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by Molly Hamilton

I really love Cynthia's Cookie Apron pattern.  I like the wrap around/cross back apron design (much better, in my opinion, than a tied apron).  There are no ties that can come loose, and there is lots of coverage.  And the pockets are great and very customizable.  However, the one issue I have when I make it, is that sometimes I don't have fabric wide enough to fit the pattern.  This is especially true of the larger sizes.  The main pattern piece is very wide.  However, there is an easy solution to this problem that I will show you today, along with a simple binding finish rather than using the facing from the pattern.  This hack will save you fabric when you might not have quite enough. 

Actually, there are a couple of solutions to having fabric that is not wide enough for this pattern - one is to cut two separate pieces and have a center front seam (you can read about how to do that here in the sew along, Day 1).  Or you could also the apron on the cross grain, which works well for smaller sizes or for wide fabrics.

But, what I wanted to do was to use a narrower width (45"/115cm) fabric and use as little fabric as possible.  I wanted to use one of the organic linens that we have in stock and make the largest size.  I really didn't need quite such a full apron, so I just let the selvage edges of my fabric become the sides of the apron. 

You can see when I laid out the pattern, the pattern hangs over the edge of the folded fabric.  I traced the size I wanted (Large) and simply cut to that selvage edge at the top and bottom of the pattern. You could also choose to leave the bottom edge straight if you want, rather than have it curve around.  This will also keep fabric waste to a minimum.

If you are using the facing piece of the pattern, you will want to make sure it fits on the fabric the same way (i.e. on the fold and cut to the selvage).  You can make the apron just as it says in the pattern, or you can make a few other changes I will show here.  If you'd rather not hem all around the apron, you can leave the selvage edges un-hemmed. This is nice, especially if the selvages are pretty or if your fabric is heavy.  I chose to turn the selvage edges under one time on my apron, and did not finish them. This reduces bulk and keeps the same tone on the right side of my fabric. 

I also chose to not use the facing piece (saving me more fabric) and just covered all the top edges with bias binding.  I made 3/4" (2cm) binding from scraps of fabric in my scrap fabric pile (using this tutorial). You will need 4-5/8 to 4-3/4 yards of bias binding if you are just binding the top of the apron.  If you are also going to bind the sides and bottom of the apron, you will need an additional 3-1/4 yards of binding. 

I like making my own binding because I can use my scraps, and have colors and patterns I can't find in ready-made bias tape.  But, that does mean that I sewed the binding twice - once with right side of binding to wrong side of the apron.  And once again when it is folded over the the right side of the apron, topstitching it down.  If you use ready-made bias tape, there is one side that is longer than the other on the tape, and you could bind the edges in one pass, with the shorter side of the tape on the front/right side of the apron.

I mitered my corners as I went. On the wrong side of the apron, I sewed to about 3/8" to the corner and stopped, then started again 3/8" on the other side of the corner.  I folded the fabric at an angle when it was folded to the other side.  This worked well and made sewing mitered corners on the right side very easy (just folded the corners to make the miter and sewed it down with the machine).

I hemmed the bottom edge (turned up 1/4" then a 1/2").  And the apron was done!

I even had room in the fabric scraps from the apron to cut all my pockets for the pattern, but I ended up only using the top pocket and I moved it to waist height.  I added some bar tacks to the top corners for security.  

I sewed the straps to the front of the apron, but you could use buttons and buttonholes if you like (or sew the straps to the back of the apron).  

I am very excited to gift this apron to my mother's husband this year.  He happily washes all the dishes after nearly every meal and he recently hinted that he would like one of my aprons to keep his clothes clean while he washes dishes!  This project only took me about 1.5 hours start to finish.  And, if you have ready-made bias tape, it will be shorter.  I highly recommend this pattern - Cynthia's Cookie Apron.  And this sewing "hack" gives you more options for fabrics and finishes to use.  Happy sewing!

by Esi Hutcheson 

We recently made our 212 Five Frontier Shirts into a PDF version with updated sizing - now in range XS-2XL. In this blog post I will show you how to make piping trim as well as piping the decorative yokes, plackets, and pockets for the decorative cowboy shirt for Views D and E of this pattern.

Early Considerations and Plans

Views D and E have a cutout western motif for the front of the shirt, and a curved yoke for the back of the shirt.  You can use different color (and type) fabrics for the yokes and the piping trim for lots of options for how you want your shirt to look.  Note: you can also make this shirt without these curved yokes for a simple button-down shirt, but I really like the design and wanted to make a shirt with these fun yokes. 

There are an infinite amount of color combinations I could have gone with. I knew I wanted a white linen base for my shirt, but I struggled picking out colors for the yokes, plackets and piping. I printed the line drawing for View D and colored it in to see what I was drawn to.  This is an excellent way to make decisions for your sewing ideas.  You can print the line drawings (easy to do from the PDF pattern) and color them in, or sketch them out in a notebook.

I found a burnt orange silk dupioni scrap big enough to use for the yokes and plackets, as well as a metallic burnt umber poly silk blend scrap for my piping.  I really liked this combination.

Making Piping

To make your own piping, you'll need cord - at least 3 to 5 yards. When you buy typical piping cord there will most likely be enough, at least for this pattern. I used silky cord, but twine will work as well, the cord needs to be around ⅛”/3mm in diameter. I wanted to create my own piping because I thought it would look best with the fabric I am using for the yokes and plackets.  For this shirt, you could buy piping, but making your own is not very hard and gives you many more options for colors and fabrics.

You will need strips of fabric at at least 1½"/2.5cm wide cut along the grainline or bias.  I cut on the grainline and it was fine, but bias cut will give you more flexibility for tight curves. You can create your piping at minimum one yard increments, or as long as you'd like. The pattern calls for 5 yards of piping, however I used 3 yards and made a size Medium in View D.  To make enough bias (or cut on the grainline) binding for piping you will need about 1 yard of fabric.  

To make continuous strips on the bias, you can watch our video tutorial on how to do this with a small amount of fabric (or click here to watch the video).  This technique works well for cutting the fabric needed for the piping.  

Place the cord in the center of the fabric strip, leaving a tail of cord sticking out of one end (to make sure the cord doesn't get pulled through the piping).

Fold the fabric in half wrong sides together lengthwise encasing the cord. Pin in place and stitch using a zipper foot or piping foot.  Stitch very close to the cord, leaving 1/2" to 3/4" seam allowance.

You have made your own piping. 

Making the Yokes and Inserting Piping

I changed the Front Yoke K, taking away the scalloped curves at the bottom edge. They look super fun, but I wanted it to be more simple.  Feel free to change up the design how you like.

To begin piping the bull's head yoke. Mark stitching lines for bull’s head yoke on the right side of yoke K, but do not cut yet. I used tracing paper and a tracing wheel ( Folkwear sells both of those items) to transfer all the marks needed for the yoke and pocket opening placements.

Then, trim the pipping down to ⅜"/1cm from the seam.  That is the seam allowance needed for piping the bull's head of the yoke. 

Line up raw edge of piping with marked cutting lines, clipping piping as you pin, and leaving an extra ½”/13mm of piping at either end.  

Using a zipper foot, and starting with upper curve of bull’s head, stitch to dot, and repeat in same way with bottom of bull’s Head, making sure not to catch the seam allowance of the other piping. 

When you are finished with both sides, cut away the bull’s head, clip to each dot and press raw edges to inside.

Cut down the piping seam allowance to ½”/13mm to pipe the bottom edge of FRONT and BACK yokes K and M in the same way, pivoting at dots (if you are following the pattern - remember, I made my yoke curved rather than scalloped). Clip to each dot. Press raw edges to the wrong side.

Trim the cord of the piping on both yokes K and M by pinning the piping cord in place, then pull the cord at each end slightly, and trim off ½”/13mm to reduce bulk in seam corners.  Be sure not to pull the cord out!  Pin carefully (or even stitch the cord in place with a few hand stitches).  And you can also stitch the ends of the cord on the wrong side of the garment in place so it won't come out.  

Pin yokes K to the two fronts, and making sure the design meets at the center front. Topstitch on yokes close to piping, using a zipper foot. Baste the raw edges at shoulder and arms.

How To Sew "Smile" Pockets

These "smile" pockets can be used on Views D and E of the 212 Five Frontier Shirt pattern.  But, you could also add them to any fun shirt you are making.  The "smile", of course, refers to the shape of the opening of the pocket - small smiles on the front of the shirt.  These are really slit pockets, and you can reinforce the corners with some hand embroidery, or a few stitches, or with small patches.

First, cut down your piping seam allowance to ¼”/6mm from the stitching.

Beginning with the bottom of the stitching line of the pocket opening, line up the stitching on the piping to the stitching line on the pocket opening. Pin in place and stitch using a zipper foot. 

Stitch piping on ¼”/6mm seam line, tapering to ⅛”/3mm at dots, and leaving ½”/13mm of piping at either end (stitch along the stitching line on the pattern piece, if using).  Backstitch at beginning and end.

Folding seam allowance of piping back out of the way, repeat with piping at top. Pin the piping on the top edge of the pocket opening in the same way as the bottom. Stitch (keep the seam allowance from bottom section of piping out of the way).

Trim the cord at the corners in the same way as for the front and back yokes K and M to reduce the bulk.

Before sewing the pocket you can zig zag, serge or pink the raw edges of the pocket pieces (O and P).

Right sides together, pin back pocket bag O to front over top pocket piping. Stitch wrong side up, over previous stitching line. However you will not see the previous stitching line, so when stitching using the zipper foot make sure you can see the piping bulge from underneath the pocket bag piece, and that will help you follow the stitching line the best you can.  You could also trace the line onto the piece if that helps.

Do the same with front pocket P - attaching it to the bottom of the pocket opening.

Now, slash on Slash Line as marked on the pattern and clip to the dots at the corner. Turn pockets and cord ends to inside and press.

Right sides together, stitch back pocket and top pocket together, being careful not to catch in front piece N. 

The Pockets are finished! Look at the 212 Cowboy Lore for decorative reinforcement for the pocket smile on the last page.

Back Yoke

Sew the back yoke and piping using the same method you did for the front.  

Piping for the Decorative Sleeve Plackets

Trim the piping seam allowance down to ⅜"/1cm. for the seam allowance for the decorative placket.

Pipe edges of decorative placket V in the same way as I did for the yokes, and clipping curves where necessary. Press raw edges under to wrong side.  When you apply the decorative cuff to the sleeve, just stitch close to the piping with a zipper foot.

Continue with your instructions to finish your shirt!

Thank you for reading, Folkwear would love to see your version as always! Here is mine! I love it so much. It was a challenge for sure but I'm proud of myself now I can pipe my own yokes and any future yokes to come. 

by Victoria Watkins

The 251 Varsity Jacket is fully lined, and has knit cuffs, neckband, and waistband. The pattern actually has instructions for knitting your own cuffs and bands, which you can see in the image above.  This jacket is also perfect for adding embellishments to - letters, embroidery, pins, trim.  You can add the embroidery before or after sewing the lining, but just keep everything aligned well if adding after lining. 

In this post, I am going to provide some suggestions for lining fabrics and ribbing.  You can read my fabric suggestions for the 251 Varsity Jacket here. Since the lining and ribbing of a jacket can be a statement in itself, I decided to dedicate this second post to these suggestions. Here we will be looking at some ideas for both the lining of the retro Varsity Jacket sewing pattern as well as where to find ribbed/knitted trim for this jacket.

Linings

The inside of a jacket is the perfect spot for a soft, smooth texture. Dharma Trading has a variety of lovely silks in numerous colors. You could choose to line your jacket with something bold like this affordable royal blue silk habotai, or you could pick a color that is more neutral to match the outside of your jacket.

This teal cotton/silk blend from Hart's looks like it would be luxurious to slip into on a cold morning. Sew it into an orange, yellow, or gold jacket shell for a beautiful contrast!

I always think it's so smart when I see a fun patterned lining in sewing. This red and black polyester houndstooth fabric from Mood can be a fun little secret that you get to show off when hanging your varsity jacket from the back of your chair or a coat rack.

Ribbing

In addition to lining considerations, you also need to make decisions about the trim on your varsity jacket. If you're feeling bold, you might choose to hand knit the cuffs, waistband, and collar of your jacket. In that case, I recommend any of the wool yarns on knitpicks.com that get you to the weight and gauge you need. However, for anyone who is not handy with a set of knitting needles, you're going to need to find some manufactured rib fabric.

Ribbing fabric is fairly easy to come by, but to find the best results, you can search for things using terms like "ribbing", "athletic rib knit fabric", or "cuff rib fabric". There are a variety of sources, Ebay and Etsy are a good place to search.  

When you're choosing a rib fabric, be sure to note how wide it is. The yardage given is for the cuffs and waistband cut with the fabric folded, and when I ordered ribbing for our sample jacket, I accidentally ordered too little. Many of the sport rib knits available are wide enough to cut one piece of the cuffs, waistband, and collar from, but be sure you have enough to cut all you need. 

For a classic varsity look, this striped sport knit rib is a great choice. We chose the rib fabric in green (above) for the sample jacket Molly made this fall (see below).

While you can find a variety of solid and striped ribbing (as above), you may want something different - a color that you can't find in ribbing or a print.  Instead of ribbing, you can use ribbed knit fabric.  It helps to have a pretty sturdy ribbed knit for the trim on this pattern, but this is absolutely an option.

We are back with another holiday gift guide!  We have suggestions below for gifts to make to give or gifts to give the sewists in your life.

These are some of our favorites as well as some of the most popular from the Folkwear collection of patterns and supplies.  Some of them are even FREE patterns!!  What are you going to make or give this holiday season?

For the Home

We have a new free pattern this year!  A traditional quilted tea cozy that would make a lovely gift, especially paired with some tea, or tea cakes, or a tea pot.  This is a quick and easy project!  And so sweet.

I also really love the oven mitts pattern that we published last year.  I found some similar ones in England over the summer in beautiful floral prints and want to make more (inspired by those British mitts) this holiday season for some friends.  Another gift this is perfect paired with baked goods (or a bread tin).

#305 A Japanese Interior.  This sewing pattern makes a great gift to give, but it also has quite a few beautiful pillow, or cushion, patterns that would make great gifts.  You could make the sitting cushions, the sleeping pillows, or the folding futon for some fun and interesting gifts.

Quick and Easy Gifts to Wear (little to no fitting required)

Cynthia's Cookie Apron.  A really fabulous (and quick) gift to sew!  It really make a wonderful and extremely useful apron that anyone would love to wear - in the kitchen or in the garden.

This great Carry-all Bag that can be used for shopping or for going to the beach. It is a really nice way to use a up a yard or so of fabric and makes a quick and easy gift. It's a free pattern too!

#112 Japanese Field Clothing.  Another great pattern to gift, but it also makes great work clothes - the pants are perfect for gardening and the jacket is a lovely jacket to wear around the home.

Just for the Sewist

Tracing Fabric.  This amazing Swedish Tracing Fabric is a sewist's dream.  Perfect for tracing patterns, it can be sewn together to test fit or how a pattern goes together, before starting on your fashion fabric.  It is see-through and strong.  You can also draw on it to test embroidery placement or other ideas. Sewists love it!

Gift card.  A perfect gift for the sewist in your life - someone who loves our patterns or would love to try our patterns.  

A buttonhole cutter.  This is such a great feeling tool - so sharp and a really special item to have in your sewing toolbox. We use ours all the time!

Bias Tape Makers. A sewing must-have (in my opinion!).  These make sewing bias tape so much easier!  And we do use them a lot.

by Cynthia Anderson

Enjoying a cup of tea is a simple pleasure anytime. Having a pot of tea that remains perfectly warm with an insulating cozy just adds to the pleasure of tea time. Tea cozies also make a great gift for anyone who enjoys a spot of tea. Take the time to enjoy a cozy cup of tea this holiday season and throughout the year with this charming and utilitarian project.

In this blog, I will show you how to make a Tea Cozy and provide you with a free pattern. Plus I'm adding a recipe for a divine almond tea cake at the end so you can really have a wonderful tea time! 

You can download the free pattern and instructions for this tea cozy here.  It will take you through checkout, but the pattern does not cost anything.

This cozy pattern was originally featured in Folkwear's 303 Home Collection: An English Cottage Kitchen.  This collection of patterns included items that were found in Victorian era English cottage kitchens that combined the technology of the Industrial Revolution with the latest trends popularized by ladies' homemaking magazines.  This Tea Cozy has an outer quilted tea cozy and a separate inner lining.  The reason to have both is so that you can easily wash the lining when it gets tea on it, and protect your outer, more decorative layer.  You can, of course, just sew the outer layer if you like.

Make your cozy as unadorned or decorative as you like. Add a stitched quilted pattern (included in this pattern), some embroidery, or leave plain depending on the fabric used and look you desire. Quilting can also be created by using free-form stitching made on your sewing machine, a drawn design of your own, a free pre-drawn design found on the internet, or no decorative stitching at all.

I made my holiday-inspired cozy out of 1/2 yard of white cotton for the outer cover, with a scrap of batting sandwiched between the outer cover layers for insulation. I quilted my tea cozy cover using a simple crisscross design using red contrasting machine stitching. I added hand-embroidered blue-green crossed-stitched stars to the intersecting quilting lines. I made the removable lining using 1/2 yd of red cotton flannel. To quicken the pace, I stitched the quilting lines using a sewing machine, but you could also hand stitch if you like. Because I love to add layered details to projects, I made a pair of yarn pom-poms (from yarn stash) to add to the cozy's holiday spirit and topped it all off with a red fabric covered button found in my button box.

Materials Needed:

• Fabric (for cover and lining) - if using pre-quilted fabric, you'll need about  5/8 yard (56.3cm) OR if using regular fabric (for both cozy and lining - if you want to use separate fabrics, you will need less of each): 
• 45" (115cm) - 7/8 yard (80.3cm), or 
• 60" (150cm) - 5/8 yard (56.3cm)
• Quilt batting (wool or poly), 5/8 yard (56.3cm) (omit if using pre-quilted fabric). 
• Thread - all purpose and/or quilting
• Pattern (pdf) - download this pattern (click here) and print it on two sheets of A4 or 8.5x11" paper.  Print at Actual Size and make sure the scale box is correct. Tape the pages together to get the full pattern.
• Trim (1" ribbon or double fold bias tape), 1 yard.
• Yarn (optional)

With all the holiday fabrics in the craft stores this time of year, making a holiday-themed cozy is a snap. Use a holiday print, candy stripe, woven damask, or solid fabric. Cotton, linen, wool, and pre-quilted fabrics are good choices. Recycle and reuse a holiday tablecloth or pair of large napkins you already have or go for a holiday treasure hunt at favorite thrift store to find the perfect thing to make a cozy.  

Have fun decorating your cozy, with ribbon, trim, lace, buttons, beads, embroidery, cross-stitch, applique, patch work, etc. Make a cozy to compliment an elegant tea set, an everyday tea pot and cups/mugs, a special Christmas themed set, or make a small cozy for a child's tea pot. If you have a mix-and-match crockery collection, make your cozy with a complementing aesthetic. No matter the look you like, have fun making a cozy all your own.

To Get Started
Pre-wash your fabric, because you will want to wash your cozy periodically. The batting should not be pre-washed, because it will come apart in the process.

Cut out the cozy pattern, paying attention to the cutting and seam allowance lines on the pattern. Cover R and Lining S are combined on the same pattern piece.

Cut out four of Cover R and cut two of Lining S on the fold. Both the lining and the cover use a 1/2" (13mm) seam allowance. Cut out two batting pieces using Cover R.

Quilt the Cover
I used the quilting lines on the pattern to trace the lines onto two of four fabric covers R, with a water soluble pen or use tailors chalk. Transfer any stitching designs to the right sides of two of the outer cover pieces before going any further. Typically, a decorative pattern is added to each side of the cozy, but feel free to only decorate one side.

Sandwich one piece of batting between two layers of fabric for Cover R, with wrong sides of fabric to the batting. If using pre-quilted fabric do not add any additional batting. If you use the pre-quilted fabric that only consists of a fabric layer and a batting layer, then add an addition layer of fabric so the batting is sandwiched.

Baste the three layers for each side of the cover together within the seam allowances to hold. Notice the drawn quilting lines are only needed on one side of each half of the cover. The stitching will show on both sides, but it is only necessary to draw the pattern on one side.

I traced over the drawn quilting lines with a machine stitch on each cover piece, with a longer stitch (#4), so the stitching would stand out.

Then using embroidery thread and an embroidery needle, I hand-stitched simple crossed-stitched stars where the quilting lines intersected, to add an extra detail.

With right sides together pin and stitch the two tea cozy Cover R pieces, along the curved edge, matching notch 8. Press the seam open about 4" (10cm) above the straight edge on each side.

Turn the cozy right side out. You can stitch the bottom edge if you like, but I didn't.

Bind the Bottom Edge of the Cozy Cover
Bind the bottom edge of the cozy cover using 1"(2.5cm) bias tape or ribbon. Make your own or use pre-made bias tape. I made my own using the same flannel fabric as my cozy lining.  Learn how to make your own bias tape here. 

Open out the bias tape and press under 1/2" (13mm) on one short edge.

With right sides together, line up and pin the turned under pressed end of the bias tape with one of the cozy cover seams. Continue to align and pin the bias tape to the raw edge of the cozy.

Trim off the bias tape so that the cut edge overlaps the first pressed under edge.

Turn/wrap the tape to the inside of the cozy and slip-stitch the remaining pressed edge to the previous stitching line created when attaching the bias tape. Below you can see the red stitching line to use as a guide.

Make the Lining
With right sides together, fold each cozy liner in half, matching notch 9. Pin and baste the raw edges together.

Now, pin and stitch the two liners halves together along the previous baste seam line, matching notch 9. Stitch through all the thicknesses, back-stitching at the ends.

If desired, trim the seam to 1/4" (6mm) and bind with bias tape. Or trim with pinking shears, serge, or leave the seam unfinished as I have.

Insert the liner into the cozy cover with the wrong side of the cover to the seam edge of the liner. The inside of the liner has the finished seam. The liner and cover are meant to be separate for easy laundering of the liner. Hand slip-stitch the lining to the cover at the side seams if you like.

by Molly Hamilton

Our 212 Five Frontier Shirts pattern has so many amazing details on these five shirts, especially on the cuffs, and especially for Views D and E.  These two shirts are a bit of a modern take on Western shirts - and very classic at the same time.  This shirt is actually my go-to button-down (or snap-down as the pattern suggests).  The drafting and fit are great and the details are really nice.  You can make this shirt as Western as you want with the rounded yokes and piping and "smile" pockets.  But you can also make this a very classic shirt by just leaving out those details.  However, you will be adding a placket to the sleeve.  Here, I am going to show you how to sew the placket so this step will be less intimidating, especially if you've never done one before.  This is a typical two-piece sleeve placket design (sleeve + placket piece).  

First, make sure you transfer all pattern markings to the fabric pieces.  Here I forgot to transfer the fold line on the longer side of the placket piece, but I do have the dots and you'll see where the fold goes pretty easily.  I like to use ultra-washable markers to transfer on linens or cottons. And this brings me to another cautionary note for my tutorials:  sometimes do as I say, not as a do.  But also, be flexible and do what makes the most sense to you - or what YOU want to do!

For the 212 Five Frontier Shirts, the sleeve is cut on the fold, but the markings for the placket opening is only placed on back side of the sleeve.  Make sure you have mirror images with the two sleeves (you don't want one placket on the front of the sleeve and one on the back).  

Press under side seam allowances of Placket piece.  Baste near the fold and trim the seam down to about 1/4" (6mm).  Then press under the seam allowances of the pointed end of the placket.  Try to keep a nice even point at the top, so adjust the fabric as necessary. Baste the point and trim the fabric.

Then place the right side of the Placket to the wrong side of the Sleeve, matching slash lines and stitching lines.  Pin in place and stitch on the stitching lines (they are 1/4" (6mm) from the slash line).  Pivot at the dots.  I use a slightly smaller stitch length for this step to provide some more stability.  

Now carefully cut along the slash line to the bottom of the V, and then carefully cut to the dots at the corners, making sure not to cut into the stitching.

Now, pull the Placket to the right side of the sleeve.  Press the slashed edges toward the Placket. Note that now the Placket sides are on the opposite side as when they were on the wrong side of the sleeve.

by Victoria Watkins

Our 144 Belly Dancer sewing pattern is packed with directions for three garments as well as embellishment instructions for several accessories. While originally intended for belly dancers (originally American Tribal Style belly dancers, now FatChanceBellyDance) to create a complete performance costume, bits and pieces can absolutely be isolated and worn on their own.  In these photos I am wearing the pantaloons I made and the choli in Folkwear's garment stash - both from this pattern.

My decision to sew the pantaloons is a bit of a funny story. The city where I live (Asheville, NC) is a bit eccentric, with a bit of an artsy, bohemian reputation. It is entirely in the character of our town that I met a woman running pay-what-you-want belly dance lessons in her front yard. An avid dancer myself, I decided to learn what I can from her. Between watching her chickens mill about the yard, poring over vinyl records of belly dance music from the 70s, and my own struggle to keep my arms raised above my head for the duration of a session, it's become one of the highlights of my week. However, the solitary yellow skirt I wore to practice every week began to feel a bit repetitive. I remembered that we have a pattern for exactly this sort of thing and quickly got to work.

The main components of the pattern are the choli (top), pantaloons, and a ten-yard skirt. I originally considered making the skirt, but I needed time to come to terms with the cost of the yardage necessary to sew it. Additionally, I was aiming to put together something for practice and not performance, so I determined that the pantaloons would be more ideal. 

The instructions for how to construct the pantaloons were easy to follow. I chose to make a couple modifications, which you will likely want to do as well if you want to wear these as pants without an overskirt. First, I wanted to finish the pants in the crotch, because the instructions tell you to leave an opening at the intersection of the inseams by default. I found this weird (I didn't want to flash anyone during the post-lesson stretches), but my teacher later informed me that the pantaloons have a large opening for a practical purpose: to make bathroom breaks for performers covered in yards and yards of cloth much quicker. That said, the pattern does offer the suggestion of adding a gusset to close the gap. I made a diamond shaped gusset without much fuss or precision, and it worked great. 

An additional modification that I made was to make the legs a more practical length. For stage, the pantaloons are supposed to brush the floor. This effect is definitely lovely, but it also is not suitable for daily wear. I decided to just cut down the legs and cuff them at about ankle height. 

Even made out of a quilting cotton, these pants are surprisingly comfortable - I even wear them to work. They're roomy, free of any zippers or buttons to pinch, and cute on top of it all. When showing them off to my friend, I (dramatically) told her that I wanted to be buried in these pants. Not only are they practical for dance lessons, but they're a fantastic choice for pajamas or loungewear. I could also see them looking totally chic in a more upscale fabric, too.

I highly suggest you make a pair!  What do you think? Would you wear these out and about?

by Victoria Watkins

The 251 Varsity Jacket pattern is fun, iconic, and currently very on trend. In order to help you figure out how to style your jacket, here's a collection of fabric suggestions I thought of that would be perfect for this jacket, whether you are wanting a traditional look or something modern. This jacket is great because it doesn't take a huge amount of fabric - and the pattern pieces are not large. Molly made the jacket above with scraps of left over cashmere (and silk for lining) scraps.  Keep note that when you are looking at the yardage chart, we have the yardage for the sleeves and body separate in case you want to make the sleeves from different fabric than the body.  This is traditionally in case you want to make the sleeves from leather (and body from wool), but you could also use different color combos of the same type fabric, or just make it all from the same fabric. 

Keep an eye out for a second blog with lining and notion suggestions!

The 251 Varsity Jacket is perfect for fall and winter weather, and my immediate thought is to make it out of wool. Our Italian Wool in Camel is a terrific base fabric to sew this jacket with.  This lux wool would be warm, and lined with a silk charmeuse would be so very nice!

I personally love to sew Autumn and Winter projects in flannel. This cotton flannel from Hart's combines fashion with practicality for chillier weather.  You could also work the pattern to have the checks in different directions for different pattern pieces.  

Floral brocade bomber-style jackets are quite in fashion at the moment, and the varsity jacket is perfect as a base to build your stylish take on the trend. This gorgeous brocade from Mood Fabrics is just one of many endless options for a modern twist on the jacket.  Again, use a silk charmeuse for the lining and you will have an amazing jacket!

The 217 Poet's Shirt is a popular pattern for making historic clothing or costumes - for Ren Faire outfits, pirate clothes, or early Victorian dress.  It is also a beautifully romantic shirt you can wear everyday with leggings, jeans, slacks, or a skirt.  Great on men and women!

We've just released this pattern again as a paper pattern, and updated the PDF pattern.  We did not increase the original sizing (to save you paper and money) because all the pieces are rectangles (as traditionally clothes were constructed), and it is very easy to size up.  This blog will show you how to size this shirt up, as well as how to sew the tricky bits of the shirt (hello, gussets).

Sizing the Poet's Shirt Up

First, cut out all the pieces you need in the largest size.  My model for this shirt is about one size larger than the largest size in this pattern, so I am showing that size increase, but you can keep expanding this pattern in the same way to go up many sizes. 

You can see the sizing chart here.  But, the finished measurements at the waist and chest for the shirt are as follows (don't forget the underarm gusset adds a little extra room at the chest, but is not accounted for below):
Women's Small: 44"
Women's Medium/Men's Small: 46"
Women's Large/Men's Medium: 50"
Men's Large: 54"

The pattern is made with 10"-12" of ease at the chest/bust, so keep that in mind when deciding which size you want to make, or if and how you want to make it larger.

I wanted to add a total of 2" (5cm) total to the width of the largest size of this pattern - to have a finished measurement of 56" at the chest/waist.  

Here are the front and back pieces.  They are taped together at the shoulder and cut as one long piece.  Note that this pattern does not work well with fabrics with nap or one way designs.  

Matching shoulder lines.  Tape the pattern together here, overlapping the pattern pieces so shoulder lines match.  

To increase the width of the pattern, I added a strip of paper to the outside edge (side seam) of the front and back pieces.  I added 1/2" paper strip to give an extra 2" (total of 1" on front + 1" on back).  If you want to increase the total circumference of the pattern by 4", you would add 1" to the front/back side seam.  If you want to add 8", you would add 2" to the front/back side seam, etc.

I added a strip of paper to increase the width of the front/back by 1/2" (13mm) at the side seam. 

You can see how long the front/back piece is taped together at the shoulder seam.  This is ready to cut on the fold to get a full front/back with the extra width at the side seams.

You will also need to add the same amount you added to the side seam to the shoulder reinforcement piece.  In this case, I also added 1/2" (13mm) to the shoulder reinforcement piece at the side seam.  

You can also make the sleeve wider if you like.  The sleeve is very billowy, so I did not add anything to it.  The sleeve finishes at about 21-1/2" wide for the largest size and I felt that was plenty of room.  If you want to make the sleeve wider, just add half the amount you want to make it wider by to the outside edge of the sleeve pattern piece.  You will also need to change the markings on the front/back pattern piece to reflect where to add the gusset.  For instance, if you increase the width of the sleeve by 1/2" (for a total of 1" (2.5cm) added to the sleeve width), you will also need to lower the gusset markings on the pattern by 1/2" on the front/back pattern pieces, as I've shown below.  If you aren't increasing the size of the sleeve, you don't need to do this.

If you aren't increasing the width of the sleeve, you can just transfer the markings on the pattern for the largest size over to the edge of your fabric when you cut it out.

Finally, if you want to add length to this pattern, you can add whatever length you want at the lengthen/shorten lines on the front and back pattern pieces (and to the sleeve).  You will need to slash at the lengthen/shorten line and tape paper to the pattern to make it the length you want.  Be sure to add the same amount to the front and the back pieces.  

Sewing the Tricky Bits

Neck Gusset:  The first tricky bit of this pattern is the neck gusset.  This is not typically how most shirt today are constructed, but when fabric was more dear (because it was hand woven, etc.), making lots of curved pattern pieces was wasteful.  So, the neck of this pattern is cut directly from the front/back rectangles and a clever little neck gusset gives shape and room to the neck/collar area.

First, be sure to transfer all the markings to the fabric on both sides of the front and back.  I use Crayola ultra washable fine tipped markers to mark my fabric.  I also used a handkerchief linen, so it was easy to see marks from the front and back of my fabric.  You can transfer marks to both sides if needed.  Transfer paper and a tracing wheel are great for this too.

The next step is to sew your neck reinforcement pieces to the inside of the front/back, lining them up with the side notches and stars on the neck area.  You can see the shoulder reinforcements below, through the fabric. Please excuse my semi-messy pattern markings.  

You need to reinforce the side slits by stay stitching (use a short stitch length) around the slit (follow the stitching lines). Stitch right to the box, pivot, and go back up the other side.

Then you cut the neck slit from box to box. Don't cut the front slit yet.

Now take that little neck gusset, press it once with wrong sides together on a diagonal.  Then, with right sides together, match one square on the neck gusset with the square on the neck slit, and the star on the neck gusset with the star at the neck slit - as below.  Pin.  

Then stitch on the inside of the shirt from the square to the star.  Stitch on the inside so that you follow the stitching line (the stay stitch line you've already stitched) and you won't accidently not stitch these two pieces together. The gusset will hang over the edge of the neck slit near the square.  That is fine and normal. 

On the outside of the shirt, you can see to stitch from the square to the star.

On the inside of the shirt, you can see that the gusset overhangs the neck slit.  Stitch from inside the shirt so that you don't miss stitching the neck to the gusset.

Now, open the neck slit up a bit, and you will pivot the gusset at the square, rotating it around so that the other star meets the other star on the neck slit. Pin the gusset to the other side of the neck slit and sew from the star to the square on the inside of the shirt. 

Align the star on the gusset with the star on the neck.  Then manipulate the fabric by the square to even out.

 Pin the gusset to the neck slit at the star and square.

Again, stitch on the inside of the shirt, along the stay stitching line.

Now, fold and press the remaining 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance on the neck gusset to the inside.  Then, fold the neck gusset along the foldline so that it covers the stitching.  Whipstitch the neck gusset to the shoulder reinforcement, just covering the seamline. 

Remaining 1/4" (6mm) seam allowances are folded in on the neck gusset.

Neck gusset folded to the inside.  Now I just whip stitched this in place.

Front Facing:  There are two front facings.  If you are using a one-sided print, you should use the wide facing, as the wide facing is not seen from the outside.  If you are using fabric where the right side and wrong side of the fabric are the same, the narrow facing is better (less bulky).  I used the narrow facing.

First, press under seam allowances. Then, pin the right side of the facing to the wrong side of the shirt, matching squares and dots and slit lines.  Stitch along the stitching line, narrowing to and pivoting at the square, keeping a 1/4" (6mm) seamline for most of the length.  Cut down through the slash line to the box, through all layers of fabric.  Then turn the facing to the right side of the shirt and press the folded seam allowance over the stitching lines.  You can top stitch the facing down from the front, or slip stitch it to the front. 

Press under 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance on facing.

Front facing stitched, slashed, and turned to the front of the shirt.  Now it can be pressed and topstitched down.

Underarm Gusset

Underarm gussets are rarely used in modern shirt patterns, but they are often used in old, or traditional, shirts. This is because curved armholes and sleeves were not used until fairly recently.  Usually all shirt pieces were cut as rectangles (or square) due to the fact that it was less wasteful to use these geometric shapes when using precious handmade (or expensive) cloth.  Hence the gusset, a square-shaped piece of fabric that allows more movement in the arm that does not have any curves.  

Gussets are really very simple.  Just make sure you line up everything well and only stitch to the markings, trying not to catch any other seams in your sewing.  I also think it's a good idea to plan how you will finish your seams. Gussets require a little bit more thought, though many seam finishes will work.  I finished my seams here with a zig-zag stitch after they were complete, but it would probably be even better to finish the seams before starting to sew everything together (make sure you don't loose any markings when you do this).  What you do depends on the fabric you are using (and what you want to do!).

First, line up one gusset with the sleeve, matching the stars and dots.  Stitch just between the star and dot.

Now, take match the other star on the gusset to the star on the other side of the sleeve and the dot (where gusset and sleeve are already sewn together) to the dot on the other side of the sleeve.  Sew just between this star and the dot - don't catch the other seam in the stitching.  This is where the stitching can get tricky (and why some people prefer to sew this shirt by hand).  But, you can slow down your stitching and even just move the needle wheel by hand for the last few stitching to make sure you don't cross into the other seam line. 

Next, pin and stitch the sleeve together from the dot at the bottom of the gusset to the square (below the square is made into a seamed placket for the cuff). Again, make sure to not catch any of the other gusset seams in your stitching.

This is what the underarm gusset looks like after it is attached to the sleeve.

  

Our 251 Varsity Jacket pattern traditionally closes with snaps.  You need to have fairly heavy duty snaps to use in this pattern.  If using snaps as closures, you will need snaps and fasteners such as these (from Wawak). 

However, I was inspired by a bomber jacket I saw on Black-ish a few years ago and have been thinking of ever since. You can see the jacket here.  But, honestly there were so many good varsity/bomber jackets on that show (it was a great one for fashion) - there's one here (Black-ish Bomber Jacket) and here (Black-ish Pink Bomber Jacket and here (Black-ish Varsity Jacket), for inspiration.  And, I also really like many of the bomber jackets I've seen lately made from silk and florals.  But nearly all of these jackets close with zippers rather than snaps.  So I decided to add a zipper to this jacket rather than snaps.  It is quite easy to do, so I'll show how I did this.

I constructed the jacket exactly how the pattern describes until the end. I used a poly brocade fabric and lined it with black silk. I also used athletic trim from Pacific Trimming.  Then, instead of inserting the snaps in the jacket after it is all constructed, I used a 22" separating zipper. I chose one with metal coils and coordinating color, but you can pick just about anything you want it to be.

I simply pinned and sewed the zipper on one side of the jacket, with the zipper side to the inside of the jacket.  I used a zipper foot to sew close to the edge of the zipper.  Since this jacket calls for topstitching (which is optional), it makes sense to do this and have the topstitching as a reinforcement for the zipper.  I did not add any additional topstitching since I did not think it would look any better.

 

 

 

by Cynthia Anderson

In this blog I will demonstrate how to make a bust adjustment for View C of 222 Vintage Vests pattern. While the Folkwear 222 Vintage Vests pattern offers three different style versions, View C has a double-breasted front closure and four darts that create a snug fit at the bust. The focus of this blog is to show how to create a custom fit by adjusting the position of the front bust darts, using a test muslin. There are instructions in the pattern on how to do this, but I also thought it would be helpful to see someone else do it and show you how .  

To get started, determine your approximate vest size using the Sizing Chart included in the 222 Vintage Vests pattern. Find the bust measurement on the sizing chart that corresponds with your bust measurement. I made a size medium, which is for measurements 36"(91cm) to 38"(97cm) at the bust.

Make a Test Muslin

I made a test muslin of the vest pattern (view C) according to the pattern instructions, but I only used the pattern pieces needed to determine fit and for making the bust adjustments. I cut out the Front, Side Back, and Back. The collar and lining are not needed for this exercise.

Make the vest muslin for your size according to the instructions.  Fold darts along the Fold Lines, with right sides together, and baste along the dart stitching lines.  Using a basting stitch makes it easier to remove the stitching when adjusting.  Press the darts lightly.   

Note: Wear the muslin wrong side out and make the dart adjustment markings  on the wrong side, and to make it easier to make adjustments.

Ensure a Good Fit

Try on the muslin (inside out) and  match and pin the center front of the vest to hold it closed. The vest will fit more accurately if you include any undergarments and garments you intend to wear under the vest. For instance, don't make adjustments over a t-shirt, if you plan on wearing a peasant shirt underneath the vest. For the purposes of this demonstration I have not used undergarments or a shirt on my dress form.

Ideally, you want to make the adjustments while wearing the muslin yourself with the help of a sewing buddy to do the pinning. For this demonstration, I used a dress form made to my size.

Determine the Bust Point

For the most flattering fit, darts should end about 1/2" (13mm) below your bust point.  With the vest on, determine the widest, or fullest, part of your bust. This is the Bust Point or Bust Apex. Often nipple position is mistaken for the bust point, but this does not always ensure the best fit. Wear a bra to help finding the bust point easier.

Stand up straight and view your profile while looking in a mirror. Stretch a length of ribbon or string horizontally across the fullest part of the bust and secure with a pin to hold.

I have used a blue dot sticker to mark the bust point on the ribbon, to make it easier to see.

I inserted a pin into the center of the dot and transferred this point using a pen/pencil on the vest muslin.

Adjust the Dart Placement

The original darts may fall to the left or to the right of your newly marked bust point.  To adjust the darts to align with your bust points, take off the vest and remove the original dart stitching and press the muslin flat.  Redraw (on the wrong side) the new Dart Fold Lines so that the new dart points fall 1/2" (13mm) on either side of and below the bust point.

Follow the series of illustrations and instructions below for a step by step explanation.

Use the illustrations below as a guide to make the bust adjustment on the wrong side of your test muslin. The illustration below shows the new bust point, the original flat darts, and center front line. The circle around the bust point shows the 1/2" (13mm) space needed below the bust point.

Mark the center between the original darts at the bottom edge of the vest. Draw a line (dashed here) connecting the line 1/2" (13mm) below the bust point and the center between the two darts.

Draw a small horizontal line 1/2" (13mm) below the bust point, and measure 1/2" (13mm) on either side of the new vertical bust point line. Mark where these lines intersect to create the new dart points.  

Draw in the new Dart Fold Lines. The new Dart Fold Lines should begin at the same point on the bottom edge of the vest as the original dart fold line markings.  They will connected to the new dart points.  Re-draw in the new Dart Stitching Lines with chalk or erasable marker.  The Dart Stitching Lines should also start at the same place as the original lines.  Keep the darts equally spaced on either side of the bust point center line.

 Connect the the original bottom dart edges to the new dart points to create the new dart stitching lines.

Baste the new darts and try the vest muslin on, right side out and evaluate the fit. The darts should not extend beyond the 1/2' (13mm) line under the bust point.

Once you are satisfied with the bust adjustment fit transfer the re-drawn darts to your pattern for future reference.  Also re-draw in the new darts on both sides of the front and on the lining pieces.  You may also need to even off the bottom edge of the front pieces.  

Look closely below to compare original darts lines and the new stitched darts.

Even a slight adjustment can make a noticeable difference in the look and feel of how a garment fits. My bust adjustment changed only slightly, but the result is obvious both visually and in the way the fit feels when worn. Making a muslin is a great way to try out new skills, and test for fit, enabling you to make your final project with confidence.

 
Making a bust adjustment for View C of the Folkwear 222 Vintage Vests is not hard and it is a skill you can apply to other projects with darts. You only have to learn a few easy steps to create a custom bust fit for this charming vest.

Check-out the blogs Vintage Vests Inspiration, Add a Folkwear 222 Vintage Vest to Your Wardrobe, and Make a 222 Vintage Vest for Fall to see how fun and easy it is to make a vest. Fall is here and the 222 Vintage Vests Paper Pattern is a great pattern for layering! Find the PDF pattern here. Make one or all the styles offered in the pattern to add new life to your fall and winter wardrobe.

by Cynthia Anderson

In this blog I am going to show you how I made View A of the 222 Vintage Vests pattern, adding a contrasting facing for a custom look.  See Add a 222 Vintage Vest to Your Fall Wardrobe and Vintage Vest Inspiration for more ideas to get you started in making your own vest.

I used a light-weight dark navy wool suiting with a white pin-stripe for the vest front pieces, the inside facings, and the back belt. For the contrasting front facing I used a similar weight wool plaid. For the back, lining, and the pocket I used a dark navy acetate lining.

Feel free to make the back of the vest out of the same material as the front of the vest if you like. The belt is optional too. This pattern shows you how to easily line every vest.  And I do recommend keeping the linking, for not only a clean interior finish, but because a lining makes wearing a vest truly luxurious. Vests are a great use of small amounts of fabric that can be used in any number of ways.

If welt pockets are new to you or you need a refresher, make a muslin. Practice transferring the pocket opening, adding the welts, and the pocket bag on a tightly woven scrap of fabric. Use a scrap of lining to make the pocket bag, so you will get a feel for what it is like to work with a slippery fabric.

Vest Front Construction

Welt Pockets
First, I transfered the pocket markings (welt pocket opening) to the right side of the vest. For dark fabrics a fine chalk pencil works well. Use a water soluble pen or black chalk pencil for light colored fabrics.

My favorite way of transfering markings like this is while the pattern piece is still attached to the fabric.  Insert pins into the corners of the pocket opening, with the pin sticking through the fabric. Then, mark the corners of the pocket opening before completely removing the pattern from the fabric. Connect the dots using a ruler. I did not transferbthe stars and dots to the fabric to keep my work tidy. But I kept the pattern handy to use as a reference. I made all four of the pockets for View A, but feel free to make as many as you like, or none at all.  Or add a patch pocket!

I added fusible interfacing over the pocket areas on the wrong side of the vest to reinforce the fabric. You could use sewn-on interfacing if the fabric is heavy enough to allow for invisible stitching on the right side of the fabric.

I traced the all pocket openings with a machine basting stitch to provide a guide for aligning the welt tabs and for cutting the pocket open later on. I stitched over the center slash line as well. This extra bit of stitching keeps the stitching visible on each side of the fabric long after the chalk has worn away.

Add the Optional Facing
To add a contrasting facing to the out side of the vest, I used the same facing pattern piece intended for the inside facing of the vest. Treat the facing as a trim or applique and stitch it to the outside of each vest front. It is actually easier to add the facing while the fabric is still flat and before the welt pockets are added.

I cut the plaids so that they matched at the center front. To help ensure the plaids match, I cut each facing piece separately, paying attention to where the pattern piece match/align to the plaid for each side. Once one side of the facing is cut, I flipped the pattern for the opposite side facing. If you don't have to worry about pattern matching, then feel free to cut both pieces at once.

I made a machine baste-stitch on the 1/2" (13mm) seam line on the un-notched edge of each of the facings pieces. Use the basting stitch as a guide I turned under a clean smooth edge and press the edge.

I pinned and stitched the the wrong side of the facing to the right side of vest on the center front edge, matching notch 5. I made the stitching just inside the 1/2"(13mm) seam allowance.

Then, I top-stitched the opposite un-notched edge close to the turned under edge to hold the facing in place and to create a clean finished edge.

Now I could treat the vest front as one piece of fabric and continue the construction.

Make the Welt Tabs
Now, let's get back to the welt pockets.  I added interfacing to the wrong side of half the pocket welts for each welt C and D tabs.

If using fusible interfacing, pre-trim the interfacing as seen below before ironing to the fabric.

If using sewn-in interfacing, machine-baste along the seam lines. Then sew invisibly (by hand) along the horizontal Center Fold Lines. Trim the interfacing close to the basting stitches. The stitched interfacing has the benefit of making it easy to see which is the wrong side of the tab.

Note: I am using fusible interfacing because my fabric is a light-weight wool suiting.

With the right sides of the welt tabs together, I folded the welt along the Center Fold Line and stitched the short ends together, using the 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance.

I trimmed the corners, turn right side out, and press.

Then, I machine-basted the remaining long edges together using the 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance.

Add the Welts and the Pocket Bag to the Pocket Opening
I basted the interfaced side of the welt tabs to the right side of the vest, along the lower welt seam lines. The folded edge is positioned facing downward. The long raw edge of the welt meets at about the slash line.

I transferred the pocket opening lines to the pocket bags as indicated on the pattern. With right sides together, I pinned the pockets to the right side of the front (on top of the welt tab), matching the dots and stars as marked on the pattern. I stitched along the pocket opening seam lines, pivoting at the small dots and stars.  I had to be careful not to catch the welt tabs in the short sides of the rectangles.

I then carefully slashed through the Pocket and Front along the slash line between the seams lines, clipping diagonally to the small dots and stars.

Next, I turned each pocket half to the inside of the vest, and pressed both of the pocket halves down on the horizontal Center Fold Line.

I pressed the welt tab up on the outside (right side) of the vest. And, I pinned and stitched the remaining raw edges of the pocket bag, right sides together to close up the pocket. I removed any basting stitching if it was visible.

On the outside (right side) of the vest, I hand whip-stitch (or machine-stitch) along both short ends to secure the welt tab. I also added a few extra stitches to the top of each corner to reinforce.

Back Belt

The patterns calls for the belt to be made out of lining fabric. The belt is best made out of a light weight material to not only cut down on bulk against the wearer's back, but a lighter fabric also makes adding the belt-buckle hardware easier and less bulky. Vests typically have belts made of lining material, but I decided to use the same light-weight wool suiting the front of the vest is made from.

If using a lighter-weight fabric like lining fabric, add fusible interfacing approximately the same weight as the belt fabric for more durability.

You could also replace the belt buckle with a button/buttonhole or create a faux buttonhole look by using a snap with a button stitched over the top of the snap.

With right sides together, I stitched the belts on three sides, leaving the notched edge open.

With right sides together, I then pinned and stitched the center back vest seam, making sure to keep the belt pieces from getting caught in the stitching.

I repeated this for the back lining as well.

In the photo below, the vest back is in the foreground and the back lining is in the background. Both backs are viewed wrong sides facing up.

Attach the Front and Back of the Vest

With right sides together, I stitched the center back neck band seam of the Vest Fronts.

The photo below shows the shoulder seam snipped on right side of vest.

Then, with right sides together, I pinned and stitched the shoulder/back neck band with right sides of the front and back together, pivoting at the dot and matching the center back seams. I failed to take a photo of this step, but it is also pretty straighforward.

Attaching the Lining

I stitched the shoulder seams of the lining right sides together, matching the dots - and pressed them open.

 

Instead of cutting my Lining Facing out of the lining material, I used the pin-stripe wool suiting. Typically, the interior facings are made from the lining fabric. But, I continued to use the main outer fabric on the inside. I like the the way the facing looks and feels on the interior of the vest, especially when worn unbuttoned. Of course, this is totally up to you. I cut both the lower front and front facings out of the pin-stripe wool suiting.

Because of the extra layer of facing fabric added on the outside front of the vest, I eliminated using the interfacing the pattern recommends. The three layers of wool suiting are sufficient enough to support the use of buttonholes and buttons.  But if you are not adding an extra layer of interfacing, or you are using lightweight lining fabric, you might want to use the interfacing.

With right sides together, I pinned and stitched the lower front facing to the front lining, and pressed the seams open.

I then pinned and stitched the center back seam of the front facing, right sides together (and pressed seams open).

With right sides together, I also pinned and stitched the front facing to the lining, clipping along the curves, and matching the Center Back seams. The seam is pressed towards the facing.

I added stitching close to the edge of the facing to create strength and add a nice finish.

With right sides together, I pinned the lining to the outer vest, matching the Center Back seams and notches.

Then, I stitched along the outer front opening edges, pivoting at the corners and stopping at the boxes that mark the top of the side slits/vents.

I then pinned and stitched around the armholes. I clipped the seam allowances to release the fabric in the curves.  And I stitched the back bottom edges as well.

I stitched all the vest edges, except the side seams. The side seam openings need to be left open for turning the vest right-side out.

It helps to clip and trim all the seam allowances (except for the side seams) to make it easier to turn the vest neatly right sides out.

I turned the vest right side out by pulling the fronts though the shoulders and then pull both fronts out one side opening of the back.

I pressed the turned edges, slightly rolling them to the inside of the vest, so the lining was not visible from the right side.

Finish the Side Seams

I started with the vest front and back outer side seams first. With right sides together, I pinned and machine stitched the vest front to the vest back at the sides seams, beginning at the boxes (at bottom side slit/vent opening) and ending the stitching 2" (5mm) past the armhole seam.

Next, I closed the lining side seams. I turned under the remaining lining seam allowances to the inside of the vest and pressed along the stitch line to create a clean edge. I worked with the right side of the side seam lining facing out, and pinned the front and back side seam lining together, matching the turned under edges and hand slip-stitched together. I made sure not to catch the side seam for the outer vest in the stitching. Because the previous machine stitching extended 2" (5mm) beyond the armhole, the amount of hand stitching is not very much.

 The vest is lined!

Buttonholes & Buttons

I made the buttonholes by machine on the front as marked on the pattern, 1/4" (6mm) from the finished edge.  I used 1/2" (13mm) buttons. You could also make the buttonholes by hand or change up the size and number of the buttons used.  Generally, men's buttonholes should be made on the left front, women's on the right. Then I sewed on the buttons to properly align with the buttonholes.

Due to the outer facing, I preferred the way the front of the vest looks with my buttonholes on the left front side, so am breaking the "rules".

If you are new to buttonhole/button making or need a refresher, see the blogs Buttonhole 101: Part One and Buttonhole 101: Part Two.

Add the Buckle As a Final Touch

Buckle designs may vary, so have a look at the instructions for how to add them to the belt. For the buckle I used, one end of the belt is attached to the center post of the buckle, by wrapping the belt end around the center post approximately 1/2" (13mm) and stitching on the back side to hold. I chose to hand-stitch the edge, but machine stitching would work too.

Vests are not only functional and versatile, but they are an fun way to spruce up any wardrobe. Plus, vests are a perfect fall project to practice tailoring construction techniques and skills in preparation for making a new coat or jacket. Have a look at all the Folkwear coat and jacket patterns and enjoy making a special piece for yourself or someone else. Don't forget to add a vest for extra warmth and style to whatever you make!