February has been a really busy month for me and I wondered at times if I would get my Rumana coat finished in time!
I didn’t have any dedicated chunks of sewing time so I had to squeeze in the odd hour here and there but I got there in the end!
For those that haven’t seen it yet, the Rumana coat is the latest release from the girls at By Hand London. It is a fully lined, mid calf length coat pattern with princess seams that is an absolute classic shape and will be something to treasure for years to come.
I have some lovely grey wool in my stash but fancied making my first Rumana out of a navy cupro, to give it more of a trench coat vibe. I also wanted to check the fit and length before I cut into my expensive wool so was happy for this to be a toile if necessary.
I wanted to have a really interesting lining for a dramatic flash of colour and I found the most perfect tropical print viscose from Minerva Crafts. The colour match of the blue with the cupro is pretty spot on.
As per my previous post, I used an polyester lining for the sleeves to help them slip on and off more easily.
I needn’t have worried about the fit – it is spot on, and surprisingly the length is great on me, considering I am only 5’2! I have seen a lot of shortened versions on instagram but I love the longer length.
In terms of the construction, there are a lot of parts and I think it pays to be really organised. I like to keep my pattern pieces pinned to the fabric so that I can be sure which bit is which.
I did find the instructions/illustrations to be a little bit confusing in some places – it was really great to have the Facebook group for SewMyStyle so that we could all hive mind where necessary as it seems a lot of people were encountering the same issues. I think until the sewalong on the BHL website is finished, it may be a project to shelve for now if you are quite new to sewing, as it does need a little more handholding than the current instructions allow for.
I had to make some alterations to the pattern to allow for the fact that I wasn’t using a thicker wool. I redrafted the sleeve heads based on the lining pattern, as there wasn’t much difference in the weights of the two fabrics and I didn’t need to allow so much for “turn of cloth”. I managed to get the sleeves in with no puckers or gathers in the end, but it did take a while. Similarly, I had to shave some off of the collar band to account for the thinner fabric. Again that took a lot of patient easing in and unpicking!
I waited until my coat was finished before deciding on button placement. I ended up going with three wooden buttons which give a really nice shape and finish.
I will definitely make this coat again in a wool so that I have a lovely classic winter coat in my wardrobe. I’m just going to give myself a breather and some more “quick win” projects for a little while first!
Who else has made the Rumana and how did you find it?
Sarah x
Your coat is gorgeous! I’ve made it too, and as you say, it is not without it’s challenges! I know a lot of people have struggled with the instructions, and I hope By Hand London will address this. Anyway, your coat is fabulous, and happy wearing!
thanks so much Lynne – yes it was a hard slog and there were times I wanted to throw it out of the window but I am pleased with the finished result! x
It looks amazing! I love the lining.
You may have seen mine on the Sewmystyle Facebook page. My fabric was a bad choice, too hard so I couldn’t steam and shape and the sleeves were very difficult to fit. I’ll be making another but probably for next autumn. Yours is great and I’m surprised the length looks the right one on you as it must be drafted for 5’6 or taller. Maybe I won’t shorten the next one!
Great coat well done it looks
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