A wool blanket coat – Muna and Broad Grainger

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She leans on a pink walking stick and has a rollator behind her. She is smiling.

After a long hiatus from sewing, I decided I needed to ease my way back in with a simple project. Naturally, I ended up sewing a winter coat made from a check wool which used a binding technique unfamiliar to me.

The pattern was the Muna and Broad Grainger Coat, and the fabric a fabulous check wool blanket whose orange-yellow tones called to me from the linen cupboard. It was originally made in Warrnambool, and I think I bought it at the op shop for $2? I’m usually opposed to chopping up perfectly good woollen blankets to make tacky coats, but my desire to basically wear a wool blanket all winter won out.

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She is seated on a rollator and leans on a pink walking stick. She is smiling.

The Grainger is a fairly simple sew, for a coat: it’s unlined and calls for quilted fabric (either pre-quilted or DIY’ed). Obviously, I skipped this route, and a lining, as the wool was beautifully soft on its own. The edges are bound with your choice of binding, as are the from patch pockets. I chose to use a 25mm natural cotton twill tape, after spending far more time than I care to admit in the Lincraft trim section.

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She leans on a pink walking stick and has a rollator behind her. She is smiling and standing to the side to show the coat's design lines.

Deciding how to finish the seam allowances was probably the most challenging part of this project. I couldn’t press them to the side with the unique flat binding method shown in the instructions, as the blanket was far too bulky. After some experimentation, I chose to press the seam allowances to the side and bind each of them with self-made bias tape from an old peach sheet. I may have slightly overestimated my need for bias tape when cutting the sheet up, so I guess my next project will have to use up 10m of bias tape!

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She leans on a pink walking stick and has a rollator behind her. She is standing with her back to the camera to show the coat's details.

Although I’m closer in overall measurements to a size A, after pin fitting the paper pattern I sized up to a B (which I’m closer to in hip measurement). I’m glad I did – the size A with a graded out hip still looked odd and disproportionate on me, whilst the B fits perfectly. I’d recommend sizing up and/or going by your hip measurement if you are between sizes and using a lofty fabric.

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She leans on a pink walking stick and has a rollator behind her. She is smiling.

I’m proud of this coat. I’m proud of getting back into sewing (though there is no shame in needing to rest), of my pattern matching (just don’t look at the sleeve side seams!) and of trying and nailing a couple of new techniques. Plus I get to wear a blanket all winter long!

Siobhan, a white Disabled woman, stands in a garden arch. She wears an outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding, pink lounge pants, and tan suede block heel boots. She leans on a pink walking stick and has a rollator behind her. She is smiling.

An outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding hangs on a coathanger.

An outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding hangs on a coathanger. Close up of twill tape binding on v neck.

An outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding hangs on a coathanger. It is inside out to show the bound seam allowances.

An outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding hangs on a coathanger. It is inside out to show the bound seam allowances.

An outrageous orange and yellow check oversized wool coat with dropped sleeves and twill binding. It is inside out to show the bound seam allowances.

The details:
Pattern: Muna and Broad Grainger Coat
Pattern details: “The Grainger Coat is an oversized, quilted coat in two lengths. View A hits at the hip and view B hits at the thigh. Both views can be self quilted or sewn us- ing pre-quilted fabric. The inside of the Grainger can be fully lined or the seams can be finished using a special flat binding finish. The edges are bound with bias or twill tape and the coat is closed using snaps. The deep pockets in both views will keep your hands (and phone) cozy.” Available as a PDF download from Muna and Broad, in sizes A-M (bust 40-64″ / 102-162cm).
Fabric: Woollen blanket, from linen cupboard (originally Salvos I think?).
Other materials: 25mm cotton webbing / twill tape to bind edges. 12mm cotton tape to stabilise shoulder seams. Vilene bias tape to stabilise neck. Self-made 4cm wide bias tape to finish seam allowances.
Mods: Size B
– 1/2″ (12mm) forward head adjustment, same to sleeve cap
– Took in underarm 1.5cm due to issues finishing seam allowances
– Omitted front closures

Author: Siobhan S

30 something, living in country Australia. Spoonie profile: ME/CFS, dysautonomia, anxiety. All about sewing, knitting and food. Unapologetic disability advocate.

7 thoughts on “A wool blanket coat – Muna and Broad Grainger”

  1. Oh its so good to see you sewing again. I used to love those frocks made out of sheets. I think your coat is a great use of a blanket that wasn’t being used. You will be toasty warm all winter.

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  3. Easing back into it with this involved project – love it! 🙂

    It is really awesome. It looks so comfortable and well sewn and the fabric is cool!

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. I just stumbled across your site and am delighted to find a fellow Aussie ME/CFS POTSie who sews and knits! I’ll continue to follow. Love your woolen coat, I might try something similar with my (deceased) mum’s blanket that I can’t bear to throw out. Your “press to each side” binding is known as a Hong Kong finish – and looks amazing. It couldn’t have been easy doing that on thick wool!

    Liked by 1 person

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