Wools, wools, and more Shetland wools

Around the middle of December, that "ebil" online fabric-monger FabricMart ran a sale on their Shetland wools (45% off) and I couldn't resist:

Yes, I did indeed buy 5 colors of the Shetland wools: behind the colonial blue and offwhite houndstooth and the solid colonial blue is the heathered grey that hubby liked, next to the concord blue and concord blue and offwhite herringbone.  For the record, I bought the heathered grey for my top secret project, not for hubby who had said he didn't need a wool coat with the canvas coat in progress at the time of ordering.  Once he saw the wools, though ....

FabricMart solved that situation yesterday by putting the Shetlands back on sale, 50% off this time.  I had hubby look at colors, and he likes the heathered alpine green better now.  The order is placed, along with chelsea pink (which I almost bought the first time), a lovely cranberry red, and wedgewood blue, which falls nicely between the concord and colonial blues in hue ... also another I almost bought the first time.

I am also on the lookout for nice classic coat patterns.  Hubby has already picked out Burda 7704 as his coat, which means I'll need to order it online since our local Hancock does not carry any Burda patterns.  In my possession are Buttericks 5295 and 5425, similar styles but big difference in yardage needed.  On my coat pattern wishlist are Butterick 5401, Simplicity 2285, 2311, and 2508, plus Vogue 8674.  Simplicity and Vogue are on sale this weekend at Hancock, and Buttericks are on sale next weekend, so that just leaves me the Burda ... which can't be bought locally that I know of.

It's probably very obvious I am planning to make a bunch of wool coats ... but why?  Hmm, that's classified information!  Unless you'd believe me if I say I just want to practice my coat-making techniques  ;)  I've made 3 coats now: 2 from the KwikSew barn coat pattern and the pirate coat (Simplicity 3677) from fall of '09 that I gave to my sister this past summer because it fits her better than it fit me.  IMO coats are well worth the time and expense of sewing myself versus buying in the stores.  A 100% wool coat with no poly or acetate in it anywhere but the thread costs a small fortune ... IF you can find one!  I have some silk satin/charmeuse from the clearance table, and some rayon satin I've ordered online, plus a rather frustratingly slippery rayon challis ... all perfect liners to my tastes.  If I want to get really fancy, I have the grey rayon jacquard now as well.

This project should keep me busy all year, but I intend to have lots of fun with it.