How to Make a Quilted Jacket

This fun quilted jacket takes the easy route by being created with an old quilt and a man's dress shirt. Because it is a jacket, choose a shirt that is two sizes larger than a shirt that would normally fit you; this will accommodate the stitching used for this pattern and allow for roominess of clothing worn underneath the jacket. This pattern leaves the bulk of actual quilting to the old quilt used. This jacket is a raggedy quilt design with the seams on the outside.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Man's dress shirt
• Seam ripper
• Scissors
• Iron
• Old quilt
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• 5/8 inch wide Velcro (5 inches)

1. Lay the shirt flat on your work table. Cut across the bottom at the desired length of your jacket and to eliminate the tails from the shirt. Remove the collar, pocket, placard and cuffs from the shirt using a seam ripper, and discard. Cut the shirt apart by removing the seams. Iron each of the shirt pieces. These will be your inside lining to the quilted jacket.

2. Lay the quilt right-side down on your work surface. Place all the shirt pieces on the back of the quilt with the right sides down. Pin the shirt pieces to the quilt with the right sides up. Use the shirt pieces as your pattern and cut around each shape. Top stitch around the edges of each piece, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

3. Place the quilted shirt fronts on top of the quilted shirt back with the lining sides together. Pin the shoulder seams. Sew the pinned shoulder seam using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. The seam will be on the outside of the jacket.

4. Flip the fronts of the jacket open and lay flat on your work surface with the lining side up. Attach the sleeves to the same place they were cut apart. Line up the top of the sleeves and the armhole edges with the lining sides together and pin. Sew the pinned armhole together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. The seams will be on the outside of the jacket.

5. Fold the fronts of the jacket over the back with the lining sides together. Line up the underarm edges of the sleeves. Pin the underarm edges and the side seams of the quilted jacket. Sew the pinned edges using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. The seams will be on the outside of the jacket.

6. Cut the length of Velcro into 1-inch pieces for a total of five pieces. Pull apart each of the halves of Velcro. Open the front of the jacket. Equally space and pin the fuzzy halves down one jacket front, 1 inch from the vertical quilt edge. Top stitch the Velcro to the jacket. Overlap the other jacket front over the sewn Velcro pieces. Insert the bristle halves of the Velcro between the jacket edges. Match the bristle halves with the fuzzy halves. Pin the Velcro to the lining side of the other jacket front, 1 inch from the edge. Top stitch the Velcro to the jacket.

References

• Cyndee Kromminga, Craft and Interior Designer; Kro Crafts; Winfield, Kansas