Soft Armor Resources
I am so excited to share my newest pattern with you all: Soft Armor
Inspired by chainmail hoods, helmets, and heraldry-adorned tabards worn by knights of ye olde times, but made of soft, squishy, warm quilted fabric. A wearable reminder to not harden your heart, even though the world is hard.
A fabric spell of protection and something to remind you of safety — to give you the courage to keep on keeping on. A reminder to stay soft, stay open, and stay tender while stoking the flames of your sacred rage and to fight like hell for a better world.
This pattern is kind of like a bib or vest with a solid front and back, open sides, and snaps under the arms.
You have the option of including a hood or not. The hood is oversized and roomy.
It can be made from pre-quilted fabric, a thrifted quilt, or self-quilted and pieced fabric.
I encourage you to play around with it and make it truly your own! Weave in your own prayers of courage and spells of protection. Add pockets, cover it in appliqué, embroider it with runes, swap out snaps for ties or buttons — do whatever you want to make it really yours!
Remember: the world needs your whimsy and your rage! I hope that this pattern can help to embody both <3
get inspired
check out just a few of the amazing examples of Soft Armor made by the pattern testers who helped make this pattern possible!
helpful resources
Quilting, Piecing + Bias Tape Resources
Modern Improv Quilting by Laura Veenema
a great book on how to piecing fabric and quilt without "traditional” quilting blocks
Modern Quilting by Julius Arthur
a book on contemporary quilting by hand
a step by step guide to quilting and piecework
Whole cloth window pane quilting
how-to blog post by Purl Soho
Hurry Home Quilt Block by Spaghetti Western Sewing
Making continuous bias tape (tube method)
Useful supplies
Heat erasable pens (useful if you are adding embroidery or free motion stitching)
listen while you sew!
The testers who worked on this pattern and I put together a fun playlist for you to listen to while you sew or to help inspire your project!
