Welcome to the Trailblazer inspiration tour!
To celebrate the recently-released Children's Trailblazer Vest, Men's Trailblazer Vest, and Women's Trailblazer Vest patterns, a group of talented and creative sewers are sharing their projects. We hope you enjoy seeing what they've made and feel inspired to sew something beautiful!
Boevenbende:
Boevenbende used Cotton Couture in the shade Metal, lined with Organic Sherpa.
This stylish, modern-looking puffer vest was created by Boevenbende for her son. With a single colour for the vest exterior, she used contrasting stitch patterns to create visual interest and texture with the quilting lines. The curved back yoke is highlighted using a touch of piping, a subtle but beautiful detail.
Nicola from Create.nic:
Nicola used Up and Away Runway Planes in gold, lined with Organic Sherpa.
Nicola from create.nic sewed this sunny yellow vest using a fabric featuring a neat geometric airplane print, which looks very smart with the contrasting navy zipper. The plushy sherpa lining is sure to keep her adorable little guy cosy while he plays outside (and her wonderful photos prove what kids everywhere know - sticks really are the best toys!). Read more about her vest here.
Jocelyn from Dooryard Makes:
Jocelyn used Plucked from the Arrow Flight collection, lined with Organic Sherpa.
Jocelyn from Dooryard Makes created this beautiful vest for her daughter. Everything about this vest says soft and cosy - the pastel colours of the feathers, the sherpa lining, the quilting. Read more about this vest, and enjoy some of Jocelyn's wonderful pictures (which often include cameos from her photogenic farm animals) here.
Viki from Kube Cottage
Viki used Garden from the Sommer by Sarah Jane collection, with Organic Sherpa lining.
Viki made this gorgeous floral puffer vest for her daughter. The print is ever so sweet, featuring bunnies frolicking in fields of colourful blooms. Have a look at Viki's Instagram feed for more details about this vest, including the beautiful diamond-pattern quilting and that perfect zipper!
Shelley from Not So Simple Life:
Shelley used the Painter's Canvas print in the shades Spice, Mustard, and Indigo, with Organic Sherpa lining.
Shelley made three co-ordinating, colour-blocked vests for her gorgeous girls. With the cosy sherpa lining, these vests look perfect for playing outside on a fall day. We love how the colour-blocked stripes give these vests a fun, retro look. Read more about Shelley's vests, and the method she used for piecing together the stripes here.
Angela from Sew Snippet:
Angela used Gingham Play in the Cherry colour, Garden Patch from the In Bloom collection, Flower Yard from the In Bloom collection, and Organic Sherpa for lining.
Angela from Sew Snippet made a bright, floral Trailblazer that uses a contrast fabric to highlight the yoke and shoulder details. She topped off her look with a co-ordinating Pixie Hat, complete with pompoms, to keep her daughter toasty warm. Read more about her vest here.
Sarah from Sweet Meadow Threads
Sarah made vests for her son and daughter that are just packed with amazing design details. We love how she combined two of her son's favourite things, dinosaurs and the colour pink, to make a vest that he loves to wear. She used the back of her daughter's vest to create a stunning appliqué with a hot air balloon floating over a mountain scene - wow! Read more about Sarah's vests here. Interested in making your own appliqué vest? Sarah has written a wonderful post with step-by-step instructions here.
Lisa from Twig + Tale
Lisa used Into the Woods lined with Organic Sherpa.
Lisa sewed this foxy forest-themed vest for her adorable little guy. She quilted a thick layer of batting to the exterior fabric to make a puffer vest. Combined with the plush sherpa lining, this vest is sure to keep her little one warm while he gathers forest treasures!
Linnea from Lilla Gumma
Linnea used Say Yes to New Adventures from the Words of Wisdom collection, Cotton Couture in the shade Pine, and Organic Sherpa.
Linnea sewed two lovely green vests - one for her husband and one for her little girl. Like many of us, Linnea had been searching for the perfect pattern to sew something that her husband would actually want to wear - Trailblazer to the rescue! Her little girl's vest features an adorable print, with solid fabric on the yoke and side panels, which highlight the lovely shaping of the vest. Read more about Linnea's vests here.
Sarah from Sewing With Sarah
Sarah used an upcycled faux-leather jacket, heavy cotton twill, and green checked flannel.
Sarah sewed three very stylish, co-ordinating vests for her family. Her husband's flannel-lined twill vest has a classic look (read more about that one here). But the real stars of the show may be the vests for her boys, which she made out of an upcycled faux-leather jacket, using twill and flannel accents to co-ordinate with dad's vest. Read more about Sarah's first foray into upcycling, and how she managed to puzzle those two amazing vests out of one jacket!
Saskia from She Who Sews:
Saskia used Starship in Blue, Starship in Pink, and Atomic Web, all from the Sassy Cats collection. The vests are lined with Organic Sherpa.
Saskia from She Who Sews, made three Trailblazers: the men's version for her husband, and the Children's for her son and daughter. She tried out some different pattern features including a collarless version for her son, and adding the wind flap to her daughter's vest. It looks like they had a blast during their photoshoot! Read about her husband's vest here, and her children's vests here.
Kelly from Curtiepie
Kelly used Antique Oilskin and a blue gingham lining.
Kelly sewed a beautifully-detailed oilskin vest for her husband. The fabric choice makes this vest right at home as rugged workwear on a farm, but the professional-looking finishing details and great fit add a refined touch. Read more about about Kelly's vest here.
Jocelyn from Dooryard Makes
Jocelyn used a red buffalo check wool blanket, denim, and Organic Sherpa.
Jocelyn created a stunning men's vest from an upcycled buffalo plaid wool blanket. She added many details including a quilted denim yoke, a sherpa collar and pocket linings, and a wind flap with snap closures. Her goal was to create a garment that was "Quintessentially Canadian", and she has certainly succeeded - this vest looks ready for the great outdoors! Read more about it here.
Jocelyn also made a women's Trailblazer using Hop, Skip and Jump in Mist, tan corduroy, and Organic Sherpa.
Like her men's vest above, Jocelyn incorporated so many wonderful details into this vest including the wind flap with snaps and contrast yoke and shoulder details. She took her cue for the quilting pattern from the diamond shapes on the fabric print, which she then repeated on a smaller scale on the yoke. Read more about Jocelyn's women's Trailblazer here.
Shelly from Sew Shelly Sew
Shelly used Cotton Couture in the shades Army and Orchid, with Organic Sherpa lining.
Shelly made this gorgeous vest, featuring leather shoulder details, a soft sherpa lining, and a pop of bright colour on the contrast yoke. The contrast quilting detail, horizontal lines on the front and back panels, and diamond quilting on the side panels, is such a lovely, subtle detail. Read more about Shelly's vest here.
Thank you for joining us on the Trailblazer Inspiration tour! Feeling inspired to sew your own Trailblazer Vest? Join us at the Twig + Tale Chat Facebook group to ask questions and share photos of your creations!
Read more about the Trailblazer Vest here:
- Introducing the Men's Trailblazer Vest
- Introducing the Women's Trailblazer Vest
- Introducing the Children's Trailblazer Vest
- The Children's Pathfinder Vest vs. Trailblazer Vest: A Comparison
The Twig + Tale blog is also home to a number of tutorials for customizing your Trailblazer Vest. Read more here:
- Inspiration: Making a Puffer-Style Trailblazer Vest
- How to Add an Internal Lining Pocket to the Forester Coat
- How to add a Detachable Hood
