Finished! Optimatium Denim Coat

This past week I’ve been busy sewing a coat version of the Optimatium dress.

The Optimatium dress is a zero waste pattern which appeared in Tauko magazine last year, and is now a pdf pattern in extended sizes. The pattern is in my shop – please enjoy 25% off until June 26th.

The sketch for the dress version.

For the coat, I used some Japanese heavyweight (10.5oz) denim with a little bit of stretch, deadstock ex-Celine. I did red topstitching and made a belt with some red D-rings.

It came out so well and I’m so thrilled with it. I don’t sew for a hobby anymore, but this ignited the little spark of excitement I used to feel when sewing something just for me.

Frankly, I feel like a rock star when I wear this coat!


Do you have this pattern, either from Tauko magazine or as a pdf? Here are the notes for converting the dress to a coat. The main change is making the sleeves wider. There are also details for making a lining. Click on the chevrons in the top right hand corner to download.










From today onwards these notes are included with the pdf files when the pattern is ordered.

UPDATE: A Youtube video demonstrating Step 2 of the coat instructions is here (2mins).

Cheers! Liz

9 Comments

  1. enui on July 17, 2024 at 9:09 pm

    Now you got me interested! I don’t wear dresses with buttons, but I do have some water repellent fabric that I wanted to use to make a trench coat but I haven’t found a pattern I really liked yet.
    And if I begin now it might be done when it’s the right season to wear it!
    Just going to have to wiggle my budget a bit to fit it in…

    • lizhaywood on July 18, 2024 at 1:19 pm

      It could be a contender for your next favourite coat!

  2. Cheryl McGee on July 17, 2024 at 9:45 pm

    I was not able to download the coat version. I bought the original pattern and would like to add this coat version to it.

    • lizhaywood on July 18, 2024 at 1:17 pm

      I have emailed you 🙂

  3. Michelle Cahill on July 17, 2024 at 10:44 pm

    That is sharp! I love the contrast top stitching.

    • lizhaywood on July 18, 2024 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks Michelle – who knew that I used to be anti-topstitching? Now I’m a complete convert! Haha!

  4. Laurinda on July 17, 2024 at 11:35 pm

    That coat looks cool!

    • lizhaywood on July 18, 2024 at 1:19 pm

      Thanks Laurinda, I feel great when I wear it!

  5. Laurinda on July 18, 2024 at 9:46 pm

    I love clothes that put an extra spring in your step!
    And we all deserve that

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