Thinking about "The Jacket"

Wearable art or wearing a quilt?  There's a very fine line between the two and I've got to be careful not to cross over to the latter ............ particularly a crazy quilt!

I know what shape of jacket I'm going to do and I know the theme (think sea) but I'm still undecided about which technique to use to create the fabric.  Foundation pieced crazy quilting?  What to use for the foundation?  Something light that is going to behave when freemotioned with the wadding (I'll be using Hobbs 80/20) and backing.  It's got to behave in the washing machine so muslin is out!  I have some cotton lining which is rather stiff so I could wash that to see how that comes up or perhaps piece onto paper ............ I'm sure I could get some help to remove it all!!

Square and/or rectangular patches would be easier.  No need for a foundation, much quicker to make up and less wastage of fabric!  Hmmm ........... not reknowned for taking the easier option I really do need to think about this.


I've ordered a book hoping that there might be some useful hints and tips within.  I couldn't find much about it on the web but it was cheap so not too much to lose if it's not helpful. 

Yesterday, as part of my birthday treat, we went to Goldhawk Road.  It's not the sort of place where I'd want to hang out for any length of time but, for anybody that doesn't know, it is fabric shopping heaven!  A One fabrics (right next to the Shepherd's Bush market entrance) was the first stop.  Much of their stuff is priced unlike some of the others nearby - I find it somewhat offputting when picking up a roll of fabric, being told it's £3.95 a metre then you can have it for £3.50 when you put it back.  I'm sure you could haggle well in a few of these places if you're that way inclined though.  Anyway, amongst the dressmaking cottons were some quilting fabrics, mostly Woodrow ............. who could resist at £3.50 a metre?

A Cooke's Pie and Mash shop next door is a treat for the husband (no bathroom there though) ............ photo from a previous visit

A few doors along is Unique Fabrics where they had cotton solids for £3.95m ........ they would be £6.50 to nearly £10 at the shops nearest to me.  I had all the bits I needed so didn't even venture into the shops over the road yesterday but I have been in all of them before!  The small market is also worth a visit ........ chillis and other veg that's on the more expensive side in the supermarkets here are ridiculously cheap ......... it's worth taking a cool box just in case!!


As an aside, has anybody used the V&A's Patchwork pattern maker with any success?  I need to find the "right" photo to have a play around and remember that it's not going to convert into an intricate cross stitch chart lol!

I'm off to do some tidying up, put the washing on and THEN I can start sorting out some fabrics for the jacket and hope the postman hurries up with my book.
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