Many people in our society have lost touch with their feelings or are blocked off from their feelings. This instructable teaches you how to make a jacket that you can use to express your feelings. It is meant to start a commentary on the nature of feelings in our society.

Step 1: Choosing a Jacket

Choose a jacket to turn into your "how to express your feelings jacket". You can find an old one in your closet and buy one at a store. I bought mine at a second-hand shop.

Step 2: Decide Which Feelings You Want to Express

Decide which feelings you want to express and make a list. I decided to express: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, excitement, and surprise.

Step 3: Choose Fabric to Represent Each Feeling

Think about each feeling. Choose a fabric color (or a texture or both it you prefer) to represent each feeling. The following is a list of my color choices:

Happiness - yellow
Sadness - blue
Anger - red
Fear - butterflies (in your stomach)
Excitement - green and white pattern with multi-colored yarn pieces
Surprise - white felt with googley eyes

Step 4: Create the Pockets

Fold the fabric in half so the back is showing and cut the fabric into pocket shapes. Two need to end up with two pocket shape pieces of each type of fabric. The size of the pockets is up to you.

Step 5: Making the Pocket Wholes in the Jacket

Decide where you would like the pockets to be in your jacket. Draw a line using a sharpie marker where you would like each pocket to be. There should be one pocket for each feeling.

Step 6: Cut the Pocket Holes

Cut along each sharpie line. Make sure you cut through both the exterior material and the liner. You may want to cut the liner a little longer so that you have wiggle room when you are sewing.

Step 7: Pin the Fabric to the Pocket

Choose one pocket to start off sewing. Pin one side of the pocket onto the jacket. Make sure you have the material facing the right way so that when you sew the two pieces together, you are seeing the back of the fabric. This way when you pull the pocket out, you will see the front of the fabric.

Step 8: Sew the Fabric to the Jacket Along the Outer Edge of the Pocket.

You can choose whatever color and type of thread that you like!

Step 9: Pin and Sew the Other Side of the Pocket

Pin and sew the other side of the pocket to the opposite outer edge. Again, make sure the fabric is facing the proper direction.

Step 10: Pin and Sew the Two Sides of the Pocket Together

It is especially enjoyable to do this while sitting in front of a fireplace. Once you finish this pocket, repeat the instructions for all the remaining pockets.

Step 11: Using the Finished Product

Once you are finished, try the jacket on. Pull out a pocket to express the emotion you are feeling. Show the pocket to a friend to express your feeling. You can even pull out more than one pocket at a time to express multiple feelings.

Happy feeling!