Merchant & Mills September Coat

The Merchant and Mills September Coat has easily reached "favourite coat of the season" status for me - and the best part is, September can be a hit anytime of year ;)

This was my first time trying a Merchant and Mills pattern after admiring their aesthetic for a long time, and I found a lot to love about this design. The coat has both inseam and patch pockets, and I like that the raglan sleeves are both comfy and straightforward to sew. The pattern's design lines also really let the fabric be the star of the show - I love how it shows off a bold print here, and would be equally lovely with a solid colour (which would really make the pockets pop too!)

The pattern has a lot of ease, so I sized down following advice from sewists who had already made the pattern - my measurements put me between 8/10, and I made a 6. I’m really happy with the fit - there’s still plenty of room for some cozy layers! For mods - I took 3” off the length and skipped the cuffs since the wrong side of this fabric is quite noticeable. I also shortened the sleeves by 3” too. I also ended up cutting the back on the fold – partly to preserve the design of this fabric, but also to make the best of my yardage which was significantly under the recommendation!!

I debated adding a lining, but ended up leaving it off - realistically, I’ll get more wear unlined given autumn/winter is pretty warm where I live. The pattern helpfully includes instructions to both add a lining, as well as finish unlined. To keep things pretty inside though, I bias-bound all of the internal seams which adds for a nice pop of colour when its opened!

Fabric is a leopard print cotton drill - I was inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's iconic leopard print coat. I like that it has enough structure to hold the design lines, but doesn't feel heavy when worn, since I had planned for this to be an autumn coat for a warmer climate. I've seen some gorgeous versions on IG in oilskin and wool as well though if you're after something warmer!

Shreya | junolovesthread

I've had my eye on the September Coat since it was first released - I love the look of a longline coat/duster and as someone who feels the cold, it is also a wonderfully practical wardrobe item for me.

I was wanting a coat that was flexible to wear both inside and out, so I opted for the unlined version and used bias binding to finish the seams that may be visible as I leave it open as a duster style jacket.

I didn't make any adjustments or alterations to the pattern.   I did however alter the construction of the pockets slightly which I went into further details on my blog post!

As I was using Melton Wool for a winter coat I wanted it to be roomy and over-sized so went with the recommended size 14. I have tried on the 10 and 12 in the shop in Rye and if I was making a linen coat and wanted a neater fit  I would go with the smaller size.

The pattern came together really well...had a couple of head scratching moments but easily worked out. I left off the pocket flaps and in seam pockets on this version.  Lined it in vintage cotton.

I will definitely use this pattern again.  It's my ideal coat.

This coat reminded me of a Vogue Patterns Dior coat I made as a began university in the 70s, but with a straighter silhouette and lovely detailing on the pockets etc. I was very excited to make it, because there were fiddly details like top stitching that were very satisfying to get right, while the actual sewing up of the garment was pretty straight forward.

I am usually a 10 or 12 in Merchant & Mills patterns (12 in Evie trousers, 10 in 101, 10 in Box Box dress and 12 in Ottoline jacket). Since it said it was an oversized design I chose size 10 for a linen duster coat, but it’s still so roomy the next version I am making (in Harris Tweed) is a size 8. But I love the style, and it hangs nicely in linen. I excluded the side seam pockets, since the patch pockets seemed enough, and I always fear pockets in the side seams may ruin the clean line. I also slightly shortened the sleeves (Unusual for me. In some pattern brands I usually need to lengthen.) I made the unlined version, thinking I can add a lining later if it seems to need it, but as a light, trans-seasonal coat, I think it may be too heavy lined. I am definitely lining the Harris Tweed version though. That is running up nicely, and because it is in a houndstooth check it requires matching the lines of back and white to get it looking as professional as possible, but the lines are a great guide to making sure everything is correctly aligned. Because of the thickness of the material I am not even attempting two rows of top stitching  and sticking to one.

I so looked forward to this pattern being released, and like the Evie, Ottoline and Box Box, am sure I will make it several times in different fabrics.