On these grey winter days, I find myself needing an injection of color into my wardrobe.
This jacket is certainly that! Colorful, loud, a little wild.
Tim says that this jacket has turned me into the quintessential Vermont hippie. I'm not mad about that. I've told you before that at least part of my aesthetic leans towards former elementary school art teacher moves to a farm in Vermont to pursue her pottery. This jacket definitely fits this mold! To keep the Vermont theme going I took these photos in front of my neighbor's weird, dilapidated lead-hazard of a barn, not an uncommon sight in Vermont.
The (long) backstory is this: my mom and I had been discussing quilted jackets/coats, and I mentioned really liking the texture and colors of kantha quilts (Bengali patchwork with running stitch quilting).
I also mentioned that I had seen some interesting kantha quilts at Ocean State Job Lot (the weirdest store ever, in my opinion, but my mom loves it). She and I had been there to look for components (silvery textured sponges for her accessories and shiny silver duct tape to cover her rainboots) of her Miss Piggy (from Pigs in Space) Halloween costume a couple years back, and I made the mistake of not taking a closer look at the quilts.
After that conversation she went back to Ocean State Job Lot, found a couple cool-looking quilts, and bought them at an insane discount (probably during Silver Salute week, which is her absolute favorite; the woman loves a discount), for purposes of making jackets. Thanks, Mom!
I went with the same size and length for this Haori (XL, longest length), but I cut the collar at half width because I find I don't love the fold over collar. I skipped the patch pockets because it seems like a bit much, but I may go back and add them later; we shall see!
that is fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous jacket. On occasion, Marcy Tipton features Kantha cloth in her webshop. Never could appreciate the beauty of the fabric until now. It's always great when someone shows me another way to look at something.
ReplyDeleteWonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love this. Back in my “flirtation with hippie” days I used to make jackets reminiscent of yours. I still like them. Maybe in the new year I will make one again I like the idea of a gauze between the layers. Perfect for not adding bulk.
ReplyDeleteI love this!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI have also bought not one, but two kantha quilts at Ocean State Job Lots.
Your post may be the inspiration I need to get started on mine.
-Sue
I used to also be terrible at stitching in the ditch, but I had to practice it a lot in school this past term & now I'm super-good at it. I've found that it helps me to move my needle to the middle position & line up the seam with the middle marking on the throat plate. I place my hands on either side of the seam & pull gently to open up the seam just a little bit. I try to keep my eye on the seam & not the needle, & I sew a little more slowly than usual. After years of absolutely laughable stitching in the ditch, I got full marks on that technique in my final evaluation, so I guess I finally figured it out!
ReplyDeleteGet some colorful thick socks, wear your clogs and you are good. Totally a VT vibe. I have a kantha, all blue, and I think I am shamelessly copying you. Yours looks great.
ReplyDeleteI would wear such a thing everyday...so must see about making something like it! The softness of a well-loved quilt is such a lovely wrapper!
ReplyDeleteYou should add the pockets, you know that inner former art teacher will be picking up feathers and pebbles. Gorgeous jacket!
ReplyDeleteLove LOVE LOVE this!!!
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