Make it with Wool 2014, Last Segment and an Amendment

Aside from making the coat collar removable, the only change I made was to the back of the coat.  I laid a pleat on each side of the center back in order to add boning so I could create a lacing detail for back interest.  First, I fused a strip of cotton interfacing inside the line (shown in long, purple tailor tacks) where the pleat was to be folded. (click images for larger views):


I stitched a cotton boning channel along the inside edge of the interfacing into which I inserted 1/2" spiral steel (shown on top of the channel):

Shows the sleeve stiffeners I created using coarse silk net over cotton buckram:

As applied to the seam allowance at the shoulder:


Placing the ice blue silk lining and catch-stitching it over the front coat facing, note pins in place to catch-stitch the sleeve lining in place:

The finished coat with removable collar in (before removing basting stitches):

The finished coat back with lacing detail (how-to is posted below):

Creating lacing channels by stitching the ends of 1" silk double-side satin ribbon together, then turning and pressing:
Placing each channel along the inside of each pleat on either side of the coat center back:
Hand-tacking the channel at intervals between which ribbon will be laced: