Outerwear Pride - Eden Raincoat Review
This rain coat has officially become my proudest make to date! It took me a little over 3 weeks to finish it but it was oh so worth it. It is still hard to believe I made this. It was quite a challenge but I learned some new skills along the way which was exciting.
Pattern Details - I used the Eden Coat by Tilly and the Buttons (Digital copy vs. Paper pattern). This fully lined coat features raglan sleeves, high neck hood, pockets, a hanging loop, and coat length variations. It also has optional storm flaps and fastening options.
Pattern Size - I sewed a size 5 after much measuring and remeasuring. The finished garment measurement for size 5 puts the bust at 47” and hips at 48” For reference, my measurements are Bust 40”, waist 34”, hips 45”. I think there is definitely room to see an expansion in the pattern sizes.
Fabric Used - I bought a kit from Tilly and the Buttons a year ago and so it was a no-brainer to use that. The fabrics that came with the kit was a waxed cotton canvas for the shell, and a fun rainbow striped Jersey knit fabric for the lining.
Some sewing firsts / New Skills learned - For the first time I:
Learned to install snaps
Installed an exposed zipper
Made a hood
Worked with waxed cotton canvas
Sewed with both woven and knit fabric in the same project
Whew!
Adjustment/Modifications - This was so outside my comfort zone that I made zero adjustments to it. If I ever make another, I will adjust the hood to accommodate my big hair better.
Challenges - I did face a few challenges along the way mainly due to trying to fully understand the sewing instructions at every step. The instructions could have been a little more detailed. However although it felt rushed, I only came across a couple of missed steps/inconsistencies.
The sewing instructions doesn’t mention attaching storm flaps to the back. Thankfully the diagram shows a flap attached to the back otherwise, you wouldn’t necessarily know that is the step to do that.
The paper pattern instructs all 4 pocket flaps to be interfaced. However while reading the instructions, I discovered only 2 should have been interfaced.
Please note: I bought my paper version in 2019 so it is possible updates have already been made.
Sewing Tips - Here are a few I wanted to highlight:
Use sewing clips instead of pins if you can. If you don’t own clips like me, please only pin in the seam allowance to avoid poking holes in the fabric. It’s a raincoat after all.
Trim bulky seam allowances. If you want your work to look extra nice, don’t skip this step.
Place a cloth over your waxed cotton canvas everytime you need to press and only hold the iron down for a few seconds.
You’ll need a good pair of scissors that can cut into layers of bulky fabric
If you own a walking foot, use it. It will slide right over the fabric. Since it has a waxed coating, it can have the tendency to want to stick and can also slow your sewing down. If you are like me and don’t own one, give your fabric a very slight tug as you are sewing to prevent your foot from wanting to stay in one place.
If you have never used snaps, do a practice run on scraps before you try it on your raincoat. You’re welcome :-)
Your waxed cotton canvas may seem stiff on your first try but just know that it will soften up the more you handle it.
Additional Resources - I used the top two resources to help me go through this project but I have listed a few more for you.
Instagram - I have saved my process in my highlights on Instagram (@theravelout). It is not a sew along or anything like that. It just shows you a summary of my steps and feelings throughout this project. I hope you enjoy it.
Happy Sewing,
Sylvia XOXO
