My latest garment is another Today’s Fit by Sandra Betzina pattern.  I have been enjoying making and wearing vests lately.  The pattern envelope:

I made the longer version from a basketweave, lightweight wool suiting.  This fabric was purchased from FabricMart Fabrics in July 2017.  I lined the vest with a beige Bemberg rayon, my go-to lining fabric.  It is lightweight and breathes.

I made my usual changes to the pattern – rounded back adjustment, smaller size in shoulders and moving out 1 size in bust and hips.  This does seem to run a little big.  I made a muslin, which fit fine.  But somehow the wool may have stretched from handling and the vest is ‘roomy’.  But that is ok – I can wear a sweater under it if I want to.

I wanted a piping around the collar and front edge, so I stole one of my husband’s neck ties.  He rarely wears a tie and has a lot of them left over from when he wore a tie to work every day.  I took the tie apart, cut it into 2″ strips and made piping.  Why use a tie for piping?  Because it is already cut on the bias, is made of silk and is colorful.  Very little of the piping shows, so it is a subtle accent.  And when you have taken the tie apart, you have tie interfacing (also cut on the bias) to use for easing sleeves into jackets.  The filling for the piping is rattail cord, which is what I usually use.  Here is a left-over piece of the tie fabric.

A close-up of the piping on the vest:

And the completed vest:

There are pockets in the front; the bottom front is a separate piece from the upper front, so the pockets are incorporated into the seam.

The back is quite interesting – although I am not sure how I will like wearing it.  Unfortunately I just finished the vest and it was 90 degrees today.  So not sure it will get much wear until the fall.  The temperature may cool down next week, though and I will test-drive the vest.

The back:

Hmm – I did press this – looks like it needs a bit more pressing.

Sandra Betzina’s website is powersewing.com.  She has over 250 videos available to watch and there is one that walks through how to make this vest.  It wasn’t hard, and the instructions are very good because they are written by Sandra.  But watching the video helps give perspective on how the pieces go together, particularly if you are a more visual person.

Moving on to spring/summer sewing…I am working on a yellow and white striped shirt.  I am doing a franken-pattern of two shirt patterns.  I have been searching the web for shirts with stripes and embroidery and have stored them on this page.

Sneak preview of what is coming up: