A Vest

I started this vest in May 2019, y'know in the before times. It began life as a jacket. Then it sat because I had a challenge with the sleeves. I did move this unfinished project with me in 2020 and for the last five years it's been hanging in the sewing loft.

Honestly, it hung there until earlier this spring when I realized that with the weight I've lost it would fit again. By then the sleeves had gone missing and when reassessing, I thought it would make a great vest. Also, the amount of work I had already put into this piece made it hard to let go. 

It's made from a navy linen I bought from Fabric Mart's brick 'n mortar store during a Sew Camp. I added some navy/white gingham scraps to the pocket flaps and back neck facing. I also added navy gingham bias binding to the front facings.

Some of the construction was blogged about back in May 2019.  I'm not gonna send you back there, I'm just gonna share it here. 

First here is a construction picture...

I removed one breast pocket. They just weren't laying right. I did the same thing when I first made jacket so maybe these breast pockets don't play well with my body...or I'm just not skilled enough to get two pockets to lay right on a jacket...whatever! Three works.

When I picked it back up it looked like this...

I did so much work with the topstitching and lining the pocket flaps in navy gingham...

There wasn't much left to complete it. I added bias binding to the armholes to finish them.  Then I added bias binding to the hemline before hand stitching it down.  

Made buttonholes and buttons...then stitched the buttons on.  Finally gave it a good press.

Here are some photos of the finished garment...

It's a great transition piece so glad I added it to my vest collection. I have several more I want to make for fall/winter using actual vest patterns so stay tuned!

*I know Blogger has made it more challenging to sign in but would you kindly sign your name if you use anonymous.  It makes it easier to talk back to you.  Thanks so much!

The "Button" Cardigan

I started this cardigan last February right before I went to Sew Expo. It was really cold here and I had no thoughts of the warmer weather ahead. I just wanted to swath myself in wool to stay warm. That's how this cardigan came to be. However, when I got back from SewExpo, I had some unselfish sewing to do. After that all I wanted was to sew spring because Pullayup and Seattle were warm with spring-like temps. This encouraged me to put winter in my rear view mirror.

All of that made this cardigan fall out of sewing favor, so I hung it on the side of the fabric wall (with a few other UFOs) and moved on. Fast forward to last week when the temps took a dive here on the East Coast and I was looking for warm and cozy again.  I remembered this cardigan and since it was almost done tried to figure out what I wanted to do for closures.

See it's a basic brown cardigan, knee length with long sleeves, made from a heavier wool knit from the collection. Whew that was a mouthful! Here is my first idea for some unique hardware on the cardigan front. But when I went to try to install the pieces, I realized that I was missing some screws. I bought these pieces years ago...many, many years ago and there could have been screws then and I'd lost them in the meantime...but who knows. After discussing the hardware with Gaylen and her husband during Sew Expo, I knew I would have to go in another direction.

If you've been reading for awhile you know that I love Lafayette 148. When flipping through their fall selection I happened upon these cardigans with magnetic closures and fell in love. I thought this closure would work for the cardigan. Thus started my search through the notions stores in the Garment District for something similar and I found nothing like I saw in my head.  Loads of magnetic pieces but mostly for bag fronts and not really clothing.

Walking out of Botani I was a little disgusted. I wanted to finish this cardigan up and move on so I crossed the street to Lauren Trimming just to look. It's a newer notion store (up the street from Metro Textiles) and I found these buttons:

They are large but I was captivated by their unusual-ness. Because they are different they will add some zing to the cardigan front. However, I'm NOT making buttonholes for these. Buttonholes that large would be unattractive on the cardigan front. So, I have stitched the buttons to the front and added covered snaps to the backs.

A few more pics of the finished cardigan ~

Cardigan worn open with RTW ponte jeans and

Sewing Workshop Mission Top that I made in 2008.

Sweater coat closed and the buttons do make a statement

1. I have to be honest, I don't remember any of this cardigan's construction. I have no notes about it...which is unusual since I normally jot something down as I'm sewing...even if it is TNT. 

2. I think I used Butterick 5760 as my starting point and lengthened it. 

3. I know it's a wool knit from the collection that I believe is originally from Metro Textiles. 

4. I think I bought it with Ann of Gorgeous Things, years ago.
(Yes, that was me name dropping! *LOL*)

5. The buttons are from Lauren Trimmings purchased last week.

6. The covered large snaps are from Pacific Trimmings also purchased last week.

Of course it's gotten warm here again ~ so warm that we had to hurry up and take these pictures because I was sweltering in the cardigan. I probably won't be wearing the cardigan this week or anytime soon. However, the cold is coming so it will be perfect over jeans and a turtleneck for work during the winter months.

This should have been a quick finish to a UFO. Though it took me all dayum day to sew on five buttons and five pairs of snaps. I don't know what it was about this process that irked me but it took way longer than it should have.

I have a short sewing list of 4 pieces that I'm working on. The list is taken from my longer fall/winter sewing list of 25 items. These are the things that I want to sew right now...some are new patterns and two are repeats.

For my Thanksgiving break this year I'm planning on sewing for my daughter. We've already picked out the patterns, now we have to add fabric to them. So those plans and the items on my list are what I'm planning on sewing in November.  Unless of course, I change my mind!

...as always more later!