Adding width and button strips

I came up with this out of desperation while making my husbands nice coat for his birthday. (Will be posting about that soon.) It ended up turning out great and I'm sure I will be using this method for future projects. It'd be helpful when turning a shirt into a cardigan, converting a jacket into a maternity garment, or adding width to any coat or vest.

1. Cut two strips of fabric the length of your garment seam that you are adding on to, and the width of your choice. I cut mine 33 inches long as that was the length of jacket that needed buttons, and 5 inches wide. The finished product had just over an inch of expansion on each side.

2. Lay your strip down on the edge that you will be attaching it to, right sides together. Pin and sew a 3/4 inch seam.

3. Fold the unsewn edge so that it lines up on top of the stitched line.

I am pointing to where the edge lies on top of the stitched line

4. Now, Turn the fold over at the edge/ stitched line. All raw edges will disappear as they will be underneath. Pin in place.

This fold seam here on the right, the side with the pin closest to it,
is where the stitch line and edge lie underneath.

5. Top stitch 1/4 inch in from both the edge and the seam. Add buttons or button holes if you so choose.

The seam on the right is where the coat front used to end,
what I am holding is the extra length.