Patchy

A recent visit to a local salvage store resulted in an increase to my embroidered appliqué stash--enough of an increase to push things into "oh wow I really should do something with these" territory.

Hmm.  Well..."patches on jackets" is one of those perpetually punk/currently trendy things, I could do that.  Need to make the jacket, though.

I'd wanted to make something from Simplicity 5253 for a while

and that big pile of thrift grab bag cloth included a dark gray synthetic-heavy twill with flocked leopard spots that I really wanted to do something with, because, c'mon.  Flocked leopard spots.

The envelope requirements said I didn't have enough cloth.  I ended up with a solid 14"x16" piece leftover, plus random large-enough-to-use-for-doll clothes scraps.  I think I even paid attention to the nap.  (Maybe.)

I constructed everything to the point where the sleeves were attached flat (and topstitched!) and the next step would be the sleeve/side seams, but at that point I put it on a hanger and started pinning on patches.  I tried not to be too fussy with what went where--still, left it that way overnight and changed a few things the next morning.

Then the zigzagging began. 

I had reasonably well-matched thread for almost everything.  Had no dark-but-not-navy blue, so used the coolest dark purple I had where that was needed (that would be to sew on the letter I got in high school.  If you're blinking at what sport I might've performed well enough in--or even participated in at all--to earn a letter, don't worry.  I earned that letter for academic performance.  I also ordered some dark blue thread this morning.)

Once all 35 patches were attached, I sewed up the sleeves/sides, finished the sleeves, and hemmed the bottom.  The main deviation I did in this pattern is (say it with me) extra topstitching--partly for the looks, partly because I...kinda...didn't iron anything.  Well, OK, I started by ironing the seam allowance in the under collar, melted all of the flocking, and learned my lesson. (And I had to fight myself not to line it--the idea that lining might interfere with any future patch attaching was what convinced me.  Everything's serged.)

I thought I would be super indecisive about buttons, but I actually just used the first set of four black buttons in the right size I found.  And the fact that I used a broadcloth--from the thrift grab bag assortment--as interfacing worked out just fine.

So...the finished mess jacket...


The patch assortment ranges from things I had in high school to things I'd bought a few days before making the jacket

Yeah, the pattern and base fabric combination actually give this thing an Aggressively Business Casual silhouette.  I'd say the patches on top are ridiculous against the Business Casualness, but ridiculous isn't a problem.

There's my high school letter!  And a patch from my Girl Scout days, so I guess that one's older than from when I was in high school.

 That square patch was a gift--it's an Evil Supply Co Phantasmaflora Farm Market patch and it is amazing.  (There are other ESC patches that are equally amazing.)  The Star Trek patch I got in high school.  That Safety First patch was in Dad's stuff--he'd worked for the rail road most of his life--and is probably (considerably) older than from when I was in high school, too.

 Close-up of the lack of ironing at the hems.  I might go back and carefully iron between the flocked bits, but...probably not.

The three woven patches here are things I  absolutely adored in high school (or, honestly, maybe even junior high?) and bought several of each when they went on clearance in my hometown Ben Franklin craft store.  They're old enough now that their intensely 1980s designs produce smiles again (instead of cringes.)  You might recognize the larger patch from this jacket.  I said I had multiples.

 The stylized rib cage is the graphic from a t-shirt the kiddo outgrew years ago.  The vinyl cat face is something I made randomly a while ago (which seems to have gone unblogged here.)

I think the point of this photo was to show the bit of the center seam for the under collar?

Anyway.

That's my ridiculous patch jacket!