Butterfly Jacket Class at the Bobbin Case

On Tuesday and Wednesday I taught a class called the Butterfly Jacket (my name for it) at the Bobbin Case Bernina shop in Rochester. This beauty was all sewn and just being fitted before adding the lining and the finishing work.

The starting point was the beautiful hand dyed fabric in the back panel.

Beth made this wonderful jacket from hand stamped fabric from India which she had purchased at a local quilt show.

The striking back panel is pieced.

The lining has already been added to this one and its ready to have the side seams sewn before its finished.

The beautiful back panel came from John Marshall.

Val Schultz visits with her beautiful vest

Val Schultz paid a visit for a final fitting of her beautiful vest which she started in my class in August. She used an antique shisha mirror piece from India as a focal piece on the back.

The pattern is called the "Quilters Vest" by Virginia Robertson.

Long Vest Class in Rochester, Day One

We began a three day class with everyone working on two versions of a long vest or a coat...two of them ethnic Folkwear patterns. Val and Donna are working on their vest or coat backs

Ann has the back of her vest almost finished. She is working on the Tibetan Vest. My vests and coats are on the left.

Julie does some hand work on an almost finished Tibetan Vest while Barb finishes fabric selection.

Caren has her vest back almost finished.

Student Photos - Take 12 Jacket Class

I received a wonderful note and photos yesterday from Susan Clark who took my Take 12 Jacket Class in Amherst in September. She used a gorgeous blue based colorway. The basic pattern calls for large blocks of fat quarter fabric. But the back is also a nice space for more interesting interpretations. Didn't Susan do a great job here?

This is a jacket she can wear for years and get tons of compliments on. Thanks Susan.

Jacket Class at the Amherst Museum

Today I traveled to Amherst, N.Y. to present a "Take Twelve" Jacket Class during the 34th Annual Quilting Seminar presented by the Amherst Museum. The grounds are beautiful and full of restored buildings from another era. In the lobby are kitchens from 1870 to 1970. Unfortunately in my two trips there I have never made it past the lobby. The 1870 kitchen.
This is a great class for quilters who haven't made much clothing. The jacket is made from 12 fat quarters or a similar collection of fabrics.

We were fortunate that the next door classroom wasn't being used so we could lay out fabric on the long tables to help make choices.
The batiks for this jacket were wild and wonderful.

This was going to be a very sophisticated jacket.

Jacket Class at Marcia's Studio Day Three

Today was a busy sewing day with two drop in guests. Inspector Suki began the day in Donna's chair and spent a lot of time indoors to her dismay as there was a big black dog visiting which she didn't appreciate. Marcia began work on an apron for the upcoming RAFA booth at the Clothesline Festival.
Caris brought in her beautiful "big apple" vest which she made from a packet of fabric purchased at the City Quilter in NYC. She is looking for a "big apple" button to decorate the front.
Donna made a lot of progress today. By the end of the day she had the fronts and sleeves all finished and was wrapping up the back.
Caris models her gorgeous silk jacket. She only has handwork yet to finish.

Marcia holds up her finished apron. It was made from pieces constructed at a Nancy Crow Workshop.

Varda models her jacket still in the "pinned" stage.
Nancy Hicks dropped by to model the gorgeous vest made during the last class. The photos don't do it justice.

Beth Brandkamp, showing shooting the photo, also dropped by to work on sketches for an upcoming workshop she is taking with Ruth McDowell.

Liz almost has her jacket pieces completed. There will be green bands around the neck front and back.

Jacket Class Day Two

Varda used one of her fabrics to make a "scrunched" piece (the light red) which she is using as an interesting base for the pleated pieces she is making using the book Manipulated Fabric by Collette Wolf.
The curved ruffled piece is going to present a challenge in terms of sewing it on to the base. We have tossed around several ideas without coming to a clear conclusion.
Liz also used "scrunched" fabric (the light gold strips) and has completed the back piece except for the final position of the squares. She has begun work on the fronts. One will be on the diagonal and the other straight up and down with deep green jacket sides.

New Jacket Class at Marcia's Studio Day One

Varda Main, who is new to our group, brought in the gorgeous jacket she started in my jacket class at the Bobbin Case. Since some of us have been attempting to begin an orange jacket we were a little green with envy.
After looking at other options Donna began using this fabulous hand dyed fabric for her creation. My photo doesn't do it justice.
Inspector Suki took particular interest in our group today, taking a great deal of time away from her busy schedule. Marcia is working on a top made from a rayon sarong.
Caris is also working on a hand dyed piece...this one in silk. Liz had a patchwork jacket back started in the corner and Varda's creation begins to take shape on the left.

Scrappy Jacket Class - Day Two

This was day two of a Scrappy Jacket Class at the Bobbin Case in Rochester. The task during the break was to use 4" to 5" squares and make "fabric" on a foundation cut on the jacket pattern. This is my sample jacket made from squares sent a few years ago from Hancock Fabrics in Paducah. It is embellished with a great deal of machine stitching using variegated thread, fabric sample squares from the early 80's and antique pearl buttons.
The three students created a wide range of "fabric". Some of embellished with appliques.

Sharon had her jacket "together" by the end of the day. She plans to add some beads and more embellishment.

Varda made a jacket made of many different orange fabrics and will trim down the amount of lime on the sleeve bands and add a purple band with a trace of lime to the front.