Frock Coats have skirts

The skirt attachment can be a little "fiddly" as some have said. There are pockets under the pocket flap right at the back seam of skirt to center back pieces.

 

The image on the left shows the pocket flap and one pocket edge sewn to the skirt. The right hand image shows the same but without seeing the flap. You can also see the center back part of the skirt which is cut in one long piece from the upper back.

The other edge of the pocket will be attached to that center back piece, but not the at the center back seam.

 

The directions are fairly clear and pretty well illustrated. I always lay it out on the ironing board and pin it together to make sure I am doing it correctly. To the right you can see the pocket right sides are folded together, the flap is laying on the center back piece, the seam is lining up with the side back seam and it is ready to stitch to the body pieces.

With both skirts attatched and pockets accessible under the flaps, we are ready to move on. There will be large Navy buttons sewn at the top of the flaps (side back seams), one at each side. There will also be medium buttons sewn on the flaps themselves.

Attaching the Under Collar to the Coat Body

After all the pad stitching for shape and stiffening, as well as the prickstitching to keep the outer edge of the collar from rolling out, the whole assembly is attached at the neckline to the coat body. The seam allowance of the under collar is pressed under as well as the coat body and the two are essentially butted together and stitched with small almost invisible stitches.

 



This method helps in the proper shaping of the collar. It is only the under collar that is sewn. The upper collar should be kept free and will be secured when the lining is sewn in.

The outer edge of the collar should be stitched with diagonal stitches to help keep it flat and in shape as the rest of the coat is put together. These stitches will be removed later.

Sorry for such a long time out....

Wow, too long away...Been to "Wings over Houston" (Viet Cong)

Liendo Plantation, Hempstead, Texas (with our youngest daughter and her husband below)

Dickens on the Strand, Galveston, Texas (1884 Army Artillery uniform and Ladies wear)

Battle of Galveston, Galveston, Texas (with Doug Porter, Union)

Homestead days at Jesse Jones Park, north Houston, Texas (1830's)

Texas Independence Day (175 Years) at Washington on the Brazos State Park, Texas (Texian Navy below with Jim Bosworth)

Inside Independence Hall with newly reworked print dress and redecorated bonnet

Just now got back to the US Navy frock coat....where was I? It is kind of hard but I will figure out what to post next. On with the show...