E-Vest Re-Make

This is a make from last year that I never used as the subject of a blog post. It was perhaps because I wasn't sure I liked it that much. In fact, when I came across it recently I could not remember which pattern I used. At first I thought I had used the Valencia jacket and omitted the sleeves. But, indeed, it was from the Sewing Workshop eVest pattern. And here is why I thought it was the Valencia.

Online description: The easy-to-make eVest is an adaptation of our popular Valencia Jacket pattern. The loose-fitting vest has soft fold-back lapels and angled front drape. The wrong side of the fabric shows. Options for hemming or binding edges are included in the pattern download.

I think that the adaptation is just that the sleeves were omitted. Maybe. The Sewing Workshop folks are champs at reworking a pattern, I think.

I remember it as an easy make, probably from a short cut of fabric I had acquired - too little to make much of anything but a vest. But I like the fabric and NOW I think I really like the vest.

Version 1:

The selvedge was nice looking so I thought I would just fold it back and stitch in place with a running stitch. I used a silk tafeta remnant to finish the armholes and the lower hem.

The result was OK:

Version 2:

Next, I cut off the selvedge down the front and used more of the silk tafeta to finish the front lapels. I also added a patch pocket to the right side front.

Last week I fished it out of the closet and wore it. I love vests when it's cold here. We don't turn the indoor temps particularly high so I like the extra layer. This light weight wool drapes nicely. Also it is not itchy and so I can wear it with almost anything.

I felt like it needed another re-make, so here is the maybe-final...

Version 3:

I removed the silk tafeta binding from the lapels and the front hemline. It is not soft and does not roll nicely even on the bias. I also *improved* some sloppy finishing on the armholes. And I replaced the binding with this rough weave silk piece from stash. 

I have no idea where and when I acquired this piece of silk. It is only 14" wide so probably a kimono remnant I picked up at Sewing Expo years ago. I really like the way the stripes in the bias binding work with the colors of the wool in the vest. Now it is in my rotation of favorite vests.

It goes with a lot of things in my closet. Here I am wearing it with my very old gray silk charmeuse Plaza pants (another Sewing Workshop pattern from years past). 

I think those Plaza pants may have come back into style. Or (more likely), I am just in the mood for loose silk pants.

I did not resist the urge to add a patch to the back neckline.

I am pretty crazy about this eVest pattern now. Maybe I want to make a long version next. It's still chilly here, especially in the mornings.

Against Trend on the Toaster

The Toaster Sweaters pattern from Sew House Seven is a Best Pattern of the Year (2017) over on Pattern Review with 98 reviews! It's been simmering in my stash for a while, so in keeping with my semi-New-Years-Resolution to use what I have, I sewed it up. I kept pulling the pattern out, thinking about all the people who love it on Instagram. And I have had a French terry in stash for a while too. Check. Check.

About that French terry. I think I bought it from the Sewing Workshop a few years ago. It is a beautiful clear royal blue, a color that makes me happy. 

As you may know, terry refers to the fact that it is knitted so that there is a smooth side and a looped side, like you see in a standard sweatshirt. I had not sewn with it, except to fix my sweat shirts. 

Lucky for me, Gini, of the Big Sew Along on Youtube, did an episode, "Everything I know about French Terry." Gini does lots of pattern reviews on her Youtube channel and occasionally fabric reviews. I learned that the loops on the back function to wick away moisture, making a garment comfy in various kinds of weather. That function, though, is limited to cotton and cotton blend French terry. A burn test revealed that mine is rayon. Dang. At least it's not polyester.

It's not like I don't ever buy rayon. This morning I'm wearing a kimono I made with rayon challis. I enjoy wearing it over my PJs and feeling a tiny bit dressed.  And I already owned this rayon French terry, so...

All of this to say that my first experiment with the Sew House Seven (view 1) was not successful. The envelope lists Sweatshirt fleece first and French terry second. And it has a helpful stretch diagram to make sure you choose a knit with enough stretch. And this rayon French terry has plenty of stretch.

But it is too clingy. Well, that's rayon knit in a nutshell, I think. It is good for me to note that. My bad.

Based on my measurements, which admittedly I took after-the-fact, I fit comfortably into size L. So I traced and made a size L - view 1. I chose view 1 for my first try with this incredibly popular pattern*.

O.M.G. I just read their description of view 1 - it is described as *close fitting* !!! Oh, the things I learn when I compose these blog entries. Well, totally my fault, y'all.

I chose view 1 due to the ragland sleeves which I find easy to fit. But now I realize I got exactly what I ordered - a close fitting top in a clingy knit.

I did make some changes to the pattern. I lengthened it by 4 inches in order to omit the lower band. I took a 2" hem. It's too short. I also omitted the cuffs on the sleeves, figuring I could add those later. After my first try-on, I reduced the side seams from 5/8" to 1/4". It is still not a particularly good look for me.

It shall be worn under other things.

Next time I will measure the tissue in key areas, like the tummy area. I will test the stretch of the knit. And I will tissue fit through the shoulders.

I've just discovered some Black French terry in stash. Luckily it's cotton. Maybe it will become view 2 of the Toaster Sweaters pattern.

* You should see all those happy Sew House Seven Toaster sewists over on Pattern Review, as well as Instagram. People love this pattern, I'm telling you. I shall not give up!