I like the idea of a blanket sized piece of fabric wrapped around the body. Even better if it’s pieced and appliquéd, like a cozy quilt pulled over and around your shoulders.

I sewed my very first cape when I was in high school. I had asked for a poncho for Christmas and instead of that, my mom bought me a yard of fuzzy wool, a pattern and an inexpensive sewing machine. It was step one onto this path I am following. [Thank you Mom!]

Now years later, I’m revisiting the form. A cape, a poncho, a cloak, this shape has many names.

Below, an in process picture. It shows how the irregularities of the hand painted kimono silk are emphasized by the piecing.

Next, I laid out the little squares, basted them in place and then hand stitched around each square.

A detail snap shot of the squares basted and ready to be stitched down.

Finished, the front, arms out to show off the design.

With arms down, this amazing fabric wraps in close to the body and folds into an origami shape.

Wow. And double Wow! It’s crazy beautiful out there. The trees are in full, amazing and gorgeous bloom.

My yoga teacher tells us, “We are all beginners.” She explains that each and every time, we start from where we are now, which is square one. She says everything we do is a brand new opportunity to learn and if we proceed with that in mind, we will find ourselves open to new ideas, experiences and insights.

So I look up and try to imagine that I’ve never seen such a thing before.

And what a thing it is! A tree, completely and utterly covered with beautiful, amazing and gorgeous flowers.

‘Will you please make scarves to go with the jackets?’

Yes! What a very good idea.

She asked for a minimalist black and white stripe jacket.

To go with it, I made a minimalist scarf with the same skinny stripes. And to echo the shibori that I used on the inside of the collar, I added larger patches of the same and other black and white shibori silks.

For a black and white with bits of red ‘Jet’ jacket [‘Jet’ because it’s about taking off into the stratosphere],

I made a black and white scarf with the same skinny stripes of red.

A waste not want not anecdote, this scarf uses the very last, tiniest little pieces of the lighter colored fabric. I was deep in my waste basket, pulling out the smallest scraps. There is nothing left of this one but threads and fuzz. A perfect example of the number one reason to wait until the project is completely finished before emptying the trash!