Having a new dress this year I also wanted a new outer garment. First of all I thought I would make a full length pelisse (nice and warm!) but with time ticking on I decided that was a bit ambitious for this year. Also, I was keen on using velvet which would have been expensive and it does need to withstand the elements!
As luck would have it, I have a green velvet coat that's at the end of its useful life, having become a little threadbare in parts, the button on the back was ripping off and the lining coming undone. So rather than throwing it out I thought I'd have a go at turning it into a little Spencer jacket.
Hmm! Easier said than done. I picked it apart, then, using pattern pieces for the Spencer jacket, cut out the shapes I thought I would need, although couldn't pay any attention to things like the lie of the pattern pieces in relation to the grain of the fabric! I tacked it together and played around with the fit and ended up with a little basic jacket shape which I'm hoping will work. It still needs a waistband, the collar needs sorting out and the fit is a little iffy, but I think it will be OK.
The sleeve lining is still in place (more or less) but I need to create a new lining for the bodice. I've cut off the existing collar and have in mind a fur collar (fake of course, there's only so far I will go with authenticity!) I picked up a fake fur gilet at a charity shop and set about cutting off the collar part. It needs dying brown, or I may even dye the whole jacket, although I like the green velvet, and the faded look of it works fine.
Here's the gilet before I cut it up, and here's how it will fit with the jacket (I've not yet attached anything or trimmed for length, this is just laid out to see the effect):