I'm excited! I finished my first sweatshirt jacket this past weekend and here it is!
I decided to line it as I quilted, so I cut lining to fit each part (sleeve, fronts, back) and I used 2 Honeybuns that I've had for a few months and didn't know what to do with. They are "Nostalgia" by April Cornell (Moda.) I also made binding with some extra strips and covered all the inner raw quilt sandwich edges for a more finished look. I did this before sewing the pieces back together. Then, I covered some buttons and added 3 self-fabric button loops. I ran it through a gentle wash and dry to make it softer...
I had a lot of fun and even had 3 people at work asking to buy one.
Here it is:

Lovely, you made a great job of that.

Wow that is special---- everyone on this board would love to shop in one of these. Nice job, thanks for sharing!

Love the jacket.... I want to learn how to make one!
Enjoy the Art.
Sue

Quite beautiful!!

I'm confused - so did you use the sweatshirt as filler or the lining as filler or just fabric and lining without the sweatshirt in it. Usually I 've just seen the fabric sewn directly onto the sweatshirt. Just curious - it is so pretty. Great job.

Wow! You have raised the simple sweatshirt to a new level :thumbup:

ooooh. So pretty! Now I really have to make one. I was going to make one for my sister for her birthday (on 1/20!) so I guess I better get a move on! I really, really like yours!

Wow, you did a fantabulous job! That is one of the prettiest I have seen!!

DITTO !!!

Wow...awesome! I have wanted to make one of these for soooo long...your fabric is gorgeous too...I am going to bookmark your pictures...absolutely love your jacket... :thumbup:

Gorgeous piece of work!

Did you use your normal size sweatshirt or one size up? Thinking with the cutting the shirt apart and the quilting would make it smaller.

Beautiful

I really like it! The colors are wonderful. You did a great job.

Sewing directly onto the sweatshirt does make it smaller. So you do always need to size up on the sweatshirt. That's why I'm curious how she used the lining and maybe it made a difference.

Gosh that looks cozy! You are making me want to make one too!! LOL!
I love the colors and the extra work you did to make it really a wearable garment. Nice job!

very nice

SOOO pretty! Love the colors!

I love it! I wanna make one too!!

Love your jacket great JOB

Very nice!

love your sweatshirt jacket, thanks for sharing with us

Thank you all for your very nice comments.

Here's how I made it:

I did go up a size in the sweatshirt from my usual size. I cut all the pieces apart, and measured to find the middle of the front, and cut that line. I opened up the sleeves and cut the cuffs off the sleeves with my rotary cutter. I also cut the crew neck off. I ended up leaving the lower waist "cuff" because I wanted it longer.
I decided to quilt a lining because I thought it would look and feel better than the sweatshirt itself (and easier to slide on over other tops/blouses)
I then cut lining material using each piece as a pattern. I pinned them together , did not baste (lazy me, but works fine) I admit that the lning fabric I used is some cream polished cotton leftover drapery lining (cheap me!) (or frugal! frugal is better!)
I had found a YouTube tute about these jackets and also the one here, so I started in the middle of the back piece, laid my strips out how I wanted them (you may notice the front sides are the same from the button edge to the side seam, but the back strips are random. Sleeves are as close as I could get to identical...was running low on matching strips by then.) Sewed the strips from middle out to each side on all the pieces per the tutes. (press each one and used sizing before sewing on the next strip.) Then cut off extra pieces of strips to the size of the sweatshirt/lining. I also rounded the square edges of the front neckline and bottom of the front. I decided to run binding along all inner seam sides of the quilt sandwich for a finished look. Then, starting with the shoulder seams, stitched the parts back together- sleeves next (pinning first), then the long seam of the body side to sleeve side (which is how the sweatshirt was originally put together.) I did pin that also.
Then sewed the fabric button loops in place, did the binding (like my quilt binding, which are by hand on the back --or the inner side, in this case.) I also made sure the seams were stitched open with the binding.
When I first made it I had it pressed very neatly with the seams open...looked so pretty! But after washing, they sort of cam together but i don't want to press it.
I sewed 2 strips together and made the covered buttons. (thought the 2 together would look "quilty")
And there it is!

Things I will do differently next time:
*Use 2 sizes larger sweatshirt, rather than one size larger. I wish it were larger. It shrank a bit when I washed it. Still very wearable, but not as loose as I wanted. Or use quilt batting. I may do that next time and forget the sweatshirt..
*NOT cut off the crew neck, and possibly will add a small Mandarin-type collar. This one has more of a sweetheart neckline and doesn't work with every blouse or top.
*pin pin pin! I wasn't happy with one of the sleeves and I took it out and redid it after wearing it once. It was 'off' a bit with the underarm seams.

This was a fun and relatively quick project and the precuts made it easy-peasey!

Wonderful job. I love the colors you used, it looks so soft.

So pretty....good job!

Thanks - I always heard to go up at least 1-2 sizes on the sweatshirt. And with both sweatshirt and lining I'm sure it didn't help. It did turn out very beautiful. Again nice work.

I have no clue how you made it, but it's very very nice !

You did a Great job on it. I love the material you used.

Wow, that's really pretty, and really like the shape of the
neckline!

That's really really really neat!

Will you make one for ME? :)

I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind:
Do you open the sweatshirt down the front before adding the strips?
How do you get into the sleeves? Are they opened, then sewn closed after quilting?

Most importantly: would you do a tutorial if you make more for coworkers? I've been interested in making one for my sister since she asked for one. Just haven't had time to do research. Our guild will have a class but I have to work :-( Don't feel pressured or anything, but I'd appreciate any answers.

Very pretty. I like your button closure.

Very nice!

Love the way you did your closures!

Beautiful jacket.
I started making one of those about 6 years ago. I have all the quilting done, and the jacket sewn together. All I have to do is the lining in the sleeve and the binding around it. I need to get that done her someday!

Awesome!

VEry nice. Kinda makes me feel oriental for some reason.

Awesome job....don't you feel how many of us are inspired to do one

Gorgeous. I so want to do one of those, but haven't yet.
Jo Ann