Jacket quilting, help

> If you've made these, did you use a very large piece of fabric and cover
> the whole sweatshirt with it then trim out, or did you do assorted
> patchwork, or did you flip and sew strips, etc?

>Have many of you made quilted jackets from cut up sweatshirts? I'm
>taking a 2 day workshop next weekend and I'm trying to get inspired.
>The woman who is teaching this class is extremely talented and very
>artistic. I don't have quite the "eye" she has for creative piecing.
>Her work tends to lean towards modern and Asian, neither of which is me.
>If you've made these, did you use a very large piece of fabric and cover
>the whole sweatshirt with it then trim out, or did you do assorted
>patchwork, or did you flip and sew strips, etc?
>We are supposed to bring a sweatshirt a size bigger because it'll shrink
>after quilting and re-sewing. Is one size bigger enough? I'm thinking
>it won't be.
>I have a glorious batik material that is black with scattered light
>purple/rose colored dragonflies, and a matching yard of the same
>purple/rose with a black geometric print. I was thinking of the jacket
>in the dragonflies with the geometric print for the binding and pocket,
>but I'm not sure I want to use this for my first project, in case I ruin
>this material or the jacket doesn't fit.
>I've seen a few examples of these jackets on the net, but other than
>this teacher, I don't know anyone who has made one. Any hints I should
>know about? Do I need much quilting on this jacket if I make it from
>one piece of material, would it look funny with just one piece of
>material? Should I plan to skip this batik and just piece something
>with other material? I have a couple completed lap quilt tops, maybe I
>could use these?
>As you can see, I really have no idea where to start. I'm not concerned
>about the construction of the garment, I'm sure the teacher will help
>with that, I'm just uninspired about the look I want. I'm not into
>"grandma" types of patterns, nor ultra modern. I live in jeans and want
>something that is conservative but interesting.
>I could just bring all of my sock monkey material and go silly. I was
>also thinking of just bringing a few kids sized sweatshirts and my large
>selection of kid's prints and make presents for Christmas for the little
>nieces. That way I won't ruin my good fabric until I get some
>experience.
>Help, I need inspiration!!!!!!!
>.
>Denise
>http://community.webtv.net/DeniseJG/
>My QI

> Have many of you made quilted jackets from cut up sweatshirts? I'm
> taking a 2 day workshop next weekend and I'm trying to get inspired.
> The woman who is teaching this class is extremely talented and very
> artistic. I don't have quite the "eye" she has for creative piecing.
> Her work tends to lean towards modern and Asian, neither of which is me.
>
> If you've made these, did you use a very large piece of fabric and cover
> the whole sweatshirt with it then trim out, or did you do assorted
> patchwork, or did you flip and sew strips, etc?

> We are supposed to bring a sweatshirt a size bigger because it'll shrink
> after quilting and re-sewing. Is one size bigger enough? I'm thinking
> it won't be.

> I have a glorious batik material that is black with scattered light
> purple/rose colored dragonflies, and a matching yard of the same
> purple/rose with a black geometric print. I was thinking of the jacket
> in the dragonflies with the geometric print for the binding and pocket,
> but I'm not sure I want to use this for my first project, in case I ruin
> this material or the jacket doesn't fit.

> I've seen a few examples of these jackets on the net, but other than
> this teacher, I don't know anyone who has made one. Any hints I should
> know about? Do I need much quilting on this jacket if I make it from
> one piece of material, would it look funny with just one piece of
> material? Should I plan to skip this batik and just piece something
> with other material? I have a couple completed lap quilt tops, maybe I
> could use these?

> I could just bring all of my sock monkey material and go silly. I was
> also thinking of just bringing a few kids sized sweatshirts and my large
> selection of kid's prints and make presents for Christmas for the little
> nieces. That way I won't ruin my good fabric until I get some
> experience.

> Denise in NH wrote:
>> Have many of you made quilted jackets from cut up sweatshirts? I'm
>> taking a 2 day workshop next weekend and I'm trying to get inspired.
>> The woman who is teaching this class is extremely talented and very
>> artistic. I don't have quite the "eye" she has for creative piecing.
>> Her work tends to lean towards modern and Asian, neither of which is me.
>> If you've made these, did you use a very large piece of fabric and cover
>> the whole sweatshirt with it then trim out, or did you do assorted
>> patchwork, or did you flip and sew strips, etc?
> I made one out of the block swap I did- Terbear's first block swap. I had
> a few blocks more than covered the whole sweatshirt, so I folded a few in
> half and used them as pockets for the inside. I cut the seams open on the
> sweatshirt, laid it out flat, then laid the blocks on internal. where I
> could, I seamed the blocks together. Where I had to, I just zig-zagged the
> join direct onto the sweatshirt. Then I meander quilted with a feather
> stitch all over the whole thing. Re-did the seams, and bound with a
> different fabric I had enough of. My sweetie calls it my coat of many
> colors, and I get a lot of compliments on it.
>> We are supposed to bring a sweatshirt a size bigger because it'll shrink
>> after quilting and re-sewing. Is one size bigger enough? I'm thinking
>> it won't be.
> It was in my case. I used an extra-large v-neck sweatshirt.
>> I have a glorious batik material that is black with scattered light
>> purple/rose colored dragonflies, and a matching yard of the same
>> purple/rose with a black geometric print. I was thinking of the jacket
>> in the dragonflies with the geometric print for the binding and pocket,
>> but I'm not sure I want to use this for my first project, in case I ruin
>> this material or the jacket doesn't fit.
> So plan on making more than one. :)
>> I've seen a few examples of these jackets on the net, but other than
>> this teacher, I don't know anyone who has made one. Any hints I should
>> know about? Do I need much quilting on this jacket if I make it from
>> one piece of material, would it look funny with just one piece of
>> material? Should I plan to skip this batik and just piece something
>> with other material? I have a couple completed lap quilt tops, maybe I
>> could use these?
> I would avoid all one piece of fabric for a starter... but you can say
> make a row of flying geese and use them as a stripe to offset the one
> color, or a couple of scattered small blocks with the rest all one fabric.
> The quilting will make whatever you do pop after it's washed.
> I would not do a completed lap quilt- but I do recommend using any orphan
> blocks you may have!
> Consider cutting of the sleeves and just making a vest if you prefer them.
> Consider making the black with scattered light (etc) dragonflies as the
> background, and then try to make 6 to 12 inches of something to go on the
> foreground, like cattails, shrubs, or a pier. Made with something also
> kind of dark and complimentary, it's still going to look conservative and
> yet one of a kind. Consider lining it completely with the purple/rose, and
> that will help the conservative appearance.
> Mine ain't conservative, but I'm not that way.
>> I could just bring all of my sock monkey material and go silly. I was
>> also thinking of just bringing a few kids sized sweatshirts and my large
>> selection of kid's prints and make presents for Christmas for the little
>> nieces. That way I won't ruin my good fabric until I get some
>> experience.
> If you make a few to give away to learn the technique, you'll have the
> pressure off and can just have fun with it. Why not? :)
> -georg