Oh, I can’t tell you how happy I am that the coat that I was designing for Lecien fabrics is finally done and mailed off for their booth at Spring Market!
You remember the Baltimore coat that I did for the special exhibit at Pacific International Quilt Festival last October. I can’t wear it anywhere, so I wanted to design a coat that could be an “every day” coat.
Here are the pictures of the coat, as it progressed. I hope you enjoy seeing how it evolved.
Here are the coat pieces on my design wall at Empty Spool Seminar in March. I had a length of fabric quilted by Shelley Nealon of Quilted Bliss, then I cut out the pieces.
I love adding birds and other sweetness to my designs. I usually do this bird as a bluebird. This time I wanted Robins. I wonder why… ; )
A first pass at a front design. I didn’t like the “bulls-eye” effect of the flower, so I scrapped those and choose something better that you’ll see below.
Then, I went to my retreat at Camp Ocean Pines and worked on these:
Look familiar? This the design that is now my website banner. I love this design and wanted to use it for the coat. It’s a like a great big tattoo on the upper back. Not that I would have one, mind you.
A little rosie. I love these little things. I use them a lot.
Here is the coat back piece. I constructed it by appliqueing the center piece first, then added the right panel, then the left on this princess seam coat.
The little yellow dots have become my trademark, it seems. They add just that little bit of accent that is like a beauty mark. And they are so difficult to stitch when the coat gets nearer to completion.
The coat front piece. See what I mean about those little roses? I also like heart shaped leaves.
Now look at the flowers on the right. No more bulls-eyes. These look much more natural. I like shading.
Here they are all together before the coat is assembled. This is what I saw when I woke up yesterday morning. I knew that all of the design elements were complete. I can’t tell you how happy it made me to know that I could just finish the coat already!
So here it is, all put together.
and here is the back:
and a close-up:
and another:
The above flower was inspired by some flowers that I found in Renae Haddadin’s garden when I visited her last June. I LOVE the lady bug! And the flower!
I sewed the buttons on the coat while WebGuy drove me to UPS to overnight the finished coat. Talk about deadlines! I’m so glad that I’m all done now, so I can concentrate on the upcoming Quilter’s Palette online class.
Oh! Here’s one more picture — the quilt that I did for the Lecien booth also, using their new “Floral Collection in Pastel” fabric — gorgeous hand-painted fabric.
It’s going to be a new pattern, Floral Elegance, which will be in the SimpleArts boutique soon.
Happy Quilting!!
My good quilt-pal uploaded pictures of my coat in the Lecien booth on FaceBook so I could see it there. What a pay-off to see it there! It makes it all worth the 120+ hours that it took to make the coat, start to finish.
Thanks, Beth!!
©2009 Annie Smith All Rights Reserved
Oh. My. Goodness. Annie. Oh. My. Goodness.Gracious.
Great job! I’m very impressed that you were able to line up the light fabric lines on the front. I hope we get to see it at the retreat next March!
I HAD TO line them up, Terri! Otherwise you would have been able to see that they weren’t, right?
Oh yeah — YOU will be able to see it before next March. Speaking of retreats though, I found the PERFECT place for a retreat last weekend – which is where the next retreat will be. I’ll be talking about it in my next podcast. ; )
Thank you, Barbara! I’m so glad that you like it!
Wow! Annie, this is lovely! I love the design elements and you’ve placed them so beautifully. It was worth all your long hours, I’d say!
Wonderful work!
Gee, and to think my “everyday” coat is a Land’s End fleece jacket…
love love love the coat! I would wear it every day if I were you (ok, maybe not here in TX, but I’d want to!)
*Love* the jacket, Annie! You do such lovely work!
P.S. So glad the classroom is *open*. I’m on my way to my first class. 🙂
Oh Annie, I just adore your coat! What a shame I’ll never see it in person, living here in Australia :-(( It’s inspired me to try to make a quilted, flowery-appliqueed coat of my own ….one day!
Di — where do you live in Australia? Who knows, maybe someday soon I will be invited to come and teach in Australia and we could meet. It could happen! And I promise if I come, I’ll bring my coat ; )
In the meantime, do make one of your own — and make sure to send me pictures!!
p.s. I swore as I was in the middle of construction that I was never going to make another one. I figured out that it took 11 12 hour days from start to finish. Then, after I got in the car from the UPS store, I told WebGuy, “ok, I’ll make another one some day.”!
Oh my gosh Annie, GORGEOUS!!! What a beautiful coat and I love that you used “your flowers.” I also wish to be able to see it one day as I would love to come to one of your retreats, it sounds like heaven! I also love the quilt that you made and I can’t wait to get the pattern when it becomes available in your store.
Again, love you and your podcasts!!!
Love,
Cyn
Oh my word! It’s beautiful! Great Job Annie!
Hi Annie
Now I ‘see’ why you have been so busy lately! How proud and relieved you must be.It’s wonderful. I hope you can wear it in Vermont when you come to our guild in Nov.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Claire
Your coat is amazing. Just like you.
I finally got to listen to your last podcast. Loved it. And now you get to join the grandma club! Welcome. I have another friend named Annie and she goes by “Granny Annie” to her grandkids. I think that’s cute.
So where is our next retreat? I’ll miss camp Ocean PInes….but I’m sure it’ll be great wherever we meet.
Dear Annie,
Brava!!!