I saw this fabric on StyleMaker's site and all I could think was what a fun and cozy vest this would be over a turtleneck.
Supplies ~
OOP pattern McCalls 7481 - I've used this pattern several times over the years with each make being very different from the others.
1.5 yards of Checkered Cozy Teddy Sherpa Fleece (also in another color)
2 yards of polyester printed lining from Fabric Mart (deep stash)
Snaps purchased from SIL Threads (yet to be sewn on the vest)
I named this the Fuzzy Wuzzy Bear Vest because I knew it would not be a slim look on me. But I wasn't going for slim. I was going for warm and comfortable and this vest fits the bill.
A couple of things:
As expected this was a "bear" to cut out. I had to make sure that all the pattern pieces were laying in the same direction. I didn't want the checkers to have a variation of color in different sections of the vest.
Then there were all of the fleece cuttings flying around as I cut the pieces out. I ended up serging the edges of the pieces, even though I lined the vest, to prevent the cuttings from being everywhere. I also had to clean my serger as I serged each piece because the cuttings were everyplace. It was a flurry of blue sherpa fleece in every crevice.
I chose a pattern that had some interest to it but not a lot of pieces. I'd altered this pattern back in February 2019 to include in-seam pockets in a vest. That vest inspired this one...and that's where this project went left!
There were no instructions for this vest so I went with what I remembered. Constructing the shell wasn't a project. I made the lining from the pattern pieces without the pockets. Then I sewed the lining to the vest. I clipped the curves and the armholes. Went to turn the vest and it wouldn't turn. Y'all I thought I would lose my mind because no matter what I did, it wouldn't turn.
I had to unpick the hem and the armholes sleeves to flip the lining in. Then because I couldn't figure out how to machine sew it together (even after consulting my internet friend, Google) I ended up handstitching the lining in. Yes, I handstitched the hemline, and each armhole. Luckily the furry sherpa hid my hand stitching. Then since I didn't edge stitch the lining to the sherpa fabric, I use long stitches to tuck the lining into the vest. That took 4.5 hours of watching Bridgerton Season 3, to rip and then hand stitch the vest back together. BUT, it worked!
...and that's why the snaps purchased for the vest weren't sewn on the vest before I wore it out in public...because traumatized from all that handstitching! 😉
So here is the vest in all it's glory...
The finished vest looks just how I imagined it would when I saw the fabric on StyleMaker's website. It's been really cold here lately, like colder than Alaska cold, so this was perfect the day I wore it to work since it was 22 degrees outside!
This isn't the only garment I made during my holiday break, there's more coming! Honestly it's been so dayum cold and windy, acting like we live in Antarctica, that I haven't been pressed about pictures. Also, after these garments, I stopped sewing for a minute. I was living in cashmere sweaters and sweatshirt layers...not much me made to keep me warm against the artic temps.
So, I still have more share. We did take more photos on another day of another pair of pants I made. Will share that soon. The temperatures have finally normalized and I have a few days off so maybe I will get some more sewing in.
...as always more later!
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