Have you lost any good coats lately?
In our family we have lost a few too many favored frocks this past year, and since they haven’t been micro~chipped, we have no idea where to find them. I don’t really think these coats have disappeared due to deviousness {well, except for one of them}. I’m sure they are lying, waiting, in some smelly lost and found bin right now, or hanging in a friends coat closet, wondering why they are being ignored.
Coats are usually a long~term investment and as they keep us warm and cozy during the chilliest of times, I find I get quite attached to them and really miss them when they suddenly go missing.
So, as we move into the social season I’ve decided to take a stand to Keep our Coats Safe.
I searched around on line for labels and found Labels and Ribbons, {they are actually having a 20% off sale right now}. It took me 1/2 hour or so to “design” these woven labels and they were delivered a week later {but I’m sure there’s an express option}.
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Here are some other labels from their site.
After they arrived I procrastinated contemplated about how best to attach them for awhile.
Then yesterday, I decided it was time to put a plan into action. I pulled out one of our ancestral sewing tins and found a nice shade of orange and a needle, then grabbed 3 jackets and sat outside with the dogs as I stitched on a few labels.
Now, sometimes I call my self a Lazy Lady, other times I consider myself to be more of an Efficiency Expert, I’d be curious to hear your call in this case. But, I saw no reason to stitch both ends of the label to the coat, especially considering how complicated it would be to have to fold those tiny little edges over at both ends to hide the stitchery.
So, I just stitched on one edge, positioning it so that when it was flipped over, lying down flat on the coat, the stitch would be concealed.
I recalled my mother teaching me to finish a sewing project by stitching in the exact same place 7 or more times, instead of tying an unsightly knot, to secure things. So that is what I did, being careful to sew the label onto just the lining layer, not digging into the outer layer of fabric.
It took me about 10 minutes to do 3 coats, but then I wondered, “will it hold?”. To test it out I put the {down} coats through the delicate cycle in my washing machine using cool water and Woolite.
After putting them through the wash, I hung the down jackets to dry overnight, then I put them in the dryer for about 15 minutes, with a tennis ball, to fluff up the down.
The coats turned out beautifully clean and puffy, and the labels held, which makes me certain they’ll survive everyday life, for awhile at least.
Very smart idea Emily! Sometimes it is the small projects like this that I put off, yet am always so happy to see them completed. Very efficient of you!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Brilliant idea, Emily! It's definitely too cold to loose a coat right now! Hope your power is staying on and that you are keeping warm! XO