Introducing the Vintage Quilt Jacket Collection: an Ollie & Mags and Country Peony Vintage Collaboration

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Sep 1

Vintage Quilt Jacket Collection with Ollie & Mags and Country Peony Vintage - Country Peony Blog

Today I am so excited to share the details behind my vintage quilt jacket collaboration with Ollie & Mags Handmade.

I have teamed up with Kristina of Ollie & Mags Handmade to bring you some very charming, upcycled wearable art that is whimsical, comfy, eclectic, and 100% one-of-a-kind.

But first, some backstory:

I am a collector of vintage quilts. Quilts are very special to me, especially vintage quilts. I come from a long line of quilters. Both of my late grandmothers, their mothers, my mother, my mother-in-law are all amazing quilters. As a child I even created a makeshift quilt stand out of a cardboard box so I could quilt alongside my mother and grandmother when they would have their quilting parties or quilt at home. I even won a ribbon for some handiwork that I added to a quilt when I was a child at the county fair. But, that is when I stopped quilting and I hope to pick it up when my children get a little older. However, watching the time, laughter, love, sometimes teamwork, and hard work that went into making a quilt was a beautiful thing to witness as a child. Then, knowing that most of the time a handmade quilt was meant for a loved one as a gift is even more special. So, when I go thrifting I always look for vintage quilts because I see the hard work and the story in every stitch, and I love that they are all 100% unique to the creator.

Along my thrifting adventures I noticed that a lot of these vintage quilts were in very bad shape because of wear and love over the years. About this same time I started to see vintage quilt jackets on Pinterest, and even some of my favorite bloggers like Brittany with The House That Lars Built took notice of this trend to upcycle vintage quilts into charming jackets. I thought to myself that it would be an incredible thing to bring some of these amazing and charming quilts back to life, and into a jacket for all to enjoy!

So, I reached out to my incredibly talented friend Kristina with Ollie & Mags Handmade to see if she was interested in bringing my quilt jacket dreams to life, and she was on board! For the next couple of months, I was on a mission to find the sweetest hand stitched cutter quilts that we could rescue. I found most of the quilts in this collection at the famous Round Top Antique Fair with my 5-year-old daughter by my side, and then I also found some at estate sales.

Then over the Summer I handed them off to Kristina, and last Saturday she presented them to me in their new form! I was truly giddy with excitement! Just like a warm hug, these quilts make me so happy to know that we are reimagining a piece of history with so much heart and love! I can’t wait to share them with you, so you can wear your very own piece of well-loved handmade history!

These jackets will go on sale through my Etsy page, Country Peony Vintage, on Monday, October 18, 2021. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for all of the behind-the-scenes fun before then.

Today I want to share some sneak peeks of the collection. Please keep in mind that I still need to add some details to the jackets before the launch date, like labels. As the time nears I will have a more detailed blog post with all of the jacket options, sizes, and how they look on people!

Ollie & Mags Handmade

Before I get started on showcasing some details about the vintage quilt jackets, I wanted to share more about the very talented creative behind the actual construction of the vintage quilt jackets: Kristina of Ollie & Mags Handmade.

Kristina and I met in college, and I was always very inspired by her creative spirit and love for vintage. When I was thinking about this fun collaboration she was the first one that came to my mind to turn my vintage quilt jackets dream to life! And she delivered!

Since she is such an integral part to this collaboration, I thought it would be fun to ask her some questions so you could get to know her a little better. Please enjoy them below:

What is Ollie & Mags? Why did you start it?

Ollie & Mags creates custom children’s clothing often using vintage and upcycled materials. When my daughter was born, I had a difficult time finding clothes that fit my aesthetic, so I decided to make them myself! Once I saw others were having the same problem, Ollie & Mags handmade came to be!

Please explain your design style.

I would say my design style is “functionally vintage”. Yes, I made that up! I love making beautiful and unique pieces with a vintage nod, that are able to stand the test of time (and the playground).

What is your full time job?

I work as a speech-language pathologist full time within the public school setting.

When did you start sewing?

My very first memory of sewing was when my 2nd grade teacher taught our whole class how to thread a needle, sew a button, and tie off the knot! I will forever be thankful for that lesson. My late grandmother was an extremely talented sewist and would make my Halloween costumes and gorgeous Barbie gowns. As I got a bit older, she would only make me things if she could teach me how she did it! She introduced me to machine sewing and is my greatest inspiration.

When did your love for vintage start?

My grandmother is an antique dealer and quilt appraiser! She would take me on road trips all over Texas to stock her booths! My mother collects vintage china and would take me on her hunts as well!

Why do you think Country Peony and Ollie & Mags are a good fit for this vintage quilt jacket collaboration?

Our love of all things vintage and eye for creativity make us a wonderful fit to create a beautiful collection!

What is your favorite thing about sewing?

Sewing is my self care! My favorite thing is imagining what a piece of fabric could become and turning that into reality.

To keep up with everything that is going on at Ollie & Mags or to place a custom order, please follow their Facebook and Instagram pages! @ollie.and.mags

Now to Introduce the Vintage Quilt Jackets

During our initial brainstorm session Kristina and I decided that it would be fun to create two different styles of jackets to fit our unique personalities. So, we came up with The Elizabeth and The Kristina.

Every vintage quilt in the collection has a unique story, and is hand stitched with some flaws from wear and tear! But, I believe that is where the beauty lies. In the patina and the stories that the vintage stitches and tears tell.

The Elizabeth

The Elizabeth is a feminine, more structured fit. The vintage quilts that were hand selected for this fit are more feminine with pastel colors. A stunning collar with sweet details and charming pockets accentuate this style.

*This jacket does not have any buttons, but it would be really cute paired with a vintage brooch clasp at the top of the jacket.

The Kristina

The Kristina is a fun take on a more relaxed, boho fit. The vintage quilts in this style are full of beautiful color, patterns, and soft texture that add to the eclectic vintage flair of this style. Just like a warm hug, these jackets make you feel right at home.

*This jacket does not have any buttons, as it allows for a more relaxed, open fit.

The Beauty Is In The Details

I truly believe the beauty is in the details, and these quilts have so many incredible details. Kristina did a wonderful job of keeping the quilts integrity and letting it tell the design story.

The pocket placement to match the original design of the vintage quilt is impeccable, and adds such a fun, custom, and sweet touch to the jacket.

The vintage quilts that create these jackets are true cutter quilts with rich history of love and use. So, some of these jackets showed tearing, but Kristina did a beautiful job of camouflaging and adding to the beauty of the quilts with custom appliques.

Pattern Play

Probably my favorite detail of these jackets is the pattern play. Taking a nod from the original vintage quilts and all of the patterns and colors, we chose some fun Liberty fabric to accentuate the collars and the original integrity of the quilts.

Each jacket has its own color story and pattern play, and that creates so much whimsy and charm!