A Finished Project!

It was a long time in the making.

I bought the fabrics last year on Whidbey Island.  I had no idea what I would do with them.

Last winter I attended a presentation on how to make a quilted jacket out of a sweatshirt.  I bought the book.

I put it all aside and my sewing was for Irene.  After her last birthday dress, she announced that she didn't need any more fancy dresses.  She would be accessorizing her jeans.

So I decided maybe it was time to make something for me for a change.  I haven't done any sewing for myself, except a couple of holiday aprons, in a long, long time.  

I got out that book, and decided on a style.

The directions said to get a drop shouldered sweatshirt a size larger than you wear, because there could be as much as three inches of shrinkage due to quilting.  I ordered two inexpensive plain white sweatshirts on line. I figured I would have to add to the length of the body and sleeves to get the fit I wanted.

I stewed over the design, and how I would know if it would fit.  

I decided to add some embroidery, since I haven't made anything like that for me.  I bought some plain background fabric and made samples until I found the designs and color blends I wanted.

Finally I was ready to launch the project.  I cut up the sweatshirts.  I cut up my fabrics and began laying out the design on my sweatshirt pattern.

I worried about the quilting and if it would bunch up and end up too small.  But as I had time during this busy gardening season and other things, I kept coming back and getting a little bit more done.

Finally it began to come together.  I made adjustments to the design so everything would line up.  I measured and fussed. Finally I sewed it together.  It fit!

I made the binding, sewed it on, and then hand stitched it down on the back side all around the jacket edges.

Wa-la!

We took these photos after we returned from breakfast Friday morning.  I wore it for Show and Tell.  One of my friends called me a genius.  I just gave her my Mona Lisa smile, thinking how happy I was that it actually turned out at all.