Patchwork quilted coats and jackets have been popping up everywhere lately. Whether they're real quilts transformed into outerwear or quilted pieces made specifically for garments, the phenomena has caught my attention too. A project is brewing!

Here's what's inspiring me today:

I love the layered, random-style patchwork of this piece. The big stitch style quilting also adds a beautiful touch.

Here’s a very different look. Patchwork placed with intention can have a beautiful effect. The abundant negative space and clean lines feel modern.

Brittney @Brittney.Frey has perfect the hooded patchwork coat. Her coats are often made up of squares in 3-4 colors, darker colors on bottom which creates a lovely depth! She sells her one-of-a-kind creations at Sew Much Fab.

Both of these coats are made from thrifted quilts using the All Well Cardigan Coat pattern. It’s nice to see a pattern with a free hacking guide that helps you make the piece up in other variations. Usually I don’t like the look of quilt coats that have bound edges, but these binding choices are subtle enough not to distract or look overtly quilt-y.

Anne Murphy fashion article from The Times

I love the casual elegance of this piece. It might be made of a complex printed fabric, rather than actual patchwork. Even though there’s a lot going on, the more mature palette and loose cut looks very wearable to me.

Notice how this jacket is quilted by following the pattern of the lining fabric. This gives me another idea. One could simplify the process of making a “patchwork” coat by choosing an interesting print for the coat exterior and adding quilting along the pattern lines to create a faux-patchwork look.

Over the last few months I’ve been working on a wardrobe project. I’m overhauling my look from the plain, but practical one I had gradually adopted over the years as a busy mom - mostly because it’s easy to find, easy to wash and easy to wear - to one that reflects my style again.

I often turn to books when I want to stretch myself, so I’ve been working through The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees (fyi, that’s an affiliate link). I needed a book to help me rediscover my style and to give me “permission” to let go of worn-out or totally unflattering clothes. The book is like a workbook with lots of exercises. One aha moment was making a Pinterest board for my style and then studying the board for patterns. Believe it or not, I had never ever made a fashion-oriented Pinterest board before! I’ve been so focused on patchwork and color and somehow never thought to find inspiration for what I wear.

Anyhoo it was through that exercise and others in the book that I realized a patchwork coat would be an excellent way of adding a fun piece to my wardrobe that would express my personality.

I know, I know - - - duh! Well, hindsight is, as they say, twenty-twenty.