a fashion statement
odds and ends
February 19, 2021fashion statement followup
March 4, 2021Hello all, Mary Ellen here.
Getting out my green quilts for St. Paddy’s Day. I found the pieced shamrock that I made last year and only got to enjoy for a short time. I’m thinking about making another runner or square to use up the left over green scraps from last year’s project. I think this is the pattern I will use, but I’m going to make just one or two shamrocks instead of the whole runner. Click here if you’re interested. (Here’s the link to last year’s shamrock block. click here.)
Now let’s take a stroll down memory lane. If you’ve been quilting for a while you may remember when quilted clothing was the rage among quilters. Many of our quilt shows featured a Saturday afternoon fashion show with quite a few of us parading our projects to warm applause. Some of those creations now turn up at ugly sweater parties around Christmas! Since there were not nearly the number of options for batting back then as we have now, if one wasn’t very careful the garment might tend to give a Michelin man effect due to the high loft polyester batting that was the rage. Where am I going with this? In my UFO closet I have come across 2 partially completed sweatshirt makeovers. Both are from classes here at BNHV–one at a guild seminar class taught by Alice Donaldson, and one a Saturday class taught by a teacher whose name I have forgotten sadly. I’m asking if you think they’re worth completing. Could I get away with wearing them these days?
In case you’re wondering if anyone still makes quilted clothing, I’m sharing a post from the Aurifil blog that I ran across recently. Here’s the link. Click here. In one of the five links in the article the author discusses batting choices. I’ll be honest, I had best results in my later garments when I used old flannel instead of batting. I learned from the quilters in my family to reuse old flannel sheets and thin towels in quilts and small projects that were made for utility rather than heirlooms. I like flannel in runners and placemats that will be used at the table because the loft is so low that glasses and stemware do not get “tipsy”. A well washed flannel sheet usually has quite a bit of usable yardage around the edges, between the top and bottom sheet you’ll get enough for most projects. The back of a man’s flannel shirt also yields a lot of usable cloth. So as we’re coming to the end of Buffalo’s flannel sheet season and you’re deciding which sheets to keep and which are ready to be recycled, think about whether you can use some in your quilting projects.
Comments? Did you have any quilted clothing? Or do you still? I have a quilted bomber jacket which I sometimes still wear in the fall as a lightweight outer garment.
11 Comments
I have a purchased jacket but none that I made. Haven’t worn it in years!
I made a green vest that I wore a lot back in the day. I think the pattern came from the old JoAnn’s store that was somewhere near Harlem and Sheridan It no longer lives in my closet. I donated it to AmVets. I wonder if anybody bought it. (It would no longer fit me anyway.)
I would definitely finish the project.
Remember Stretch n Sew, I made several things that looked just awful after, I did finish them and donated them to to charity. Maybe someone liked them(I hope).
With quilted sweatshirts, it’s still chilly, you can ware them around the house. We do not have many visitors, so who cares, keep warm.
You will have a completed project. 😊
Thank so much for the idea of using flannel for batting in placemats and runners! Sounds like a grand idea!
I have quite a few quilted vests in my closet, they were a favorite of mine. I know I should but I haven’t the heart to get rid of them, someday they will go to good will.
I don’t really make or wear quilted clothing. I did make two jackets for my sister years ago.
I went with my parents to Florida in the early 50’s and purchased a Seminole skirt Wore it then – but haven’t in years. Loved it then, still in my closet – can’t bear to get rid of it.!!
I did make a sweatshirt jacket in seminar years ago and wore it “in the day” but have since donated to Goodwill.
I do love the Shamrock table runner. As for quilted clothing, I still have quite a bit that I made back in the day. However, I have not worn it for fear of looking “dated.” And yet, I have recently been seeing patchwork clothing in various ads from clothing manufacturers. Perhaps it is coming back in style and we should all begin wearing our quilted clothing again. As for the sweatshirt, I also began a sweatshirt jacket in probably the same class as you took, Mary Ellen. I do not remember the name of the teacher. I have put it aside for our next quilt show or auction to donate to another person willing to make it. I have cut out some of the pieces, and have the sweatshirt ready to go. Any takers? You may have it!
I have a jacket in my closet that my son and daughter-in-law made for me years ago for my birthday. It really came out lovely. But because people stopped wearing quiled clothing,I sort of stopped wearing this too. I can either resurrect it or donate it . I haven’t decided what to do with it yet.
I have a jacket in my closet that my son and daughter-in-law made for me years ago for my birthday. It really came out lovely. But because people stopped wearing quiled clothing,I sort of stopped wearing this too. I can either resurrect it or donate it . I haven’t decided what to do with it yet.