In the Rainforest After the Rain
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

One of the challenges in my wearables group was to use this wonderful wall panel in a garment. I made a wonderfully bright bog coat to satisfy the challenge but could not see myself ever wearing this. (OK Apart from this one time!) I think the words, I may as well put a target on my back! were uttered.

So as a more creative way to meet the challenge, I took the panels, put Thermore batting over the panel and a beautiful mint green silk Dupioni on the back. Using my new Bernina 440 and its Balanced Stitch Regulator feature, I stitched around some of the birds, butterflies and leaves and created my more subtle interpretation of the challenge. Luckily the challenge did not say anything about the panel being visible! I then used Shiva sticks and Fabrico pens to paint the birds and leaves in a monochromatic color scheme for a very elegant wearable jacket! I topped it off with Swarovski Clear crystals to look like rain drops on the leaves. I used Jennifer Amors Poptop jacket pattern. I believes I will wear this jacket more than once! I also made a matching purse where I kept the inside flap with the original fabric visible!

Penny’s interpretation should inspire you to take another look at some challenging fabrics in your stash!

The girly flirty skirt was made from charmeuse silk that I hand painted with Seta Color and salted. I used Vogue pattern 8082.

The Color Blocked Jacket
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

At the Quilt Market a couple of years ago I bought 12 silk fat quarters with the intent of making this jacket! Ok, so it took a while a mature but that is how it goes.

I used Louise Cuttings By Popular Demand Jacket Pattern. I created 6 inch squares that I embellished with embroidery, the fancy stitches on my sewing machine, and used my pintuck foot. I used about 7 colors, and then added sashing in a different color. This is one of my popular classes, where I show people how to color block their favorite pattern.

I used McCalls 2114 basic sheath pattern for the dress.

Mum's the Word
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

I found this wonderful airbrushed teal and gold mum panel by Flair Art at the International Quilt show several years ago. I added a couple of yards of matching teal silk noile and placed it in a drawer until it would decide what it wanted to be. A few years later, one of my embroidery digitizing friend (Eurika of Best Embroidery) sent me a collection of mum’s she had digitized. The teal panel leapt out of the drawer and announced what it wanted to be now that it had matured. I stitched Eurika’s mums on a matching piece of crystal organza (that I just happened to have in my stash) and created this wonderful jacket. The crystal organza was edged with black ultrasuede. I used Lois Ericson’s Smart and Sassy asymmetrical Jacket pattern which I modified to add the back panel for more interest. A single mum was added to the sleeve. I used King Star Thread (M4), one of my favorite threads, for the embroidery. It is a wonderful antique gold thread. (Penny gets her King Star from Oz’s Rachel Sterling or from Signature Designs) I used black silk noile for the edging and used one of the many decorative stitches on her Brother sewing machine to add that extra sparkle.

White Star Top
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

This white star top made of the white silk dupioni, and uses a funky star that I digitized in my PE-Design software. I used a prom dress top pattern Simplicity 7220. I added Swarovski® crystals to the centers.

To create the buttonholes on the back I did two parallel rows of satin stitches, and then did bar tacks to complete the buttonholes. This helped strengthen the back and prevents buttonhole gaps. Also the small buttons have stars carved in them. IT is sometimes all about the buttons.

Eat your heart out Elton John
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

On a trip to China I fell into a sequin store and before I knew it I had purchased many sequins. I made this jacket to showcase the sequins. I created an art deco looking geometric design on the back, front and one sleeve, using pintucks, both straight and curved. The sequins were attached individually using beads. When it was finished my first thought was, wouldn’t this be just the thing that Elton John would want to wear to the Oscars! Hence the name.

I used silver gray silk Dupioni.

 

Teal Crazy Patchwork Vest
Penny Muncaster-Jewell

This silk Dupioni vest used Lorraine Torrance’s Panel Play vest. I like this pattern since you can use it to showcase a neat technique without having to create a huge section of it. I created the crazy patchwork squares on my embroidery machine, and used three fat quarters to make the front and back panel. I made 18 5x5 inch squares that were paper pieced and embellished in the embroidery machine. The embroidery design and the cutting layout for this is given free when anyone purchases a yard of my silk, as a special bonus.

For this vest, I used an additional yard of one of the teals for the rest of the body of the jacket, and a fat quarter of phantom for the trim, and a fat quarter in Capri, paradise, and Baltic for the crazy patchwork. I added some decorative stitching to the black trim to tie it to the other colors.