One Wool Vest Down

Well, there it is. The wool vest I started at the beginning of the year. Other than buttons and buttonholes. It looks pretty good here (well, other than a bit wrinkly). There's just one little thing. It doesn't even come CLOSE to fitting hubby!

I mean, about 6 inches from coming close to closing. Now, remember, I measured the pattern against the vest he already owned, so, how/why did this happen? Well, nobody knows for sure. But. Here's what we do know. I SHOULD have made a mock-up (or muslin) vest to test for fit. I know this. I've been sewing for over 40 years (and yet, there are days when I feel like a rookie.....). But. In my defense, I thought by measuring, I had it all covered. So, I took a shortcut. And now, I have a vest I don't know what I'm going to do with. It sort of fits me. By sort of, I mean, not really. It's an odd cut. The upper pocket is too low. It's a bit snug in the hips. ARRRRRRRGH!

Also, it means I'm going to have to make ANOTHER vest for hubby. There were some things he didn't like about the first vest.

1. The collar - It's just a collar sewn into the front. Not a true collar. He didn't care for that.
2. The weight of the fabric. It's a very lightweight wool. Yet, it was the only wool the local fabric store had.
3. If I alter the pattern for the next size up, it's going to have an even odder cut that this vest. It seems narrow through the shoulders.

I sure don't want to make another vest using this pattern without a MAJOR work-over! I got to thinking about it and decided I would make a copy of the vest he already owns. The other day when hubby was in the feed store, he found a wool blanket (66x84). We also bought lining fabric to go with the blanket "fabric".

He opted for the burgundy as they didn't have a gray.

Now, I've started making the pattern from the vest he has. I started by placing a thick towel under the pattern paper. Then placed the vest front on top of the paper.

Place pins into any seam-lines/details (I only placed the towel under the paper to avoid pinning into the cutting board). also, mark any edges with dashed lines.

Remove the vest and mark the pin marks with dashed lines (truing up if needed). Make sure to add seam allowances!

There you have it......a completed pattern piece! It's a great option if you want to make a copy of a ready-made item you want to duplicate. Granted, there will be no instructions, so a basic knowledge of garment construction is a must. Well, wish me luck. One thing I know I'm doing this time.......a MUSLIN MOCK-UP!!!!

Happy sewing!

Lori