QuilterMomma

So question people, I want to make a chicken themed jacket for show competition next year. The back will have a large quilted in varigated bright thread on a deep blue batik fabric, how would you and what kind of embroidery designs would you place on the front or do you think that would coordinate. Just asking. I found some roosters on Nancy Notions, Barnyard Chickens, and they are very pretty. I do not want to invest in them if the idea does not go well together. I was thinking on the front would stitch designs on a light blue batik, set them on point with the dark blue so they stand out as diamonds going down front panels. Then could do them in diamonds going down the sleeves of the jacket set in the dark blue. This way keeping the front and back seperate? Or maybe doing a braided border around bottom of facket with little chicken tracks.

newbee3

I have topaz 30 let me know if I can help

TanyaL

Are you showing chickens for competition and want this jacket to wear or is the jacket to judged in a competition of some sort? If the jacket is to be judged, then what are the requirements of the competition? Without knowing any details of the competition how can we know if your jacket will help you to win?
Give us more details. We would love to help you.

QuilterMomma

There are no criteria on the competition. It is just wearable art. You can enter anything you want. I just like to wear quilted jackets and vests all the time so I make them for me to wear and enter them. I also want the quilting ribbon so that is why the jacket must be quilted heavily as well with design elements. Yes, the jacket will be judged by a judge for overall design, and of course the details of a "quilt" binding and such plus construction. The other is a people's choice competition so you get what appeals to people. That to me is the hardest judge. So if it does not go together well, then the overal appearance is no good. I thought doing a jacket with machine embroidery this time might give it a bit of punch and appeal to people. Plus I really want to make the quilted chicken on the back and play with thread and longarm then add those Sworvoski crystals like on Linday Taylor quilts.

QuilterMomma

This is the jacket I made this year and won 3rd place, but that is just not good enough. I quilted it with all feathers and I did add beads to the front which does not show in this photo. I took first at one fair with it and 2nd at another by a judge so the construction is good, but it did not appeal to people. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t203941-3.html

I want to hit that mark for people's choice so that is why I thought the chicken jacket would be cool. I have to find a jacket pattern that might work and saw a couple on Nancy's Notions I liked which would work with this idea. A straight cut cardigan type. http://www.nancysnotions.com/categor...urPicks&page=2

I do like the cozy quilted jacket but not sure this idea would work with that pattern.

hokieappmom

I agree with raksmum. Definitely take advantage of the Bernina dealer's classes. My dealer is awesome with all sorts of hand-on classes.

TanyaL

Just my thoughts on the design choice. " Chickens" shout "Farm and Country" so loudly to some that it may not be the design for art that you are striving for. It says "cute" and in the art and fashion world "cute" is the kiss of death. Personally I would go for a design choice that said more high fashion, more sophisication. Your construction details would of course be the same - but it would illicit a different choice of complements - like elegant, fashionable,etc. Maybe including different fabics would be a plus for competimg such as a suede tuxedo collar dyed in the correct color quilted or embroidered. Good luck in whatever you do. Your workmanship is obviously top notch.

pattypurple

Took a class I quilting with emb. machine today at my dealer's. What a great class. Now I can do something other than straight line quilting. Practiced on a quilt for Project Linus. Don't think the kids will care if it isn't perfect. Spent about an hour on emblibrary looking for good patterns to use for the quilting. I do love having this machine more than I thought I would

QuilterMomma

See where you are going with that TanyaL. So if I want to do the chickens, then I need to get the fancy elegant ones then spruce it up from there. Roberto Fabuloso, said the same thing as you. I need to think fancy roosters with great plume if I want to theme that jacket. he sent me a couple of photos of a beautiful jacket with a rooster on it, but had flowers spread across the jacket to add for elegance. It also had a wide bottom and is a fitted jacket. This gives me a direction. When I get some funds built up I am going to buy those roosters from nancy's notions and use those designs. Then I will also be looking for the fabric foundation color and florals to go with it to add into the jacket. i can do this. The quilting will probably be McTavishing so that way it is a firm fitting jacket and use wool for the batting. Wool is so fun to quilt on.

TanyaL

I think you will be fine as long as no one can look at it and say "cute". In art school, if anyone put cute on one of our projects we knew it was an automatic F. The jacket should shout "I cost several hundreds of dollars and was bought in Paris or Rome!"