Tis the season! So of course, for my guild’s holiday celebration, I pulled my favorite Christmas accessory out of the waaaay back of the closet.
I showed it to a couple of friends before I wore it out of the house. The reactions were mixed… it seems that this gorgeous thing that was THE BOMB when I made it in 1995 is now, quite possibly, the quilter’s version of the ugly sweater.
No matter! I sweated over it, so I’m wearing it! Seriously, it has more hours in it than many of the quilts I’ve made (the smaller the pieces, the longer it takes). Where on earth did I get the idea? From Judy Murrah, author of Jacket Jazz (and now the head of education for Quilts Inc.) I took a class from her in 1995 – fabulous teacher – and well… went a little overboard with concept.
Many of the techniques are in her book. The twisted texture…
… the 9 degree wedge elements (one half of the strips is the sleeve, the opposing half is the front).
I designed the presents for the second front. Notice how I integrated the pocket. Damn proud of that, considering what I didn’t (and still don’t) know about garment construction.
I shrunk the poinsettia from a wall hanging pattern (my apologies to the designer… I no longer have the pattern to credit you!) and APPLIQUED it. Yep, I actually did the A-Word for this (albeit by machine, but still). I only wish I had known about glue basting back then!
I finished it off with a run of paper-pieced trees. They needed a bit of a switch up, so I swapped a tree from the back with a Santa from the cuff. Santa does get around, you know.
So there it is. Shoulder pads and all. I like to think that, due to the wonders of time, it has perhaps transcended from tacky kitsch to retro cool, just the way that ugly sweaters have, no? And when you think about some of the holiday excesses (swants, anyone?) then perhaps not quite so over the top!
I wish you Happy and Merry from my studio to yours – I hope you get to spend time with good people and good food, and that every stitch you made on a gift is well appreciated by the lucky person that received it!
It’s a great piece, be proud of it and own it and just watch all the eyes turn green with envy!! Thanks for sharing and I’ll have to check out “Jacket Jazz” again for those textured twists! Merry Christmas Sam!
You can pick up a used copy on Amazon for a dollar!
Your jacket is very festive, the fabrics are cheerful & timeless, & I love all the techniques you used. I have three little quilted pieces that were supposed to grow up to be a jacket – also from the 90’s. The instructor abruptly ended the class before the garment was made & I take it out once in a while to try to finish it. Recently, I was told by a couple of people that that era has passed & I should just do something else with the pieces. I thought about it for awhile, but then decided – NO. I worked hard on it, it has multiple techniques, and I HAND QUILTED all of it! It will be warm & cozy (if I ever finish it), & I will love it. 🙂
Dude that’s awesome! I taught a class for the sweatshirt fusible jackets! Sew much fun! i would have never done a pieced one. Your’s is a treasure! Wear it proud my sistah! All the watching eyes bee green with envy but nevermind them! If you wear it cos you love it, you will rock the retro and start your own trend. Merry Christmas to you!
Sam, I absolutely LOVE this jacket. Perhaps I’m dating myself to say so, but I would look forward to wearing this every single year for as long as I could get away with it! The details are AMAZING and the jacket is a treasure IMHO.
I was fortunate enough to snag a sample Judy made years ago and I still wear that bright colorful jacket every chance I get. Better Half thinks it’s part of a clown costume but I don’t care. It’s all bright, cheerful, patchworky and done in all Kaffe fabrics and it’s my own little treasure.
That jacket is INCREDIBLE!! 🙂
This is BEYOND amazing! Wear it proud and everywhere! I’m in love!!!!
It has totally transcended from tacky kitsch to retro cool, just like reindeer sweaters! If you cannot have fun on Christmas, when can you? Do you have a pair of flashing light earrings to go with it?
This jacket is even more impressive in person! You could definitely wear it to a Christmas party!
Oh, those swants are yucky ~ tho a pretty great idea!
Delightful! And I thought I had ALL the things I needed for Christmas! I want one … how wonderfully quirky! Merry Christmas 🙂