The Vest Version of Vogue 1970

After completing the jacket version in pinwhale corduroy, and wearing it a bunch, I knew that I had to make the vest. There is not much that is different about the vest beyond omitting sleeves. The package includes a slightly different collar for it, but all else is identical.

Vogue 1970 by Marcy Tilton

Since I found the jacket neckline to stand a bit far from my neck on the jacket, I made an easy adjustment, bringing it closer to my neck on the shoulder seams. The pattern description describes these as companion or nesting pieces, but that did not turn out to be the case for me. Anyway I do love a vest during the winter months here in the southeastern USA. 

I had this primitive table runner from Common Threads in Taos NM that needed to become something. BTW, that is such an interesting store. They sell some fabrics by the yard, and lots of table linens, scarves, and a few simple linen garments. The pieces are from overseas with lots from India and Central America. The owner gives a little discount to those of us attending Diane Ericson's Design Outside the Lines. I attended one in September 2023.

This piece is actually narrow (maybe 5") loomed pieces that were hand-stitched together, almost 36" wide. A black thread with a simple overcast stitch was used and it's a little rough in places. This also meant it was a bit fragile to handle. So I carefully cut each piece out, one at a time, taking each to the sewing machine and stitching around each piece at the stitching line. I also carefully serged the edges. The combination seems to have given it enough stability to sew.

Since it was still soft and fragile feeling to me, I underlined it with Thai silk remnants from Laura Murray. I'm sad to report that she no longer sells that fabric. And she no longer comes to the Sew Expo here in Atlanta. Boo.

The underlining gave it just the right amount of body, I think. Also, due to my choice of *fabric* I folded out the little pleats over the hips. I am glad I did. The look is much smoother and more appropriate to this fabric.

I used some remnants of another piece of Laura Murray's Thai silk to make bias facing for the armholes and the hem, as well as front facings on the straight of grain. And I used some cotton batiste remnants for the pocket. That's right, just one pocket. 

While cutting the pieces out, I was careful to preserve a longish piece to fashion into a collar. The collar is the width of three of the strips hand-stitched together and the length of the circumference of the neckline. This meant that I had selvedge on both edges of the collar, making it easy to stitch each edge to the neckline without a lot of bulk. 

After a few tests, I was brave enough to make buttonholes in the front, using some funky buttons purchased years ago, probably at a Sew Expo. I placed one button at the neckline, attached with a Thai silk bias tube. 

I am pretty pleased with this. It has a nice weight to it, but is soft and comfy. Like the green jacket version, I'll have to be careful to avoid wearing it every day!

New Year - New Pattern!

Although I am a slug when it comes to New Year's resolutions, I do think about them. And I do have a little plan - not too strenuous and I'm happy to forget about it. Just a thought, really.

I've been working my way through my fabric stash for a while. Because I keep most of the remnants, the stash never seems to diminish, but that's ok. For a slight twist on that theme, I'm hoping to use my fabric stash to try out new patterns - patterns that I already own.

First up is Vogue 1970, a Marcy Tilton design. There are two views - one with sleeves, one sleeveless. The two views have different collars as well. I started out with this lovely soft pinwhale emerald green corduroy from Five Eight Seams in Charleston, SC. After some careful measuring and pin-fitting of the traced tissue, I made the jacket in a size 12 with no modification.

Unlike heavier corduroys, this piece was delightful to cut and sew. It left behind very little fuzz in the room, though I did need to dust out my sewing machine and serger after finishing. Even pressing was easy - I just pressed from the wrong side, with no bad effects. And I had big fun hand-stitching a little running stitch to highlight some of the design lines.

The sleeves are 3/4 length. I like that. I do wish I had thought through the cuff and rotated it so that the vent would be on the back of my arm, rather than at the underarm seam. I'm sure it's easier to draft with the vent right at the underarm seam, but it's not as pretty, IMO. Next time...

The collar stands away from my neck quite a bit. I'm not quite sure I like that. The sleeveless (vest) version is designed with the intention of layering the (outer) jacket over the (inner) vest. But the necklines are identical. That is, the same front and back pattern pieces are used for both views. They just have different collars.

These wonderful buttons came from the fabulous Common Threads shop in Taos New Mexico.

The lines of the body of the jacket and vest are lovely, I think. The horizontal line on the front, as well as the back, is really just a design detail. It would be easy to overlap them and cut without the horizontal lines. But I do like that detail on the front and the back. 

The side front and side back panels do provide seams for fit, but also add to the design of it. They include a tuck that also adds to the overall look of the jacket. 

This is a favorite piece. Already I have to think about how often I wear it so I don't go overboard. On these cold days we're having, it's great to add a t-shirt underneath or wear it as a stand-alone topper. It is just soooo comfortable.

I note on Marcy Tilton's website that she calls this the Symetrical Jacket. Evidently in early design stages, it was markedly assymetrical. Input from her testers removed some the detail. The result is an easy make and a lovely result.

Next up - the vest version.