Coat: Bound Buttonholes and interlining (pic heavy)

To sew bound buttonholes, I used the strip method.  Claire Shaeffer explains it beautifully in High Fashion Sewing Secrets.  First you cut a strip of fabric - mine is 2 inches wide.  After some experimentation, I decided to apply fusible interfacing to the buttonhole strips, and to the bodice front.  I used Pro-Sheer Elegance to reduce fraying without adding bulk.  Fold the long strip in half, then stitch 1/8" from the edge. 

Now cut the strips down.  I rely on a rotary cutter for neat results:

I remind myself every time:  That is a sharp blade, so be careful!  You want to keep all of your fingertips!

The strip is pretty narrow once it's cut:

In order to sew buttonholes accurately, careful marking is essential.  After experimentation, I decided to sew lines, but first I marked the lines on the back with chalk and the ruler.  Then it was easy to sew right on top of the chalk lines with orange thread and a long stitch.  I liked that because it gave good markings to both the front and the back of the garment.

The clear ruler is my favorite notion (after the seam ripper, of course :) 

The 3 vertical seams represent the center front line, and the outer edges of the buttonholes.  Then I sewed a horizontal line for each buttonhole.   This made it easy to align the strips.  The strips are sewn with the cut edge along the horizontal marking line.  The top and the bottom strips are butted up against each other, as snug as possible.  I used a short stitch length (1.5) for strength.  The stitch must start and stop at the exact edge of the marked line (the orange basting stitch).

After this step, turn it over and carefully cut a slit for each button hole. 

While I'm at it, let me show you how the interfacing works:

(click on any image to see it better)

Hmmm, I don't seem to have a very clear picture of a buttonhole to show you how they turned out.  I took all these photos last weekend and just slapped together this post in the last half hour.

Well, I'll include more pictures next time.  You know I am not finished chronicling this project!

The best part is the fit. I love what Kenneth did to the shoulder line.  The shoulder seam is a curved line that follows the slope going up towards my neck.  I think it actually helps my shoulders look a little more square.  It feels wonderful on me, too.  Clothes that fit well always feel so much better!

There is still a lot of work left to do, but no rush... 

It was not easy to start this project on a hot & humid day, but I am so glad I did.  It has been a pleasure to work on something that I don't desperately need finished immediately.

Have a great weekend and sew like the wind, my friends!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing the journey.