Dark Green Forest Faerie Coat.. Creativity Strikes!

I went to Tahoe this week for two days.  Two blissful days of doing absolutely NOTHING, except I brought my new colored pencils (Thanks Santa!) and sketchbook.

For some reason, it always surprises me that creativity comes on so strongly as soon as all the stress in my day disappears.  (ya think?)   It hits like a lightning bolt, and sometimes then I just can't STAND not to create.

I drew this coat.  It's based on a couple of my other hoodies (it seems I have a "style"), but new in a few exciting  ways.

Someone I met at a Christmas Eve party loved my flower faerie hoodie and asked if I ever make longer stuff, which inspired me to give it a go.  I've never tried making a longer coat before and was a little nervous.. but it wasn't really that hard.  Just Make Everything Longer.  Hm.

I ran into another friend on Christmas day who was wearing an awesome sweater-with-attached-scarf.. and that idea's been bouncing around in my head ever since, so I decided to incorporate that.  The scarf is attached at the back of the neck and can be worn dangly in the front or back, or cinched up around the neck for extra coziness.  I LOVE this element!  It's so fun and whimsical and it adds so much to the design.


I did the same type of leaf-sleeves I've been using on just about EVERYTHING lately, and added the leaf motif to the pocket design too.. hands go in through the middle of the leaf.  I shopped around for fancy leafy buttons too, and decided at the end to go with magnetic snap/button thingies (SO COOL!) and decorate with leaf faux-buttons.

I just finished this coat.  I'm wearing it right now.  I'm really really happy with how it turned out.. I think I'm getting pretty good at this.  The one thing I'll probably change next time is the pockets.  The idea was stellar, the implementation a little odd.  I wanted them soft and fuzzy inside as they're just the right height for hand-warming, but making them out of a couple layers of fleece makes the hips of the coat poof out in a funny way.  Maybe it's just because the waist is so fitted that it looks a little funny.. if I loosen the lacing on the sides a bit it lays better.  Probably it's just me (I've got a pretty agro hourglass hip shape going on).  I'm going to be interested to see it on another model to see how it lays.

Better Pictures Soon!  I think I might get some good forest shots today.  :) :)