Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat
sewing

Pilvi Coat & Kortney Body Suit

This is the Pilvi Coat from the book Everyday Style by Lotta Jansdotter. I honestly can’t tell if this is the most half-cracked (least cracked?) thing I’ve ever sewn or if it’s awesome.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

I was on the hunt for a simple overcoat type thingy (behold, my sophisticated fashion vocabulary!) What might you call it? A topper, maybe? Something with simple lines that could show off a cool fabric and be worn indoors or outdoors. The Pilvi coat pattern seemed to fit the bill.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

I requested a hold on the Everyday Style book at my local library, and when it came in I happily brought it home thinking I’d get started sewing the coat right away. I browsed the whole book before realizing that someone had pilfered the paper patterns out of the back of the book. WHO DOES THAT?? There is a special place in hell for them, and that place has of all of the most beautiful fabrics in the world BEHIND GLASS with no way to access them. HA!

Anyway, at this point I *really* REALLY wanted to sew one of these so I bought the book. Just for the one damn pattern. There are of course more patterns in the book — a whole six to be exact! — but I have to be honest: they’re all so simplistic, like a basic a-line skirt and a basic tunic and a basic pair of elastic-waist pants (with no damn pockets), that it annoys me that someone even managed to publish a whole book based on these primitive designs. But enough ranting, because a basic, simple design was what I was after.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

I used a linen-cotton canvas by Echino that I’d had in my stash for a few years. It’s very busy, and almost looks like patchwork, so it really needed to be used on a “blank canvas” pattern.

I used pretty much every last inch of the fabric I had, and had to piece together one of the sleeves. That magenta running along the sleeve seam is actually part of the selvedge.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

One (maybe) weird thing about the pattern is it really is designed to hang open, spreading out at an angle from the front collar down. You can see in the photo below that if you try to have the fronts hanging down straight, or if you would try to add buttons (which I had been considering doing), or even tie it up with a belt, it would make the shoulders and collar stick up at a weird angle.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

So it really is meant to hang like this:

You could put a button or a snap right at the top of the fronts if you really wanted a closure.

Frivolous at Last - Pilvi Coat

By the way, underneath it I’m wearing my new Kortney Body Suit by Rad Patterns, a Sew My Style 2020 pattern for January.

Frivolous at Last - Kortney Body Suit by Rad Patterns

While I cut it out as a body suit, in the end I decided it would work just fine as a shirt and I ended up cutting off the bottom. Other changes: the original pattern calls for a band to finish the neckline and back, but my fabric was so amazingly stretchy that it was quite happy to simply be turned under and stitched with a twin needle — a much cleaner finish that I am happy with.

Frivolous at Last - Kortney Body Suit by Rad Patterns

I’m not even sure what the fabric is because it’s been sitting in my stash for a while and I have NO RECOLLECTION of buying it (yikes), but it is super soft and super stretchy and perfect for this very fitted top.

Frivolous at Last - Kortney Body Suit by Rad Patterns - back view

So back to the jury on the Pilvi Coat: awesome or half-cracked? I’m thinking that just like my satin jogging pants (!!) from a few years ago, if I simply strut out of my house OWNING this overcoat type thingy, I could get away with it. (Maybe I shouldn’t mention that those satin joggers only ever strutted out of my house ONCE.)

What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by!

— Lori

 

 

23 thoughts on “Pilvi Coat & Kortney Body Suit”

  2. The Pilvi seems to fall into that category of accessory cost rather than true coat… I say if you like the color and pattern then rock that accessory all the time everywhere! Or at least until you need a true coat to keep you warm. I like the magenta racing stripe and your determination to get your hands on the pattern and make that fabric work. And I love the part about fabric behind glass! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks, Chris. Yes, ‘accessory coat’ is a good descriptor. I wore it to work yesterday and it felt like a good way to elevate jeans and a plain top to actual ‘outfit’ status.

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  3. I had a cardi once very much the same as your pilvi coat–made to hang open. I never quite got used to it. That said, I do like the coat on you and the fabric is gorgeous. I agree, if you own it with confidence, you can wear it anywhere. 🙂

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  4. I actually LOVE it. I think it’s an amazing statement piece. You’ve styled it nicely in your photos. I think it would look with any monochrome look under it. All black maybe? These kinds of garments are why I love sewing my own clothes. Happy sewing!

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    1. Thanks, Natasha! And I think it can be multi-seasonal, too. I wore it yesterday (winter) with jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt, but I’m thinking in warmer temps it will go well over a lightweight neutral t-shirt and skirt.

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  5. It’s a stunner! I love that fabric and it looks great on you. If it were mine, I’d wear it all the time, though I’d be disappointed that it doesn’t close properly. That should be in the notes. It looks great with your top and jeans.

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  6. I love it too! Everyone needs a “statement over-thingy” – in fact I’ve been thinking about the same thing! I bought the Friday pattern company Cambria with that idea in mind – I think this is the perfect simple, longish, mod blazer that ratchets up a plain outfit beautifully without adding too much warmth or bulk. Perfection 🙂 and worth buying the darn book for 🙂

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    1. We’re on the same page, Kathleen — the Cambria Duster is on my ‘to sew soon’ list. (It’s like you can read my mind! lol) I think these ‘statement over thingies’ are the answer to just wanting to wear jeans and a top, but also wanting to look stylish.

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  7. I think it looks fabulous, and it should definitely venture out of the house on a regular basis. I am also with you on the weird hanging open thing. It’s clearly not designed to be really warm, but one still expects some basic protection from the elements from an object described as a coat.
    Not so bothered by the lack of pockets because they are so easy to add to the side seam, which is what I did to the pants.

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  8. I think you’ve just got to own the statement it makes and go for it. If you can work out what to wear it with, it has the potential to be a great look for an event, for work, or even a weekend lunch.

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  10. Love your version, you wear it well. . I made this several years ago when the book first came out using a fine navy wool, and have worn it a lot. My dislike is the positioning of the pockets. Looking at yours, may well make again using a more striking fabric.

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  11. I’m also fully in favor of this, the canvas is AWESOME. And while the print is beautiful and colorful, it’s all friendly colors – it looks like they’ll go with any denim, olive, maybe neutral tans too?

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  12. I have this book too and love-love-love it!!! I think you rocked the Privi coat and wearing it open with the blue gives it a great vibe. Remember, you get to be frivolous! If it strikes your fancy, do it!!!!

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  14. Beautiful! Have you tried a full bust adjustment to give you more room over the boob area? Have a look at jujuvail.com. regards, Sandra

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