Boro Yogi Update: It's Done!

Well, it's done. Into the laundry last night, hung to dry overnight, a few shreds trimmed, and it's done. And by 'finished', I mean that the two fronts are lined with a patchwork of scraps. And so this is now what the inside looks like:

The fronts and sleeves are thus now four layers of cloth thick: a foundation cloth (hidden both inside and out), an outside base that was woven into and patched (making this layers two and three) and then this patched lining cloth.

I didn't stick with found cloth on this lining. This is all second hand, and each piece is more personal. Some of the plaid flannel is old sleep pants from the guy who lives here, the batik (brown on the right hand sleeve) is part of a napkin I bought at the Goodwill, the emerald green is shantung silk I got second hand. I just basted these on a piece at a time, holding the whole garment in my lap, smoothing each piece and adjusting until it 'fit'. I discovered pins were not useful doing this part- I just needed to work with each piece and the foundation until they worked together properly. I overlapped the edges an inch or so in most spots.

This is the outside back. As you can also see, I completed the sleeves, both inside and out, with a base cloth over the foundation which I then wove into and patched. The inside of this back is not yet lined, for two reasons. First, because it just might not need it. It is three layers thick now, and the foundation cloth is quite sturdy (it was a new second hand scrap of some kind of heavy cotton). The second reason it is not lined is that the back is translucent- meaning that I will have to line it with white, or the colours will show through. So I'm still deciding what to do with this. I am going to start using it for now, and see what happens.

And finally, this is a close up of one of my favorite parts, built up with two cloths 'full' of holes (the grey brown on the right and the sun faded blue on the left), holes I just filled in with other small bits.  I love how it looks abraded and worn away.

That's the outside front above. And so now the boro yogi will go on the bed and be the blanket it is meant to be. But it is always ready to travel, too:

I'm ready to start something new for the new year. I started this on January 1 2012. It's a very exciting prospect. I have a found quilt (a 'Dresden Plate' pattern) that I want to work with, so it is on my mind in quiet moments what it might be best to become. 

Thank you for stopping by.