Coat of 365 Colors
Jacket pattern: Artemis by I AM Patterns
Exterior: Kona Cotton in all 365 colors
Interior: High Tide in Seaglass by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics
Batting: Warm & White
Quilting: 1” channels at a diagonal using Gütermann Creativ in white
Binding: Wright’s Binding Tape in five colors
Size: L
Date finished: 18 Feb 2020
This jacket was made with scraps from trimming quarter yards of each color in preparation for the 2” square sets. I ended up using about 1 x 22” of each color. I wanted to use every color in the jacket, but didn’t want to just sew the scraps together and cut from that. No, I had to paper piece triangles. I re-sorted all the colors into 10 rows of 37 colors, with rows going from green to yellow to black and columns ranging from darkest shades to lightest. Triangles helped address the issue of having the color gradation on both body and arms without introducing extra angles. Combining two color rows into a single row of triangles meant that the color would come up just past the armpits. Even though the lightest colors were at the top, there was still too severe of a line between those and the white I had planned at the top. After some rearrangement, I realized that the whites could be used as a diagonal line cutting through the color. This still left a strong line at the top, which was softened a bit by adding left over half-triangles of the lightest greys and beiges at the top.
I initially quilted 2” channels on all the pieces, but it looked too much like a quilt. Which is what it is, but it needed something more. I tested 1” channels on the inside of the pocket and like it so much more. If I had had another day, I probably would have doubled the quilting again to 1/2” channels.
I started the triangles 1 5/8" from the bottom of the body so that those triangles were complete. The inside of the hem was a strip of Grass Green. Rather than repeating the green for inside the cuff, there was enough sleeve fabric from the triangle arrangement that I could make the sleeves 1.5” longer without having to add any additional hem fabric.
I used Hong Kong seam finishing to close off the cut edges. This was going to be a “if I have time” feature that I’m glad I was able to fit in. I was nervous about picking off threads all during QuiltCon. Beyond the functionality, they just look really cool. I used Wright’s binding tape, as I didn’t have the time for making my own, which worked out well because I could use multiple colors and bring the outside in a bit.
Once I figured out what the collar instructions were saying, that part went fairly easily, as I could do it in my own way. Were I to make this again, I’d change from the beginning how I attach the collar, in addition to altering the collar width around the neck.
Another change I'd make would be to slim down the waist a bit. I know the jacket is supposed to be larger and more drapey, but especially because of how structured it is, it almost feels like I’m wearing a hoop skirt around my torso. I had been nervous about the pockets hanging loose without structure and even set out interfacing to help make sure it kept its shape. Fortunately I forgot about the interfacing because it was not necessary. I'm hoping with a few washes, it'll hang a bit freer.
Had I not suddenly decided to go to QuiltCon and thought some #QuiltConCouture was required, I hope I would have enjoyed the process more. "Just a simple quilted jacket" fails to capture that it's essentially the construction of a large throw quilt from which the jacket components are assembled. I'll know better for next time, which will not have an 18 day deadline.
