Still Working on my Quilted Jacket

Whoever said life was about the journey and not the destination never had to look for a place to park.

~ Henry Grabar

Quilting

My sister finally visited me. Usually I visit her. What a wonderful week we had: butterfly pavilion, arboretum, choral recital, lots of meals with extended family… and the Quilt Festival. Lovely although smaller than previous years. We also worked on a shirt for her. Now she’s on her way home but we’re planning future visits. 

Before she arrived I worked on my jacket. Each pattern piece has it's own translucent paper template that allows me to align intersections better (not perfect.) Once the tops were sewn, I cut lining and flannel {instead of batting} for each piece from the blue.

Stitch in the ditch was the choice for the previous jacket; it showed off the prints better. Since this jacket is all solids, I grid quilted on the diagonal, going from point to point on the design. I did use a washable marker when the points were further apart. 

The cotton flannel filling was a big mistake. There were no problems quilting the separate pieces but it was very difficult to sew seams. Probably because it was too tightly woven. It's not even noticeably thinner than Mountain Mist batting. It does crinkle less but there are easier ways to achieve that effect.

Reading

Americans expect parking to be "convenient, available, and free"... in other words "perfect." We are only now facing the environmental consequences of paving so much land for automobiles. Henry Grabar explores current issues of urban parking and offers possible solutions in an engaging and humorous manner. 

Enjoy the day, Ann