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!