Thursday, October 05, 2006

Jackets and coats

The company I work for provides swag for its employees on a regular basis. We were asked quite a few months ago to provide our size information for jackets, and the jackets were distributed today. Unfortunately, even though I sent in my size, I wasn't on the list to receive a jacket :( I'm guessing that it's because I am on long term disability, but I haven't confirmed that for sure yet. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd theorize that my manager is against me. But that would be going too far :) I'm hoping to get a jacket when I go back to work (whenever that is).

Since I didn't get a jacket, I bought a new winter coat. Ok, I probably would have bought a coat anyway, but not today. I loved the coat I had last year, but I had trouble with the zipper. Ok, the zipper insertion pin tore off and I had to graft a new one on. I didn't think that my "surgery" would last another year. The coat I bought is similarly styled to the one I had last year; they're both knee-length and have an a-line shape on the bottom. This year's model is a bronze-ish colour with a hood with rabbit-fur trim. The zipper is separable and quite sturdy. It's down- and feather-filled, has elastic around the wrists, and also has a covered zipper, so it'll be warm. Ian's only comment is that it's shiny. Which it also is :)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, How did you graft the insertion pin on? Both of my kids have coats that have lost the insertion pins and I've been trying to figure out how to fix that. Thank you!

Chantelle said...

I bought a zipper with the same length of insertion pin and teeth as on the original coat. Then I cut the broken zipper a tooth or two above the insertion pin all the way across on that sides, making sure the cut was as close to the next tooth up as possible. I cut the new zipper all the way across on that side the same distance (again making sure the cut was near the next tooth).

I laid the new zipper piece on the old zipper piece with a very light fabric behind them. I hand-sewed the fabric between the zipper teeth, making sure it didn't get too thick or it wouldn't go through the zipperhead.

After that, I machine zig-zagged the two fabric pieces together, again making sure that the bit of fabric next to the teeth wasn't too thick. It's important to get the fabric closed so that it doesn't get caught in the zipper, but it can't be too thick or it won't go through the zipper.

It's a pretty fiddly operation and it doesn't last forever, but it worked for me for about four months (half a season) so it'll do in a pinch.

I hope that helps,
Chantelle

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Great post!