Warm and Cosy contest - Jan & Feb 2024

[Flobear]

No problem at all @CCL . Will be great to have you 'on board' 

[CCL]

@Flobear - Thanks! 

I have been slow sewing a vest (shocker!) out of a remnant of wool crepe.  It was left over from a skirt that was part of the last ever SWAP on the old Stitchers' Guild.   I have made some progress - trying some new techniques in its construction. 

[SewRuthieSews]

Yay @CCL lovely to have you sewing along with us.

My coat is inching along, a bit more and there will be something meaningful to share on a photo.

[Catllar]

I'm in.

Cut out SA Loren this afternoon ( fed up with the rolled fabric staring at me ) in a dark blue boiled wool. This is a TNT so it should be a quick make. Pictures will be taken tomorrow. Bad light has now stopped play.

[HenriettaMaria]

So my crochet fox hat is done.  Not up there with fully tailored winter coats but it is the first formal crochet pattern I've followed since I made this in around 1975!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/232829387/crochet-pattern-1970s-waistcoat-laced

Anyway, here is my fairly modest offering - the addition of a tail was my idea :-)

[Ouryve]

That's fab, @HenriettaMaria and Eldest is lucky that I don't crochet so I can't make him one to add to his fox collection 

[toileandtrouble]

@HenriettaMaria  he can't be a fox without a tail!

[Flobear]

Wonderful @HenriettaMaria . And double kudos for crocheting it  - it's a skill I've never really mastered.

[Lachica]

That's brilliant!

[CCL]

I haven't started a 2024 diary - wondering seriously if I will make enough to warrant a new one and can instead just tack onto the 2023 Diary.   For this Warm and Cosy thread, however, I thought I could add some notes about the evolution of my vest here.

It started life as Vogue 9138.   

After muslining it last year, I decided I wanted a faced and lined version with real welt pockets (the pattern calls for a bagged lining with no front nor back neck facings).  So facings, welt pockets and traditional lining were the changes I made (gifted heavy weight denim - probably intended for home dec sewing).

Even though I made some real bonehead mistakes with it (fused interfacing to the right side of left front - which I actually managed to undo and redo... ugh!), it turned out serviceable.  Here's the final of that sew.


V9138 with added welt pockets and facings

After some wearing, I didn't like where the darts ended - too high - pattern design, not a fitting thingy.  I really love it otherwise, warm, ample welt pockets big enough to tuck a tissue in, but I still am not thrilled with the darts.

So last fall, with the help of several of my online sewing buddies, I started modifying the pattern to be an armhole princess seam and also added about an inch to the length.  I did another muslin and I liked the longer princess seam version better. 

Fast forward to the present:  I am making it out of the remnant from this skirt - which I thought would look nice with the vest for a "look":


Vogue OOP 2433 (V2433) Ann Klein

And here's a closer look at the fabric from that project:

Anna Klein, OOP V2433 - extra seam allowance on underlining

It's a very loose weave wool crepe. So I have been doing a LOT of hand sewing - for pattern matching on the plaid (one thread ) and whip stitching the edges as they are fraying like crazy.  And like a nutcake, I decided to pattern match the pocket facings and do the welts on the bias.

Also I am trying 2 techniques that I want to add to my toolkit. 

• Stays for the welt pockets
• a new way of doing the welts that reduces the bulk on the edges.

I finished the fronts Sunday and have started working on the lining and the facings.  Realized that I needed to create a new lining pattern for the fronts - since they are now princess seams.  Spent the morning trying out a version that is one piece with a dart, but am not completely pleased, so just finished making a muslin for a princess seamed version.

When I get a chance to post some of the in progress photos to my Flickr account, I will add them in here.

I keep thinking:  Man, all this work for just a little vest!  But it is giving me time to practice some tailoring techniques with which I would like to build confidence.

[Morgan]

What a lovely project and I love that you shared your process.
I'm a fan of making outfits rather than orphans so it's great to be able to adapt patterns that we've already fitted. 

[Catllar]

My jacket/coat is coming along. Should finish it tomorrow. First time using boiled wool and it's very friendly if a tad bouncy. It doesn't press well but in its defence it needs no edge finishing. All I have to do now is hem and do a run of stitch round the edge.  Just hoping MrC hasn't packed away the gizmo I need to move pix from phone to pooter 

[CCL]

@Morgan  - thank you, I wasn't sure if I was posting too much construction argle bargle.  I got a little further along, basted everything together for a try on.  The insides are mostly constructed and I am now working my way through putting together the lining.  Here's a photo that shows my first attempt at armhole to pocket stays.


vest garment -inside construction

Let me know if I shouldn't be posting all this detail in the thread.

[Flobear]

Have you started a Diary yet @CCL ? 

A contest thread is always enhanced by having some progress pics so do carry on. However, what can happen is that people who are interested in some aspect of your work, comment or ask you questions which then cause a bit of 'thread drift'. You could post your pics in your diary as well so that you have a record to look back on after the contest is over and a place for extra 'argle-bargle' (love that expression  ) too.

PS I've never seen - or even heard of - 'armhole pocket stays'. Every day's a school day 

[HenriettaMaria]

@Flobear me neither but, having made tailored women's jackets in the past and have the pockets be effectively useless because anything in them makes them sag, I'm wondering if these stays are the secret menswear tailors keep to themselves?  Men can fill their (quality!) pockets with all sorts and their pockets don't sag.