Introduction: ISO Standard Werewolf Wind Collar

or the Blade Runner 2049 Officer K coat collar. Part of the official team uniform for the Werewolf Winter Olympics Team. Aiwooooo...

Make this add-on collar to any jacket to protect you from the off world environment or just to keep you warm and toasty on the way to Grandma's house. Add Were-Wolverine trim to ordinary jackets and make it Artic-proof.

Like the Blade Runner coat, this collar can be worn folded down or pulled up for extra warmth. The collar end flap goes around forming a cowl and is wide enough like a big scarf to be worn as a mask.

Step 1: Ring Around the Collar...

I have this great jacket I wear all the time for doing yardwork and cleaning up outside. It's actually a hand-me up from my nephew who had gotten a size too large to fit. Since the neck opening is pretty wide, it lets in a lot of wind if not paired with a scarf or hoodie.

I still have some of this red plaid quilted material left and a large pelt of craft fur laying around. Time to make something with them.

You can use any fabric you have. Soft microfleece would be a good substitute for the craft fur. To amp up the utility use if worn while working outdoors, substitute with some kind of absorbent terry cloth and day-glo safety colored fabrics. Upcycle that ugly sweater you can't part with and salvage it for the fabric.

I cut a piece of the plaid quilted material 12 x 30 inches. It was just a guess on what size to cut the fabric to account for seams and it was sure to extend beyond and line the collar of the jacket.

I cut a strip of craft fur 6 x 30 inches. The trick for cutting craft fur is to use a sharp utility knife to cut on the back of the faux fur. Gently pull apart the cut line and groom out all the loose fibers before moving on. This will prevent some of the mess later when working with a freshly cut piece of craft fur.

We are sewing from the inside so that we have nice finished seams on the outside. Ruff side out when finished.

Both pieces were then seamed on the long edges to form a tube. I am lucky to have a serger to use which trims, sews and binds the edge with an overlocking stitch. You can use a regular sewing machine too. I would double the seam for reinforcement so it would wear well.

Flatten out the tube so that the craft fur part will be the top part of the collar. The attached fabric will be doubled over forming the bottom part of the collar.

As with all things, we are doing things as we go. I serged all the seams but forgot to leave an opening to be able to turn the sewn collar inside out.

I cut an opening in the bottom center where I know it will be less noticeable when I sew it back up.

Step 2: Form-fitting...

I had turned the sewn piece inside out to test fit it on the jacket. I marked where I wanted to have the "indented" part that forms the extended flap of the collar. It may be a lot of work turning things inside out and back inside again to sew so be sure to mark where to sew as it will be confusing because the orientation changes inside out.

Serge or sew the indented flap part. Discard or cut away the excess portion.

The Blade Runner collar supposedly had a magnetic closure to keep the end flap fastened to the collar forming the cowl. You can sew in a couple of metal washers and neodymium magnets in fabric pockets at the ends of the collar. You can also later add on velcro, snaps or buttons to do the same.

Step 3: Don't Lose It...

This collar is meant to be detachable, I guess you would probably want to wash it if needed. Not needed it you are a werewolf, then you might want to have plenty of replaceable collars on hand as each one would probably be shredded to bits or ripped off the jacket. Disposable collars would be biodegradable?

There are several ways you can securely attach the collar. Velcro or snaps would be a good choice if you are clumsy with your paws. I had a couple of big buttons so I will use that.

These coat buttons are larger than what fits in the sewing machine automatic buttonholer thingy so I had to manually sew the button holes.

Use tailor's chalk to mark out the slit that the button will pass through.

Use a close zigzag stitch to go around the mark forming a rectangle around the buttonhole.

Use a seam ripper tool to cut through and open the slit. Test to see that the button passes through easily. If not, adjust the opening and sew again to form the buttonhole.

Place the collar on the jacket to mark where the buttons should be so that they line up exactly with the buttonholes.

Sew your buttons on. I have one of those garment tagging guns to quickly baste the button in place. I will go in later to permanently hand sew the buttons on with needle and thread. Since there are 4 holes in the button, reinforce the sewing by "wrapping" and bundling those 4 strands together to form a more solid stem from the coat to the button.

Stay toasty.

Enjoy!

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