Grey Circassian Coat - Finished

I finished the details on the lower edge and ironed it.

I front stitched the sleeve through both layers at the folding and ironed the fold. This is NOT what you want to see after such an operation!!!

I refused to rip out at the armhole, so I did this between the linen and wool and sewed them back together in the right position, in hand with an invisible stitch.

Tadaaa! :-)

Grey Circassian Coat - Hemming

At the lining, only the first front pieces have attached lining at the lower edge, so I could turn the coat inside out and insert the woolen sleeves and then the lining sleeves too.

I sewed these together at the shoulder seam allowance and pressed it inside the sleeve.

I also ironed the lower edge as a preparation for hand sewing.

I found out there was too much material because of the wide skirt, so I took out half a centimeter at each seam. I sewed the lining to the coat at the lower edge, leaving out just one gore which will be sewn on by hand.

I used catchstitch to keep the facing in place.

The last part of the lining was sewn on with an invisible stitch.

Grey Circassian Coat - Lining

I cut out the center front lining: 1 + 3 + 1cm.
From the waist down, 4 cm are just added to the skirt piece, folded back and ironed. So at the waist these two ways meet and form this little seam that I decided to sew in hand for my piece :-)

I have prepared the lining and cut the seam allowances to a centimer just before inserting the lining (so that it does not fray out with manipulation).

I pressed all the seams on both pieces.

The vlieselin bands are ironed to the fastening lining part, front neckline and front shoulder seam allowance.

I pinned the lining to the front edge and neckline.

The lower edge of the lining is aligned to the lenght of the coat, but sewing (I sew on the wool) is finished at half the width of the lower allowance.

I folded the front edge back right sides together and sewed one centimeter long stitch line in the lenght of the coat. I drew a line where the front allowance ends.

I dragged the lining piece to the edge of the woolen piece to start the sewing right at that line. Looks crazy, but works.

The corner bias seam allowances will be cut to one centimeter and the seam will be finished in hand. It should look something like this.

Grey Circassian Coat - Gaziri

 Gaziri are poaches for fake bullets on the chest. My way of sewing is probably wrong here :-D
But I don't have many clues.

First I made a sample. The bullets could be more visible than there, the final height is going to be 9.5 cm. I am also using the original edge of the fabric at the upper side.

I drew 5 cm lanes at the gaziri piece and 2.5 cm lanes on the front panel. I aligned them right side to right side, the gaziri piece facing down and sewed
on 1 cm vertical lines where they matched. Then I sewed the horizontal line of stitches and made the folds at the same time.

As the piece is now wrong side out, the folds must be reversed: what will be finally up must be down.

Then I turned the piece upwards, aligned and sewed on the vertical lines.

 I left out the side seams during machine sewing, they will be finished by hand.

I decided to add a line of stitches 2 mm from the edge. 1 mm is a bad choice for such a thick material, so I had to rip out my first try :-D
I did this because without this line of stitches, the outer bullet sticks out separately from others, this keeps it in place (here you can see only the left side is finished this way).

Grey Circassian Coat - Sleeve Lining

The sleeves will be worn with the last 20 cm folded back.

I cut out the sleeves from linen. The last 23 cm will have wool inside and outside too, so that the lining does not show. When I iron the seam between wool and linen, the seam allowance always aims to the lining piece.

I sewed the lining and upper sleeves together at the lower edge. I could have had cut out the wool panels from one piece, but before the last trial I had not known how insanely long the sleeves would be :-D

I cut out the seam allowances at the sleeve to one centimeter. I aligned and pinned the lining so that it lays flat and cut it half a centimeter longer.

Sleeves are now prepared to be inserted.

Grey Circassian Coat - Lining

I cut out the lining, I left one centimeter seam allowances.
The lower edge is cut directly to the length of the garment. The center front edge has substracted front edge lining (+ 1 cm seam allowance).

I marked the seam allowances with the help of copy paper to the other side. I didn't do it for the long sides of the gores, those will be sewn by the rule of thumb...

First I sewed the upper edges of the gores.

Then I cut the corner 2 mm from the seam and finished the long side.

The body seams were quite easy finishing touch.
Lining is prepared and waiting for the sleeves or to be inserted to the coat. My next task will be finding out which of these is the best next step :-)

Circassian Coats

The plan is to sew two coats for my Cossack friends.
They are called circassian coats (čerkesy).

I bought 5,1m (144cm) wool per coat.