aw shucks, you guys know i'm a softie for simple patterns where i can just go wild with my fabric choices.  i have a big soft spot for colors and modern prints and love to cover my kids in them :)  the other week i was part of " new year's resewlutions" over on " me sew crazy" where we were to guest post about one of our sewing resolutions and mine was the buttonhole.  my post was initially intended to be a coat tutorial but i had an overwhelming feeling to write a post called " how to conquer your sewing fears" instead and the tutorial that was supposed to go up is today's keaton coat.


this was my first buttonhole peeps! can you believe it! took me long enough right?  i did a butthonhole and my very first zipper in one week.  it was stressful but oh so rewarding.  i had been daydreaming about a fun little spring coat for harper for a few weeks and knew that i wanted something that was simple and quick to make that allowed me to go wild with fabric or choose to simplify it with a solid without losing style. the coat is lined throughout the body but not the sleeves - so nope, it's not reversible.  i decided to keep it nice and easy for you all.  sometimes i think it's fun to just sew something with a basic shape and construction and let my mind go wild with the print and button combo. i spent days pondering that one and changed my mind more than a few times due to loving too many of my fabrics at the moment.  then the button...oh the button...i have a thing for buttons and it takes me eons to choose the right one for any garment.  i actually found the yellow button before deciding on my print and knew that this amy butler print - midwest modern martini from my sponsor stitch simple was the perfect companion to that funky yellow button. 


the keaton coat features topstitching throughout for a more professional finish (i heart topstitching) and a slightly gathered sleeve for a touch of feminine detail.  the inner corners of the fronts are curved also playing with the idea of feminine softness with a mod vibe :) the keaton coat is also easy for our wee ones and for us parents to get on/off squirmy little ones and my girlie just loves hers!


this project would also give you a great base to work with if you are a more advanced sewer allowing you to customize and add some personal flair to your keaton coat.  add more buttons, shorten the sleeves, add some trim - just have fun with it!


now let's get sewing!  you ready? yippee!



Materials:
- one yard fabric (I used quilting cotton)for outer
- button (med-large size)
- 3/4 yard fabric (I used quilting cotton) for inner
- sewing machine
- fabric marker (optional)

Instructions:
*Please note that all seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.
1) Print out and cut your pattern pieces.  You can print/download the pattern by clicking on the link below:
2) Using your pattern pieces cut out your fabric for your outer coat and inner coat fronts and back.  Your front pattern piece is used to cut out both fronts.  Simply flip the pattern piece over (take care that your fabric print is still going in the right direction to match the rest of your coat) to cut out the opposite side of the front jacket piece.  You will cut out the following pieces:
Separate your outer pieces and your inner lining pieces into 2 different piles.  Starting with your outer pieces lay your back right side facing up and pin your left front and right front sides to the back with right sides facing down.  Sew your side seams up with a 1/4" seam allowance.  Press.  Finish your seams by either pinking, zig zag stitching or using a serger. Repeat these steps for your lining coat as well.


3) Pin the shoulder seams together on your outer coat and sew.  Repeat for the inner coat. Press your seams and finish off your seams for both jackets. Place your outer jacket laying down right side facing you and lay the inner jacket on top wrong side facing you (so both right sides are facing each other).  Pin the outer to the inner.  Starting at the top left front stitch down the jacket across the bottom and back up the right front ending at the top of the right front.  Pin down the neckline.  Do the same for the entire neckline.  Press.  Finish off your seams then turn jacket right side out pulling through armhole and press entire jacket.  Topstitch the entire perimeter of the jacket excluding the armholes but including the neckline. Nice work ladies!


4. Grab your sleeves.  With your machine set to do a basting stitch baste-sew along the top part of sleeve from one marking to the next.  Slightly ruffle the sleeve by pulling on your bobbin thread gently.


5.  Fold cuff of sleeve under 1/4" towards the wrong side of fabric and press, fold over another 1/2" and press again.  Topstitch along the hem to form your cuff.  Turn sleeve wrong side out and match long sides together. Pin along long seam and sew.  Finish seams and press.


6.  With jacket wrong side out and sleeve right side out place the sleeve inside the armhole with the sleeve inside the jacket and the armholes aligned.  Pin sleeve to armhole and tighten/loosen gathers to fit armhole.  Making sure to start sewing from your underarm seam so both the sleeve and side seam match up sew armhole to sleeve.  Finish seam.  Turn jacket right side out and press.


7. Try the jacket on the child if possible and mark where your preferred location for the buttonhole/button would be on the jacket with your fabric marker.  Following your machine instructions make your buttonhole.  *I tried a few practice buttonholes on some scrap pieces of fabric before making my buttonhole.  This helped me out a lot to get it just right. Don't be scared..you can do it!  After the first time it's really not that hard. I promise :)  Close jacket and double check where to sew your button.  Stitch your button to your jacket.


8.  Put that adorable coat on your wee one and have some fun in the warm spring sunshine that will hopefully be heading our way sooner than later :)


happy sewing everyone! and make sure you add your project pics to our flickr group so we can all see your lovely work!  i'm planning on making a few more of these for harper and may even make some for mack as well so a size 4/5T may be in the works :)  i hope you all like it!  what fabric would you use to make yours?