Weekend Review: Sewing Quilted Patchwork Jackets

Sewing Quilted Patchwork Jackets / Rae Cumbie & Carrie Emerson
Mount Joy, PA: Landauer, c2024.
184 p.

I have been reading and enjoying the book over the last week or two, after having checked it out from my library. This might be one of those library books that I'm now going to have to buy for myself. Lots of good info in it! 

It's all about, obviously, quilted patchwork jackets. The subtitle is "Four approaches, Ten Distinctive Designs, Two Downloadable Patterns". This is slightly misleading, as the book is based on the Opus Coat pattern by Fit for Art, and the two patterns are the adult and children's sizes -- available for download but also included in the back of the book as photocopiable patterns. There are four approaches though: whole cloth, patchworked, collaged, or reworking an existing quilt. And there are 10 different projects here, which can look very distinct from one another thanks to small details, aside from fabric choices of course.

The pattern has options for a front band closure, a collar, or even a vest version (all shown on the front). You can adjust those to create a wide contrast front band, extend the jacket into a duster, add applique, pockets or linings, and choose from buttonholes, button loops or snaps as a closure. Lots of variety shown thanks to the many projects included. 

I was intrigued by a couple of the projects in particular, but each one is well thought out and has clear images and instructions. I really appreciated that there are tips throughout for garment sewists who aren't quilters, but also for quilters who aren't garment sewists, about the particular differences that each might need to be aware of. 

It starts with sewing tips, ideas for design, and construction and finishing steps to be aware of. Then it moves into the projects, each of which has large photos for each step and lots of instruction. Like I mentioned earlier, there is a nice variety in the finished projects -- she uses different colourways to show how the jacket can look quite distinct, from jewel tones to Morris prints to denim and orphan quilt blocks. They all give quite a different vibe. 

I think this is a great resource for anyone interested in making a trendy quilted coat from scratch; there is only one (the duster coat) that uses a premade quilt. Well organized, lots of inspiring images and tons of practical information. I was impressed.