Rather than pieces of fancy fabric, this jacket is pieced entirely with parts of old embroidered dresser scarves and then embellished crazy-quilt style. Since I was so pressed for time to get it completed,
I did do the sayings on my sewing machine but all else was hand done. Keep in mind it has been well traveled and has been hand washed many times.
In the 90's I was asked to speak at the International Heritage Rose Conference near Melbourne, Australia followed by another speaking engagement in Mornington. These were my first international speaking engagements and I was more than a little nervous.
I needed something unique to wear.... something that later when someone said "Gerry Krueger", someone else would say "Oh, the rose lady with the jacket. Hopefully if my speeches failed the jacket would carry me.
This jacket had to let everyone know:
my love of gardening
my love of needlework
my love of family, friends and dogs.
my entire gardening philosphy.
And since there were several luncheons and dinners besides speaking, I needed something I could wear to everything.
The speeches were successful, but the jacket was more than everything I hoped for. I later wore it on a speaking tour of New Zealand and to speak at another Heritage
Rose Conference there. It has been to garden shows and quilt shows all across the USA and to the Chelsea Flower Show in London. Every time I wear it I'm continually asked "Stop a minute, I'm reading your jacket!"
Gather friends and flowers in bunches.
Not tonight deer!
I hate gardening..I just love to buy plants!
Bloom where you're planted.
I consider everything hardy until I’ve killed it myself.
My garden peaked yesterday. Sorry you missed it!
If you pray for rain, prepare to deal with some mud.
You have to love a man with a shovel.
Gardeners know the best dirt.
To sow a seed is a noble de
ed.Give a weed an inch and it will take a yard.
May all your weeds be wild flowers.
Nothing bugs me when I’m in my garden.
Old gardeners never die. They just throw in the trowel.
Gardeners really dig it.
Weed’em and reap!
Like flowers, bend with the breezes.
Just another day at the plant.
I do the dirty work!
Old gardeners never die. They just spade away.
I dig dirt.
If I had my life to live over, I’d have planted more seeds. (or pick more daisies.)
Gardening builds character and patience.
I sowed hard all day.
I lead a seedy life and love it.
One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.
I plant the seed, God makes it grow.
He sends the rain and I work the hoe.
Flowers leave some of their fragrance on the hand that bestows them.
Vintage Gardener and still blooming.
Ladybugs eat what bugs you!
No wimpy plants allowed!
My weeds are free...you pick!
I stop to smell every rose!
And many more......
