What a pleasant surprise to open the September issue of Vogue magazine and see so much patchwork and quilting inside! Much of this trend can be attributed to the arrival of Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, who has embraced Americana as part of his vision for the brand. But several other designers have included patchwork and quilting inspiration in their fall collections as well, so it was fun to see it all presented together in one big glossy package. (I confess: I love the September issue.)
You could have all sorts of fun with the patchwork trend, and here are a few ideas to inspire you.
Below, left: use color blocking (refer to page 90 of the Building Block Dress book) to create patchwork on any sewing pattern.
Below, right: The School Days Coat pattern includes a removable vest lining that would be perfect for a similar style! Just lay the pattern pieces on top of a quilted patchwork and cut them out. (You could also re-use an old quilt for this.)
Below, left: If you add a lining you can probably avoid finishing the seams of a patchwork fabric.
Below, right: Try a tiered Popover maxi dress for a similar look, using scraps of printed cottons for the different tiers.
Which of these photos inspires you, and what would you do with it?
Those adorable needlepoint sneakers remind me a bit of Anna Maria’s gorgeous needlepoint tote bags on Creativebug, too. It’s sort of fun when craft influences fashion, isn’t it?