New Pattern: Cotton Time Coatigan
Hello All, I have a new zero waste pattern, published in Japan’s Cotton Time magazine.
It’s a coatigan – a kind of relaxed coat, combining the structure a coat with the softness of a cardigan.
This opportunity arose via Mirai Pattern, who license and translate my zero waste patterns into Japanese. Cotton Time has featured a few zero waste patterns in the past – a top by Birgitta Helmersson and a cropped jacket by me. This time the magazine has a special lift-out booklet with some zero waste patterns.
Here it is in the magazine, made in (I think) a wool linen with a subtle check.
As requested by the magazine, the pattern is a single size to fit a size L Japanese woman (conveniently my size; it would fit a 36″-38″ bust).
A feature of this coatigan is the buttonholes. They’re formed from slits in seams in the front band rather than regular stitched buttonholes. It took a lot of faffing around to get the button spacing right and get it to fit in the layout.
The coatigan is unlined, in the name of making it simpler to sew (and possibly due to space). However, I put a lining in mine as I think it improves the inside finish and makes it nicer to wear. A free pattern for a lining is HERE.
The Cotton Time booklet has some other zero waste patterns, including these two cool bags by Danielle Elsener of DECODE.
Aussies, Cotton Time is hard to come by here. The Kinokuniya bookshop in Sydney stocks it, otherwise Amazon.jp. I inquired about getting copies wholesale but the international shipping situation made them too expensive, sorry.
Here’s a quick flip through this lovely magazine:
Like to make one but can’t obtain a Cotton Time magazine? A similar pattern exists in A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, which can also be ordered as a stand-alone for a very modest sum. It has a collar instead of a front band. (20 sizes, to fit sizes 32″-70″ bust; free hood option here; the stand-alone pattern is unlined, but A Year of Zero Waste Sewing includes a lining pattern. ).
Thank you Mirai Pattern and Cotton Time for this opportunity.
Cheers!
Those buttonholes are GENIUS!
Thanks Laurinda. They’re “the buttonholes you do when you don’t want to do buttonholes” 🙂
Love the buttonhole ‘solution’. I was zooming in on the flat lay to see them, then realised that it wasn’t done up!! ( My breakfast tea needs to kick in)
I have just been using The Dressmakers Companion to make a lining for a jacket- jumped hems, controversial facing area ‘n all. Lining has worked perfectly – thanks Liz.
Yes, I didn’t do them up! I’m thinking I need to re-sew the buttons on with a slightly longer shank, as the front stand is very thick. They work OK as they are, but you know how it is when you sew something.
Glad the DC is of help 🙂
I love the buttonhole detail! Am I wrong or the buttonhole isn’t featured in the zeen version of the coat? Thanks also for showing the cute bags from DECODE and citing them, I had forgotten about their existence. They’re also doing incredible things.
Yes, it’s correct that the zine version doesn’t have the buttonholes; it has a collar instead, but the body and sleeves are a similar shape.
The DECODE bags are indeed cute; I’m contemplating making the green one. We are going to see some new stuff from DECODE this year.