How She Made It: Kuna Hapi

February 21, 2020 7 Comments

A truly talented customer (from northwest Washington state), Susan, sent me photos and a description of an impressive and gorgeously-made lined and quilted Hapi Jacket from our 129 Japanese Hapi and Haori pattern.  Susan has allowed me to share her project below and I think you will enjoy it very much!  This jacket's simplicity allows for lots of artistic interpretation - an amazing example of which is seen here.  And, Susan's sewing talent allowed her to change this unlined jacket pattern and change it into a lined and quilted coat that is perfect for the cool weather of the very northwestern US.  Her artistic vision is outlined below - in Susan's words and photos:

A stash of brilliantly-colored, reverse-applique Kuna Indian mola patches has been nagging at me for years. Created by young girls as sewing samplers, later sold for pennies to tourists, they feature relentlessly cheerful birds and monkeys in unambivalently tropical habitats. What could be more inspirational during dark, January days? When a friend donated a few yards of African polished cotton from Mali, boldly printed in ochre diamonds on black, I set about inventing a garment for her that would combine these equatorial textiles into something suitable for Lummi-wear.

Assembling the components

Struggling with the back - a needle-breaker.  Because of the varying thickness of the fabrics, this was difficult to sew on the machine and I ended up hand sewing  a lot.

Sussing the neckband

Solving the neckband

Tricking out the mola

Front

Inside

Back

Bonus minaudiere

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