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Clothing & Jewelry

Blanket Coat: Techniques for Making Your Own Warm Wool Blanket Coat

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Course Overview

A blanket coat made from a Hudson Bay-style blanket is an inspiring and distinctive example of style and craft. In this skill-building workshop, students will gain the patterning, fitting, and sewing skills they need to create their own unique blanket coat. Made from new or recycled wool blankets, these coats are very adaptable and can be used for many outdoor activities and conditions. Students will practice fitting their patterns, handstitching, and utilizing construction techniques as applied to blanket coat making. Students will come away knowing sturdy and decorative hand stitch variations and will have a custom blanket coat pattern based on the distinctive North House Folk School example. Students will leave with their coat cut from the blanket and ready to be stitched and finished at home. Each student should bring their own blanket. Please contact the instructor after you register to receive guidelines for choosing your new or recycled blanket for your coat.

Dates

Thu, Nov 21st, 2019  –  Sun, Nov 24th, 2019

Course Details

Length: 3¼ days
Skill Levels: Beginner to Advanced
Hours: Day 1: 5-8pm; Days 2-4: 9am-5pm
Intergenerational age: N/A
Tuition: $340.00
Materials fee: $40.00

Required

You will need the following tools for this class:

  • Wool blanket - Please contact the instructor after you register to receive guidelines for choosing your new or recycled blanket for your coat. 
  • Regular hand sewing needles used for sewing with thread
  • Tapestry needles and Chenille needles for sewing with yarn (both come in assorted packages of sizes 18 - 22) (Both types of needles have large eyes for
  • sewing with yarn. Chenille needles have sharp points, Tapestry needles have
  • dull points.)
  • Needle threaders – two sizes, 1) for sewing with yarn and 2) for sewing with
  • thread
  • Thimble (some like leather thimbles, or metal thimbles sized to fit your finger)
  • Pins (longer pins with plastic heads are very handy for thick fabrics)
  • Pin cushion or magnet
  • See-Thru Clear Plastic Ruler (Hancock’s Fabrics has the Quilter’s See-Thru Drafting Ruler 18” x 2” for about $8.00; or bring any smaller or larger clear  plastic rulers)
  • Flexible measuring tape
  • Fabric marking pencil
  • Lead pencil, eraser, sharpener
  • Paper cutting scissors
  • Fabric cutting scissors – sharp and sturdy for cutting blankets (If you prefer using a rotary cutter instead of a scissors, please bring a cutting mat)
  • Small thread cutting scissors
  • Seam ripper
  • Sewing awl (sometimes called a tailor’s awl – not a leather stitching lock-stich awl)
  • Small pliers or needle puller
  • White all-purpose machine sewing thread for sewing mock-ups

Note - Bring your favorite tools for handsewing – it is important to have tools that you are most comfortable using. Assemble your tools in a sewing tool box. If you cannot find some of the tools listed don’t worry – there will be some extra of all of these tools provided in the classroom to share.

Sewing machines – If you own a portable sewing machine, bring it to class. Please test it before coming to class to know that it is in working order. Bring bobbins to fit your machine. We will use sewing machines primarily to baste (temporary stitching) the pieces together for your pattern mock-ups. The machine sewing
techniques needed for this pattern mock-up will be very simple straight or zig-zag overlapped seams. If you do not own a sewing machine that you can bring, North House has a few machines. You will be welcome to use them and will be given basic instruction for their use.

Optional Tools

Tools and supplies instructor will bring to share in the classroom. If it is convenient for you to bring any of these items, you can also bring your own

  • Sleeve board (for ironing sleeves)
  • Tailor’s ham and Seam pressing board or roll
  • Travel Iron/travel press board
  • Press cloth
  • Hand-held steamer
  • Needle point marking wheels for marking pattern lines
  • Fabric carbon paper mounted on foam core boards
  • Handy variety of tapes – Tiger tape marked in 1/2 inch and smaller intervals, 3M surgical tape, Scotch Magic tape, Wash-away tape, etc.
  • Third Hand Clamp (Lacis brand)

More Information

Once registered, students will receive a confirmation email with further class information. Please call us if you haven't received it within 24 hours.

Latest Update: View recent changes →

Meet the Instructor

North House Folk School photo of instructor, Carol Colburn
Carol Colburn
Duluth, MN

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Blanket Coat: Techniques for Making Your Own Warm Wool Blanket Coat - 11/21/2019