Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
“Turkey Tracks” is a 19th-century quiltmaking pattern that has the appearance of little wandering feet. Patterns like the tracks, and their traditions and myths, have been passed down through the generations, from their frontier beginnings to today, where a generation of makers has embraced the material as a means of creating something new. Olivia Jondle is one such designer. Here, she’s taken an early turkey track-pattern quilt, cut it into various shapes, and stitched the pieces together, adding calico and other fabric remnants as needed. The result is a trench coat she calls the Pale Calico Coat. Her designs are for sale at The Rusty Bolt, Jondle’s small-batch fashion company based in St. Louis.
Jondle’s clothing label is named after her father, Rusty, a welder. He and Jondle’s mother, who worked in stained glass, were artists in their own right, and as a young girl, Jondle was fascinated with their ability to take 2-D materials and create 3-D objects. She started sewing in high school, taking fabrics that she’d collected from thrift stores and stitching them together into costumes just for fun. She later purchased an IKEA sewing machine and dabbled in creating small garments such as underwear. But Jondle followed another passion to California, enrolling at the San Francisco Art Institute with a focus on painting.
How did you go from painting to sewing? During my first semester of school, I stepped away from figure painting. I started exploring other materials as a medium, like deconstructing garments. If you break it down, it’s really just shapes that are arranged in such a way to move you emotionally. With painting, you form the structure and you add paint. I feel that sewing is an extension of that concept, where you cut the shapes and you form this structure into one you’re familiar with—like a shirt or a jacket.
What was the moment you decided to make this into a business? I had made a black velvet bodysuit, and I remember selling that and feeling like I was on fire. I was so jazzed. I wasn’t super proud of the product I had made, but I felt, like, Oh, I can do this. I can make other people happy with my products. I dedicated myself to sewing every day and [built up] the courage to utilize vintage materials. It’s intimidating because I’m never going to find this particular textile ever again.
Why are you dedicated to using vintage fabrics? I always enjoyed the hunt, finding a fabric that is affordable but also has its own history. I like to see how that vintage flair can work within a modern context. As I moved into more elevated materials and was more brave—using quilts, tablecloths, window coverings—I became more interested in giving them a new lease on life.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Olivia Jondle
What was your first Rusty Bolt creation? My Great-Aunt Nancy gifted me a lot of the fabrics. Her closet was the Wonderland to my Alice. When I was little, she looked like Cher from the ’60s and ’70s—she was so hot. Her closet reflected that. There were all these high-waisted bell bottoms and halters. I began making an ode to the women in my family, starting with her. I re-created the “Nancy top,” a cropped top that has a tie front and flimsy sleeves.
Where do you source your fabrics? I spend a lot of time at antique malls, thrift stores, estate sales, and a couple of times I’ve done personal home visits. It’s, like, let’s see what the thrift gods have in store for me today.
Do you ever use your clients’ personal fabrics? I refer to them as heritage projects. It’s the No. 1 request that I get, like, ‘My great-great-grandma made this quilt for me when I was little,’ or ‘My grandpa wore this shirt.’ I am moved whenever I’m able to help that fabric be a part of [a client’s] everyday life.
That can be a lot of pressure. There was one coat that I almost messed up but was able to fix. All of my clients are very gracious and understanding. We were able to come together with a solution. Still, there was that moment of, like, Oh, God! I ruined it! But it turned out absolutely beautiful.
