This September has been pretty tough here in Oregon.

Unlike our normal high humidity, damp air that comes in from the ocean, we had a very unusual dry, crazy, wild wind blowing down from Alberta, Canada. It dried out our forests and set fires raging. Fires that grew and spread west, towards our cities and towns. You’ve seen the pictures. There were frightening losses for so many people.

Here in Portland, dense, dark smoke carpeted the city and kept us inside for days. We had the most hazardous air quality in the entire world.

Below, my neighbors trees, barely visible, right next door, 20 feet from my window.

After what seemed like forever, the wind changed and the rain came and washed everything clean and fresh.

And we were so happy. Beyond happy. Clean air! We could go outside again!

Then, later that very day, we all learned the sad news that our beloved Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, had passed away.

And it plunged us back into despair.

You may remember, just about one year ago, I had the great honor of meeting and helping her choose one of my jackets.

She knew exactly what she liked. She was willing and happy to try on each and every one of my size petite jackets and tops. The one pictured is the one she went home with.

She was one of our greatest heroes. Though small in size, she was a giant. She will never be replaced.

How do you keep on? I was so sad. I wandered into my studio and buried my head in my work. Beautiful fabrics, the slow process of assembling them together, it’s how I could keep going.

The pieced car coat that I was working on in my last post. Finished.

A detail showing the pieced sections.

And the back.

Only a few more days of September, then a few more months of 2020.

I am so ready.

In the early 1900’s the cars were open to the elements and offered no protection from the dusty and unpaved roads. ‘Motoring’ was considered an outdoor sport and people needed something for warmth and protection for their clothing. Loose and full length ‘car coats’ fit the bill.

By midcentury they had become what they are now, a loose, shorter jacket, casual and easy. Something you’d throw on for a trip to the grocery store, pick up the kids from school or wear to a football game.

I love the idea of a looser, softer jacket and have been wanting to add one into my collection. After a few tries, here she is, car coat jacket #1!

It’s sewn from a beautiful meisen kimono silk with bright red, orange and peach ‘kiku,’ or, chrysanthemums. I added a contrasting collar for some variety by using a print of cherry blossom flowers in a deep purple and cream.

This gorgeous fabric is the perfect example of the meisen technique. An amazing fabric, it’s first woven, then printed with the design. Then, unwoven and finally, rewoven so that threads do not line up exactly and the designs end up with soft, blurred edges.

The collar can also be worn up. And it’s a car coat, so of course, it has to have pockets. They’re hidden on the sides.

I was pleased with the first one. It did exactly what I wanted, it’s comfortable and loose but has enough shape so it’s flattering.

Next up, a pieced version.

I’m using this oh so cool speckled kimono silk and am piecing it with a beautiful red and white stripe. I wanted the little pieces of the striped fabric to be flying apart, as though they had been thrown up into the air on a windy day and fell scattered about.

I’m still working on the left side of the front, the other front pieces are finished. Next up, the back, sleeves and collar.

Stay tuned.

Do you remember this coat? I started it last May, which now seems like a very, very long time ago.

Anyway, I called it ‘Disruption’ because the grid of the plaid was covered with swirling and chaotic red lines.

Each line was a narrow bias tube of silk that I appliqued in place. The front, back, sides, sleeves and collar, it took a while.

An up close detail.

Something I love about this his coat pattern, it has a deep side pocket.

And the back.

So, there were lots of areas to cover which is why a coat started in May wasn’t finished until late August.

Although I am not loving our isolated, pandemic times, there is a bit of a silver lining; the opportunity for deep dives into time consuming projects.