SCOTTIE’S JACKET

Scottie? Scottie who? Scottie Piersel lives in Missouri and is a top tier American female pipe carver. She grew up hanging out in her dad’s shop and got the urge to make tobacco smoking pipes. Her signature pipes feature a very long shank and are usually sandblasted, (a process that produces the craggy appearance of the bowl and shank). Now her pipes are in collections around the world, including my own pipe collection!

Here is the beautiful pipe she made for me! I got to pick out the stem color and it features my initials and a Pipe Diva logo! What is a pipe diva? A woman who enjoys pipes!

November 2019 at the Las Vegas Pipe Show, Scottie requested a smoking jacket. While most of you know me as a quilter, I also occasionally make smoking jackets for close friends in the pipe community. Hubby has two and I have promised a new one this year. And I have three!

My cataract surgery delayed detailed work on the jacket for a couple months until I got new glasses, but it is finally done. The fabric is a deep cobalt blue synthetic jacquard knit with a woven color matching lining to help it hold its shape. The pattern is a vintage 1990’s men’s smoking jacket, which I have altered to Scottie’s measurements.

Pockets are attached with deco stittch using a variegated thread. Because this is a jacquard synthetic knit, deco stitching is challenging and I used my walking foot attachment, which moves the top fabric in unison with the lining layer. The serger comes in handy for the primary seams, while keeping the jacket interior tidy and professional looking.

The lapels are quilted with feathers using some new variegated dark blue thread (Fantastico) picked up at the Puyallup Stitch & Sew Expo in February. The same thread is used for the buttonholes and I picked out vintage buttons from my button collection.

Scottie’s smoking jacket is now done and ready for the reveal at a pipe show when we finally travel again. Perhaps she will wear it during a pipe club Zoom meeting.

Here’s looking at you in your new jacket!

Lennea