Need help with coat, buttons, and warmth

[okamiwolf]

I've been trying to make a good winter coat for over a year now. I've got the pattern, finally found the fabric I wanted (purple wool), and have bought almost all of the supplies.

Except...
I have no idea how to make toggle closure buttons.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5xbLgg72CBs/Ry9ko_3YJtI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/hQW7xeaBNWk/s320/golden+sun+stadium-cloth+toggle+coat.jpg

These things. Actually, that's pretty much the coat I'm going to make...

http://www.boysitaliansuits.com/Picture%20026.jpg

Better detail picture.

1. What material do I make the loops out of?
2. How do I attach it to the coat? Most toggles seem to have some sort of material holding them on the outside of the coat. I was wanting to do something like that.
3. How do I ensure that the loops will STAY in place once I sew them on?

Sorry about all the questions, but I've never made a coat before. I did do a search, but came up with mostly jewelry tutorials.

I can't post pictures yet.

[soorawn]

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_c/C-232.html
Here's information about how to handle all sorts of fasteners, including toggles and frogs.  Use some good looking, strong, tightly wound cord to make them.  Have a look at ready-made toggles in the shops to check how they are constructed.  For the pieces that you sew on the coat, leather or something similar is often used -but don't discard the idea of using another material, for example the same you're using for your coat-, and these pieces are meant to cover the ends of the stitched cord so that they don't look so "raw".  A triangle is often used, but you can let your imagination go and use another shape.

[okamiwolf]

Thanks so much! That website is very helpful.

More questions:
If I choose to use Thermolam (I think that's what it is called) for the interlining to make it warmer, should I go with the fusible or the sew-in kind? How would that effect the overall look of the garment?

Are shoulder pads absolutely necessary? The pattern calls for them, but I'm worried that I'll look like I stepped out of the eighties.

[Alexus1325]

I don't know what Thermolan is, but I'd think the sew-in kind would be cheaper. You can flat-line it to the shell pieces and treat the new sandwich as one piece of fabric. Just in case, flat-lining means you take one piece of the shell and put it good side down, then take the same piece cut out of the interlining and put it on top of the shell piece; stitch along the edges just inside the seam-line (4/8 instead of 5/8) to secure them to eachother, and then pretend the interlining isn't there. I guess the trick would be to make sure the fabric doesn't shift as you flat-line the two pieces to eachother. *wishes she owned a walking foot*

If you think you'll look ridiculous with shoulder pads, make the shell and try it on. If it sags in the shoulders cuz there's no pad, buy the thinnest piece of foam or premade pad you can and use that just to keep the shoulder line straight. I can't really offer advice for adjusting the shoulder line to live without padding, because I didn't have to do it for a jacket I got halfway through (broad shoulders for the win ). *wishes she weren't such a procrastinator*

Good luck

[Thesingingllamas]

Wool is very warm, so you should be warm enough without the extra insulation. The problem these days is a lot of commercial coats are made of polyester. You may want to get thin shoulder pads or just use extra interfacing in the shoulders to give it body. Non fusible since wool can shrink under heat/steam.