This vest has been percolating in Rae’s brain ever since June of 2024. She and Carrie each bought a bundle of ½ yard pieces from our Japanese fabric supplier at the h+h americas show when we were there to sign our Sewing Quilted Patchwork Jackets Book for Fox Chapel Press. Because we are preparing for this upcoming class, Rae decided to get to work on her planned vest.
If you want to get going stitching up a vest, register now for the Vest of Many Colors Class at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria VA March 6 and 7th. This class is designed to bring Tabula Rasa Vests into your wardrobe. Of course you’re not limited to using the same fun fabric or design as the Artistic Artifacts Vest, but any Tabula Rasa Jacket/Vest design that strikes your fancy. You will leave with a simple vest, altered patterns and knowledge to make the Tabula Rasa Jacket pattern which offers limitless design options. Spaces are still available so register today.
Rae’s idea was to make a hand-quilted “bears with umbrellas” vest using these fanciful fabrics. No project is ever that easy or straightforward: if only the ½ yard pieces in each color had been cut consistently with the fabric’s printed pattern. But that was not the case and the simple block combination she had imagined needed a bit of reimagining.
Last November she took out the fabrics to begin stitching up this vest, but she got so sidelined by making the fabrics work together, that it was put aside, partially imagined. Now that she is in her french studio, she has returned to the project that matches a tee she made during the filming of the Tabula Rasa Knit Virtual Class. One of Rae’s 2026 intentions is to make good use of things that are languishing in her closet, like this lovely green tee. Here is her report on progress.
Using the tried and true formula from the Gold Echino Vest that was featured several years ago in Classic Sewing Magazine, The Tabula Rasa Jacket Pattern was divided along the middle balance line and a sashing fabric was inserted. You can also see this design in Project #10 in the Sewing Quilted Patchwork Jackets book.
My grid pellon pattern pieces were in the project bag along with the 4 coordinating fabrics, blue denim for side panels and sashing, and a piece of brown suede for the band and armhole bindings. There was also a piece of prewashed lining, a piece of Hobbs silk batting, and some button and thread options to complete the project. If you need to know how much fabric and lining are required for a vest in your size, check our new chart of vest yardage requirements, which can also be found in the helpful hints for Jackets tab. If you want to know how to finish off the Tabula Rasa Jacket as a vest, see these downloadable, free Vest instructions.
With a completely unscheduled day ahead of me, I got out all the elements of the vest project and reviewed my thoughts and the pin markings left behind during my November deliberations. The problem was that the fabrics had to be pieced to create complete bears in the bodice sections.
Have you ever revisited a project like this and found, like I did, that it took most of the day to remember what direction I was headed in and act upon it? Fortunately, there were some photos on my camera to revisit my original ideas. Having the grid pellon pattern pieces made the process a bit more streamlined.
Once the sections were cut out and the fronts and back assembled, it was time to decide on the quilting. I love to work slowly when I am in France and even though I have a terrific machine for free motion, I wanted to keep this vest lightly hand quilted. After some pinterest searching, and test sample making, I landed on the idea of creating rain falling into small puddles with my hand stitches.
The silk batting is so soft and paired with the prewashed canvas or denim and the light pearl cotton, hand stitching the pieces came together over the course of a week. The lining is free-hanging and perhaps I will ultimately add a bit more falling rain to the vest to connect the vest to the lining throughout. That is a decision yet to be finalized.
Not every garment has to be fully realized before the project begins. If there are no time constraints, relaxing into the discovery of new directions over the course of the project can lead to fun ideas like the rain showers for this fanciful canvas print. This hand quilted “bears with umbrellas” vest is the perfect example.
Just don’t let your deliberations slow you down too much! Make a few samples then get on with the project. I hope to turn a couple of the tiny quilting samples into interior pockets. Attend a class or retreat with Fit for Art for some encouragement or guidance.
Keep an eye on Fit for Art’s social media to see the final finishes and interior pockets of Rae’s “Bears with Umbrellas” vest.
Feeling inspired? Sign up for the vest class at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria VA. It is a fabulous store that makes shopping for fabrics, trims, threads and more a wonderful experience. We are also scheduled to teach a Carpe Diem Class there in June and a Quilted Jacket Class in October. We hope to see you there!
