The Best Vest

It's rare that I make something that gets worn nearly every day. My first pair of Hudson pants were in that category. Other things get worn weekly, like my recent knit tees and workout pants, but those are things that need much more frequent watching. But I have literally been wearing this vest every. single. day. since I made it. 

On cold mornings with Zoom meetings I had found myself wanting another layer that wasn't too bulky to wear at my desk. I pulled out this wool from my stash and it has proven to be the perfect winter at home wear. I like that it's a bit more dressy for work but so soft and warm to wear all day. 


Fabric: wool blend coating with a bit of stretch
Cost: $30

If you are looking for a blazer pattern then I highly recommend McCalls 6712 if you can find it. It's a Palmer Pletsch pattern which, true to their brand, provides a whole page of instructions on fitting. I find it to be a solid pattern and it fits me right out of the envelope, even after making up several versions over the past decade. I also like that it provides three length options, which pretty much spans all the different styles we have cycled through since I first bought the pattern in 2010. 

For this version, I decided to make the longest length and actually extended it by a few inches. I then shortened it halfway through construction until it was at a length I liked, so it probably ended up maybe only an inch longer than originally drafted. I opted to make my version unlined and used hand stitching to tack down the facing and armscyes. 




The biggest consideration when converting a sleeved pattern to sleeveless is the shape of the armscye. If you're changing a t-shirt to a tank top, for example, you're most likely going to want to shorten and adjust the shape of the armscye so that it isn't too revealing at the undearm. For this vest, however, I found that the length of the armscye was fine, especially given that I wanted the option to wear it over something more bulky. I did, however, take it in at the shoulder as I wouldn't be needing all the extra width for shoulder pads and the like. 




In my mind, a long wool vest is very Pinterest chic. It's possible you think it's very dorky. Perhaps it's too formal for working from home. Or maybe it's tacky to take the sleeves off a coat. But it is very warm, incredibly soft, and I love it.

5 comments:

  1. It is very chic indeed. You did a fine job. I also love the shirt you made in the last post.

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  2. Not dorky at all! Very chic. And perfect as a layer at home!

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  3. really like it and now I want to copy :)

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  4. I think it looks like a wonderful layering piece.

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  5. I really like this. Wouldn't have thought it would be so fab!!

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