the outside, this way when I stitched down - I was once again sewing on the cotton fabric - which is easier when working with this kind of fabric. I love the contrasting it adds to the coat!
You can of course add any button closures you would like, I wanted to use fun fabric loops.
To make, first cut some rectangle pieces of fabric.
Fold fabric in half and sew along outer edge...
Turn fabric right side out using a safety pin or fabric turner.
To make the loop simply...
To attach the fabric loops to the jacket's button placket simply...
Once you have the fabric loops attached, simply sew on the buttons to the other side...
And you are finished! A super cute raincoat for your little one.
If you added extra length to the sleeves like I did, this will be sure to fit for years to come...
The umbrella in this picture was actually my Great Grandmother's, she used it as a teenager and it is more than 70 years old now! I loved using it for this photo shoot, seeing my daughter holding it and knowing that her new handmade coat would be kept for her as a keepsake along with this umbrella.
Riley Blake fabrics are made with such fabulous quality, I simply adore working with them. They stand the test of time as well as this umbrella has.
Thank you so much for having me as your Course Instructor, and I do hope you will stop by my site at Me Sew Crazy and say 'hi' sometime.
Happy Sewing!
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