Thank You Kathy and Phyllis

It is an honor to have had my project chosen for the cover garment of the premier issue of Classic Sewing.  Thanks to Kathy and Phyllis, this publication is top quality and such a needed addition to our little heirloom sewing world. Bravo ladies!

After a bit of a scramble (because the magazine actually released EARLY!!!!) project kits are up on my Etsy site (www.etsy.com/shop/gaildoane) in a choice of three colors.

My submission for the next issue is stitched/drafted/photographed/instructions written/and shipped!!! Ta da!

Strawberry Thief - The Liberty Obsession Continues

       My obsession with Liberty continues.  Current project is a jacket/smocked dress combination.

The jacket is constructed with Liberty of London 

Strawberry Thief from their classic line.  I channel quilted the body and sleeves of the jacket to a layer of 'Warm and Natural' which gave it  a lovely bit of body but not a lot of extra weight. The two  center pleated patch pockets are piped with lime 1/32" micro check and bound with navy pique.  I did a fair amount of fussy cutting to keep the birds all lined up and facing the right direction.  

The turn up on the sleeve will allow for at least an extra year of growth room.  Three turned bias loops over covered buttons secure the asymmetric closure on the front of the jacket.

The back yoke of the jacket is quilted on a diagonal 1" grid and the center back pleat give a nice swing shape to the jacket when worn over the dress.

The matching navy pique smocked dress has a scalloped yoke, sleeve and hemline.  

Twenty two  4 1/2" scallops give the hemline a nice weight and serious twirl factor.

I am thinking I might use this quilting technique to make a Liberty jacket for myself.  It opens up lots of options for some of the under two yard cuts I have been hoarding for more than a few years (even the 36" wide ones!)