How to Make a Cropped Fur Coat

In this Instructable, I'll be showing you how to create this jacket! It's super plush because of the fabric I choose and I think it's great to cuddle up in or go out on the town.

The best part is that you made it! I love it when a project turns out as amazing as this!

Be sure to check out the video before attempting this Instructable.

https://youtu.be/9GZK1FNEqHQ

Also in this tutorial there are additional options so that you can customize your outfit a bit more to your style. Be on the look out for OPTIONAL steps.

• Fur fabric
• Lining fabric

You'll need a few yards (depending on your size.) You'll need to same amount in each fabric.
I used a yard and a half to create my crop jacket.

• T-Shirt

I used an old T-shirt as my pattern. This shirt was also very large on me.
Basic sewing supplies

• needles
• pins or sewing clips
• thread
• scissors
• sewing machine
• hand sewing needle
• (potentially seam ripper just in case!)
• measuring tape

Honestly I don't think I would want to do this by hand. But there is a section where you do need to do a TINY bit of hand sewing. It's not too much.

Optional

• Clasp
• Buttons
• Zipper

You're probably wondering why I decided to use a T-shirt as pattern. I wanted to create this tutorial with beginning crafters in mind.

For this part you'll need to cut your T-Shirt at the seams to create a pattern.

1. Measure out how long you want your jacket to be: from the top of your shoulder to the bottom point where your jacket should end. Add one inch for seam allowance.
2. Using the previous length, measure out on the shirt the place you want to cut.
3. Cut off the bottom of the shirt.
4. Cut the top shoulder seams.
5. Cut the side shirt seams.
6. Cut the sleeves off.
7. Fold your shirt front and back piece in half and cut them.
8. OPTIONAL: Label your front and back pieces so you know which is which.
   This will help if you don't finish this project and come back to it at a later date or want to reuse it.

So you'll end up doing this twice. Make sure your lining fabric is nice and smooth. You don't want any wrinkles in your fabric when assembling your coat. It'll mess up the fit.

• If necessary, pre-iron your coat lining.

1. Lay out your fuzzy fabric, and pin your pattern.
2. Cut out your pattern.
3. CAREFULLY, pick up your newly cut pieces and RUSH outside and shake off any of the excess fur.
   
   This will save you some future clean up. Trust me.
   
4. Repeat steps 1-3 onto your lining fabric.
5. (OPTIONAL) Measure your arm length for a long sleeve.
   

   
   I wanted my sleeves to be long, but the T-shirt that I cut up only had short sleeves.

6. (OPTIONAL) After pinning your sleeve down, create a long version with the new length from the previous step.
7. (OPTIONAL) Cut out your new sleeve.

Now it's time to assemble your lining and your jacket.

1. Pin the front and the back together with right sides facing each other.
2. ON ONE SIDE SEAM OF THE JACKET, leave it open and serge the edges.
   I can not stress this enough for a later part of the tutorial.
3. Sew the edges down with a straight stitch.
4. Sew the top shoulder seams.
5. Serge the edges on the shoulder seams and side seams to prevent fraying on the LINING.
6. Repeat numbers 1-3 on the fur fabric.
7. Pin together the sides of the sleeve: 2 sleeves for the lining and 2 sleeves for the fur.
8. Sew the sleeve together for the lining
9. Serge the new sleeve seam.
10. OPTIONAL: serge the bottom hem of the sleeve to prevent fraying.
11. Pin the sleeves to the armholes.
12. Sew the sleeves to the appropriate jacket.

I decided last minute that I wanted to add a collar to this project. This is pretty easy.

1. Measure out how long your neckline is on your jacket.
2. Cut a rectangle from the fur fabric of that length from #1.
   
   I used one of the strips left over from my first cut. Yay for using scraps!
3. Fold over the rectangle, right sides together, and sew it at the sides.
4. Flip the rectangle piece right sides out.
5. Line up the edges and close the rectangle by pinning it.
6. Find the center of the back of the fur jacket's neckline and mark it with a pin.
7. Find the center of the collar piece.
8. Pin the center of the jacket neckline to the collar piece.
9. Continue pinning all around the neckline and the collar piece.
10. Sew them together.

This gets tricky BUT THAT'S OKAY! This is where you would add the zipper in the front if you wanted to. I didn't add one to my jacket but you would do it as you're adding the lining.

1. With right sides facing each other, pin the lining to the fur jacket. Pin the entire perimeter leaving the sleeves alone. Tuck the collar inside the lining and sew it inside.
   This might be better with clips. Do I own clips? No. I promise to get some though.
   
   
2. Sew the perimeter of the jacket closed.
3. Clip the corners of the jacket.
   This is so that you get clean corners.
   
4. Flip the jacket right side out through the side seam of the lining that wasn't closed in STEP 3: Assemble your Pieces with PINS AND SEWING
   This part will take a bit of patience. Don't rush through it otherwise you might rip the lining.
5. Using a ladder stitch, close the seam in the lining.
6. Close the ladder stitch seam with a few knots in the seam.

I wanted my sleeves to fold inwards just a bit with the fur.

Optional:

1. Line up the hem of your lining sleeves.
2. Cut off about 2-3 inches.
   This will allow the fur to go inside your sleeve versus the entirety of the inside being lining. I wanted to have a bit of fluff touching the inside of my wrists.

(Normal)

1. Flip your lining to be the right side of the fabric. Pull the fur sleeve through the sleeve.
2. Using a needle and thread, ladder stitch the two together.

If you don't want to add anything else, YOU'RE DONE! But if you're like me and you want to add a bit of something.. this is the time to do it. I'm going to be using a metal hook and eye closure.

Find the position of your closure and pin it in place.Hand sew the closure to the FUR fabric only.

AND THEN YOU'RE DONE! GO HAVE FUN AND WEAR IT AROUND!!! Show off your latest creation!

TA DA! If you've managed to get to this step then you're finished!

Wear your new jacket with loved ones, out on the town or just to be cozy.