When Carolyn contacted me to see if I would be willing to restore an extremely old and worn coat of hers, I could definitely relate to her desire to hold on to a beloved piece of clothing. She’s had it several years, and it was second hand when she bought it, so the coat has certainly been around.
The fabric had naturally worn away at the spots that get the most action, like the zipper edges, the hem, pockets, and hood. I replaced the fur on the hood with a darker fake fur (I don’t know where to get real fur), and patched up areas where the fabric was thread bare or torn. The pockets needed quite a bit of reinforcing, and I bound the zipper edges and hem. The under arm seams were wearing down so I cover stitched by hand, since patching wasn’t possible. I checked over the whole coat, repairing small tears and worn edges by hand. It is nearly impossible to find exact colour/fabric matches for an existing garment, especially when the fabric is old, worn and faded in spots! But the new navy contrast edging gives the coat has a whole new look and Carolyn is happy her coat has new life!
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