I was warmly gifted some beautiful, hand-pieced, sleeveless vests that were an Aunt's favorite wardrobe accessory. Several of the vests hold her paper-pieced squares, and many with her hard-to-miss glittery fabric.
She mastered the art of Foundation Paper Piecing, as viewed in her signature squares, shown below:
I often wondered if she made the vests bright and bold so that Uncle could find her in a crowd at the various jazz festivals they frequented in the North-West.
She had an eye for vibrant colors and was amazingly creative. Through the use of buttons, ribbon, and lace, she embellished several of the colorful vests, adding even more pizzazz!
Did I share that most of the vests are reversible - and often not in a complimentary color to the other side. Just think how clever that was when she packed her suitcase and had two vests in one! The photos below show one vest - one side has rich harvest colors, the other side is a distinct red, black, and gold with a more sophisticated feel.
This two sided vest is of similar colors; with one more blue and other more teal.
Another is so busy and bright, she toned it down with a canary yellow lining:
And, with a love of cats, she often included a feline square somewhere on a vest:
As you can tell, she was also an expert quilter. It makes one wonder if the vests or quilts came first. My guess it was the quilts first, and as she became more creative, the vests were an extension of her artistry. This is one of my favorite vests - you can spot some wild cats in this one as well as some kittens:
So, what to do with all of these vests? I will take some time to be thoughtful in thinking about a way to upcycle these lovely vests and honor her efforts and creativity. The Dresden Plate Quilt that she presented to us on our wedding day was one we lost in the wildfires. It feels right to have one of the projects become a cherished quilt in her memory.
Have you been the recipient of some lovely works? Please share any ideas how you honored the crafter and if you upcycled the original(s).
Thank you for stopping by.
XOXOX
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