Choosing fabric for Luzerne

Written by Camille
March 24 2017 | Inspiration, Luzerne

To wrap up our series on fabric choice, let’s look at the Luzerne trench coat!

For Luzerne, we recommend light to medium weight twill or gabardine. The fabric must have enough body: avoid wools and rayon blends, or you’ll lose the structure of the jacket. At the same time, the fabric has to have some flexibility to ensure comfort. Stay away from anything too stiff and rigid. Finally, pick something with 100% cotton rather than an elastane blend, which would disrupt the fit and make you have to go down at least half a size. And if you’d like, you could also go for a waxed twill!

Our favorite for this pattern is Robert Kaufman’s Ventana twill, in which we have sewn both of our presentation versions. We’ve used Smokey Pink and Navy colors, but there are so many of them that it was really hard to choose!

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One last tip: depending on which size you’re making and the exact width of your fabric, it might be possible to optimize your cutting layout to use less fabric than what is indicated on the pattern envelope. Luzerne needs a lot of fabric and quality twill isn’t cheap, so half a yard can make a nice difference! We recommend creating your personalized cutting layout before buying your fabric. To do so, trace or cut your pattern pieces in your size, make any fit adjustements you need, and place the pieces on a fabric of the same width as your desired fabric, or on a table on which you have marked the fabric’s width using masking tape. This way you can measure the exact yardage you’ll need to make Luzerne!

Are you drawn to the classic beige trenchcoat, or would you like a colorful Luzerne?

10 commentaires

hazel, March 24 2017

I like the classic one best. Of course, could change my mind and make both!

Simone K, March 28 2017

Ohhhh! This is such a beautiful piece! I think I want to make one in a ‘non traditional’ turquoise or bright teal color! I think I have just the fabric for it in my stash 🙂
Are you planning on doing a sew along for the coat, I would so love that!!

    Camille, March 30 2017

    We’re not planning a sewalong per se, but we’ll publish tutorials on the main technical points (mostly focused on adjustments!) 🙂

Simone, March 31 2017

Thanks for your reply, I look forward to the tutorials!! (I tend to need an FBA and was not sure how to start it for such an involved piece)

Simone, March 31 2017

Also, what width bias tape are you using for this. I ordered the paper pattern and have the fabrics, so while I wait for the mail, I thought I’d cut the bias tape, but am not sure if I need to make it 3/4″ or perhaps 1″ single fold? Or does it not matter that much?

    Camille, March 31 2017

    It doesn’t matter too much as long as you can use it to bind 5/8″ seam allowances, so less than 1/2″ double folded. The ones we’ve used are both 3/8″ double folded.

Diana, April 2 2017

Hi Camille, I just bought the pattern. Will you post how to do small bust adjustment for this pattern? I look forward to that.

    Camille, April 3 2017

    You can use this tutorial to do a small bust adjustment on Luzerne. We wrote it for the Zéphyr dress originally but Luzerne also has princess seams so you can follow the exact same method 🙂

Simone, April 6 2017

So I think I figured it out, but wanted to confirm. After tracing the pieces and cutting them out, I was reading through the pattern to get a better idea on construction and I think I almost messed up! The pattern pieces 6 and 11 aren’t just adjacent, (correct?), but the piece 6 includes piece 11, yes? And then one is supposed to also cut piece 11. I figured it out when I had no ‘two pleat marks) nor a buttonhole on my skirt front piece (thank goodness just the traced paper pattern piece!)
I think that is it, but just wanted to confirm, me head apparently isn’t that swift today! Thanks 🙂

    Camille, April 7 2017

    Yes absolutely! Piece 6 includes piece 11 and they need to be traced separately (you can refer to the cutting layouts to make sure you have all the pieces) 🙂

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