My Sandalwood Coat

Even though I finished Amy Butler's Sandalwood jacket a couple of weeks ago I am just now getting around to sharing it with everyone.

After making Favorite Things, Uptown Coat (which made me look pregnant), I decided to stick with a style coat that would flatter my figure instead of work against it.  

I chose the Sandalwood jacket because it's long and A-lined (which works well with all shapes).  The jacket is a lined jacket, but because I intend to wear it into the winter I lined it with batting - which bulked it up a bit and caused me to make it the next size larger. 

For the fabric I used decorator weight fabric by Alexander Henry and cotton weight fabric for the lining.   The coat is striking and I've gotten lots of compliments on it.  What I don't really care for is the collar; when the coat is open the top (points) of the collar poke up into my face.  There is no good picture of the front of the jacket on the pattern so I really didn't give it much thought.  I thought about adding buttons down the front of the coat in order to keep the points of the collar down,but I think by doing that it will throw off the way the coat laps in front.  For now I intend to wear a heavy scarf to keep the points down and out of my face.

 

If I were to make this jacket again (and I'm thinking I will make one from the laminate fabric this spring), I'll round the collar a bit and maybe add a hood.  I'll also add belt loops and shorten the belt itself.  (which seems to be abnormally long). 

*p.s., the skirt is the Barcelona Skirt also by Amy Butler. (one of my favorite)

Patchwork Scarf

At the last Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild meeting I mentioned that I don't tend to get a lot of quilts done because all of them are large and once I start they seem to overwhelm me - especially now that my time if very, very limited.  One of the members suggested I work on a small project.  She just had a baby and knew that if she stopped quilting, she might not start up again.  I liked that idea very much - but breaking my habit of working large is a hard habit to break.  Until I tried this patchwork scarf. 

It totally satisfied that itch to quilt, yet I was able to still finish it in a day!  I could have made it a lot more elaborate, but I stiffled the urge, afterall the satisfaction of finishing something is suppose to outweigh the habit of starting a project and not finishing it. 

Making the blocks was easy enough - just when I finished them I took 5 of them and cut them up again.  I wanted all sizes of blocks and it didn't seem right that I finish this in under a day.  I then joined my blocks, added a pocket, backed it with flannel and voila!  A patchwork scarf!  This one is for the store, the next one I make will be mostly pink (my color).

Self Stitched September - Wrap-up

Well, it's October 2 and looking back on September and I'd say I did 'okay' in my challenge to wear at least one self stitched item a day.  I started out motivated to try and sew more, but as the weather changed and the days became cooler and cooler, I found that I couldn't keep up with sewing enough warm clothes.  By the middle of the month the 'self stitched' items I found myself wearing the most were scarves... and by the end of the month I had gone back to wearing my sweaters and pants.  (non-self stiched items).

I did manage to make a new skirt, a pair of pants even a coat - which made me look pregnant.

I also finished a quilt top and stripped the stain off the antique couch I'm refurbishing. 

So as far as trying to sew more, I definitely did that.  It just wasn't necessarily things I could wear all the time. 

  

I will challenge myself again to wear self stitched items.  I may just modify it a bit so that I can wear 'upcycled' clothing.  It's now October - I have 3 whole months to build that wardrobe!