Vogue 8940 Part I: How to lengthen a pattern

My hubby got a hair up his ass and decided he wants to make a nice, long pea coat for when we're back home in Colorado over winter break (Plenty of time tight? We only leave in a little over 2 weeks! Eeeep!)

I figured he wasn't being serious, but then yesterday he says to me "I found a pattern, can we go to Joann's now? It's this one, Vogue 8940." I'm still struggling with the tension between DIY projects like this one and the commercialism that they often entail. If we had more time I'd've liked to draft the pattern, find fabric at the thrift store, etc etc. Part of me hates going to Joann's where I'll settle for some expensive fabric (ON SALE FROM $19.99/yrd! 40% off one item! BOGO!) and consume, consume, consume.

But we did do just that. Though instead of settling we found a beautiful grey 100% wool for the jacket and AWESOME Star Wars cotton for the lining. Nerdgasm!! And while the cost of the fabric and other notions was a bit high, it was still half of what a coat of this quality fabric and length would cost in the store.

D-hubbs is a complete novice and I know just enough to get myself in trouble so of course we start tweaking the pattern. Duh!

We measured from the waist line of the back center piece down the the hem line and it was only 20"- which barely reaches D-hubbs's mid thigh. Well that just wouldn't do so we decided to go balls-to-the-walls and add 6" to the coat. I'm sure we're making some huge mistake adding that much length but I couldn't think of a specific problem to stop us. So here's a tutorial on how to lengthen a pattern...

Upside-down original pattern piece.

All the pieces that need lengthening will have a straight line across the pattern that says "Lengthen or shorten here" Self explanatory, right? So I cut each piece at the line -- no going back now!
Using scrap paper I attached one half of the pattern about 0.5" from the edge of the paper, placing the edge of the pattern on the edge of the paper. Then measuring 6" from the edge of the pattern (NOT THE EDGE OF THE PAPER mind you) I lined up the next pattern piece. The lines you follow to cut the pattern in half are completely straight, which makes lining them up again with the desired space in between a snap. Simply place the bottom pattern piece, with its edge on the edge of the paper, the desired distance from the top pattern piece and make sure the two pattern edges are exactly parallel.

I've inserted 6" of white paper between the edges of the two pieces of pattern.

And viola! Lengthened coat pattern!

High on our newfound power, we also added an inch to the sleeves. We're crazy risk takers, we are.

Newly lengthened pattern pieces being pinned to the lining!