WarmUpYourFurCoat -tutorial part 3

So, how are we all? Hope well and fine after Mid Summer Celebration. Now the daily life is back to normal and we are ready for the 3rd and last part of WarmUpYourFurCoat tutorial.

You should have your brand new lining finished by now. Hope you have not been struggling with it if you didn't wait for me for the tutorial part 3.

With tutorial part 1 you learnt to remove the old lining. With tutorial part 2 you learnt how to make new one. And with this tutorial part 3 you learn how to fasten the new lining to your vintage fur coat. Notice that these instructions do just fine with every coat; especially vintage and tailored ones.

You need approx 4 cm wide strip on lining fabric; as long as the front - neck line edge is. You do pretty fine without this strip but it may ease your later sewing. Fold the strip by sewing.

The length I needed for my coat was a bit under 3 m so I needed to continue the strip. When you sew the continuation seam in 45 degree angle it settles in better.

In my coat the strip was placed 4 cm far away from the edge. Take a look at your coat to find out how it is done there. This 4 cm extra is the facing that will be turned underneath.

There are 3 seams you sew. 1st is to fold the strip, 2nd is to fasten it to its place and this 3rd one to fold the facing permanently.

This is how it looks when finished.

Then you need the inner belt (if your coat had one). Pin it well to make sure the slipper satin stays as it supposed to when sewing.

After finishing, fasten the inner belt to its place by sewing it to the new lining. Usually to the right side edge; approx 10-15 cm under the arm pit.

Now it is time to pin your new lining to your vintage fur coat. Don't hurry and use proper time in doing this. If it feels it's not perfect; start it again. Careful work must be done. (Notice the inner belt under the right arm pit.)

Then you need to have leather hand sewing needle. Watch out your skin! It pierces it out easily because that's what it is designed for.

Start fastening from hem. It is straight seam and easy to work with. Usually you don't need there that extra strip for folding.

Use small stitches to tack it there.

This is how it looks out with folding strip. When the coat is in use, the strip rises up and hides the stitches.

Last thing to fasten are the wrist lines. Pin it all in again. I pin it in this way; front side up. When you pin it; duple -perhaps triple- check it out the sleeve has not twisted up!

Then I turned it outside a bit...

...and tacked it all.

New lining and inner belt is now placed there; inside my vintage Karakul fur coat.

At old times -and sometimes still today- they make secure stitches at least in arm pits. It means that they stitch arm pits from lining through padding to the fur / front side. They are made to keep the lining on its place.

I have made many winter coats and overalls for children too and for daily outdoor use. I have created the padded lining in this way showed here. I never used these secure stitches to fasten the padded lining on its place. It never has slipped way. I think it is because modern proper padding fabrics make the lining more thicker so it keeps up its form better. Especially when the padding fabric is stitched to lining fabric to create those air pockets you learnt to do in tutorial part 2. If your vintage fur coat had ones you for sure can make them do. I didn't.

The inner belt is useful to close up the coat better.

When it is closed up nothing can be seen. Really? Take another look....

There is nothing reprehensible in my Karakul fur itself. I found no faded shade nor worn or scuffed fur; not even a single hair. But the padding and lining were useless.

On the left side picture the fur coat is open but it still fits in the pic very well. In right side it is closed up with its new lining and padding and hardly fits in the pic. Still you really can see -not to mention about the feeling- the difference. Just take a look how the coat dangles with old lining and stands supportive with its new padded lining.