| Here are two sewing techniques plus some good | | | | and down on the other side of the front stopping |
| sewing tips on how to sew a reversible vest or a lined | | | | about 2 inches from the other side seam. |
| vest. One is stitched and turned; the other is stitched | | | | Use a regular stitch length to stitch across the bottom |
| and bound. | | | | of the front and up the front. Change to a short stitch |
| Try both to help you determine your favorite sewing | | | | length to stitch the curve around the neck. |
| technique. | | | | Sandwich press the seam. |
| For both methods, follow these cutting and sewing | | | | Press the seam open. |
| instructions: | | | | Trim the curved area around the neck to 1/8 inch. |
| Choose similar weight fabrics for a reversible vest. | | | | Trim the rest of the seam to 1/4 inch. |
| Preshrink all fabrics and interfacing. | | | | Hold the scissors at an angle when you trim to help |
| Interface the vest with a fusible knit interfacing. | | | | layer or grade the seam allowances or use "duckbill" |
| Test the interfacing on a scrap of fabric first to make | | | | scissors to help do this. |
| sure it will be OK. | | | | Sewing Tip: Always stagger the edges of seam |
| Depending on the fabric, you may choose to interface | | | | allowances when they end up laying on top of each |
| both of the fronts and back of the vest. | | | | other in a finished garment. |
| Note: You may want to interface the fabric and then | | | | Turn the vest right side out by pulling the fronts through |
| cut the vest pieces out of the interfaced fabric. | | | | the shoulders one side at a time. |
| Carefully cut two fronts and one back from each | | | | Press well setting the seam lines exactly on the edge. |
| fabric. | | | | With right sides together, match the armhole seams |
| Make sure the front and back vest pieces are the | | | | and pin exactly through the stitching line to hold one on |
| same size in both fabrics after you cut them out. Lay | | | | top of the other. |
| one over the other to check it. | | | | Stitch the side seams of both layers in one continuous |
| Apply any pockets or designs to each front and back | | | | step carefully walking the needle over the underarm |
| layer. | | | | pin. |
| For each layer: | | | | Sandwich press the seam. |
| Place right sides of the fabric together and stitch the | | | | Press the seam open. |
| front and back shoulder seams together. Do NOT | | | | You may want to leave the full seam allowance here |
| backstitch. | | | | in case you have to let the vest out sometime. |
| Instead begin and end each seam with short stitches | | | | Now, you have the bottom of the back open and |
| (18-20 per inch) for about 1 to 1-1/2 inches. | | | | about 2 inches on either side of the side seam toward |
| Sandwich press the seams. | | | | the front. |
| Press the seams open. | | | | Turn right sides together matching up the side seams. |
| At the neck and shoulder point of the shoulder seam, | | | | Put a pin exactly in the line of stitching in the side |
| trim the shoulder seam allowance back at an angle for | | | | seams to hold one on top of the other. |
| about 1-1/2 inch to eliminate bulk when the neck and | | | | Starting at one front side where you stopped stitching |
| armhole seams are made. | | | | previously, stitch across the bottom until you come to |
| Also trim the shoulder seams of one of the layers to | | | | about 2 inches from the next side seam pin and stop |
| be just slightly less than the other layer to stagger or | | | | leaving about a 4 inch opening on that side. |
| grade the seams when they lay on top of each other. | | | | Sandwich press the seam. |
| Continue with either Method I or Method II to finish the | | | | Press the seam open. |
| vest. | | | | Press under the unstitched seam allowances as |
| Method I - How To Sew To Complete A Stitched And | | | | though they were stitched. |
| Turned Reversible Vest | | | | Trim and grade the seam allowances to about 1/4 inch. |
| Place the two vests right sides together. | | | | Turn the vest right side out through the 4 inch opening |
| Note: Generally, when sewing a lined vest, it is a good | | | | at the side lower edge. This opening is better than |
| idea to trim off about 1/8 inch from the lining before | | | | having the opening in the middle of the center back. It |
| attaching it to the outer layer. This keeps the lining from | | | | isn't as noticeable. |
| showing on the outside when the vest is worn. | | | | Press well again. |
| For a reversible vest, you may or may not want to do | | | | At the opening, turn in and line up the edges. |
| this. | | | | To finish this opening, slip stitch it closed by hand or |
| If a bit of one of the layers shows on one of the sides, | | | | place a narrow strip of fusible web and fuse it closed. |
| it may look like narrow piping. You are the designer. | | | | If desired, topstitch the vest 1/4 inch from the edges. |
| Create the look you want. | | | | Make buttonholes on both sides of the vest. |
| Stitch the vests armhole edges together using short | | | | Sew 2 buttons together making a thread shank in |
| stitches (18-20 stitches per inch) all the way. | | | | between them. Use these double buttons through both |
| Sandwich press these seams. | | | | buttonholes like cuff links. You can even use 2 |
| Press the seams open. | | | | different buttons aslong as they are the same size to |
| Trim the armhole seams to 1/8 inch seam allowance. | | | | fit through the holes. |
| The short stitches will hold this seam. | | | | Method II |
| If this is a lined vest, understitch the armhole seams | | | | Another method to finish your reversible vest is to |
| and all of the other seams as well. If it is reversible, you | | | | sew each vest with shoulder seams and side seams. |
| may not want the understitching to show on the edge. | | | | Place the vests with wrong sides together. |
| Sewing Tip: Always use short stitches and trim to 1/8 | | | | Stitch 3/4 inch all around the armholes and the outer |
| inch seam allowance to stitch a curve. Then | | | | edges of the vest holding the 2 layers together. |
| understitch if possible. It produces a much cleaner, | | | | Trim off 5/8 inch all around. |
| sharper curve instead of trimming to 1/4 inch and | | | | Bind all the outside edges either with self fabric, |
| clipping. Try it! | | | | contrasting fabric, or a fold over trim or braid to |
| After the armholes are finished, place the two right | | | | finish.You can even use a decorative serged edge to |
| sides of the vest back together again lining up all the | | | | finish the vest. |
| edges. Pin to hold the layers. | | | | This is fast and easy! |
| Stitch the front and neckline together. | | | | It's your choice. You are the designer! |
| Begin stitching about 2 inches from the side seam on | | | | Enjoy your vest! |
| the bottom of the front and stitch across the bottom | | | | It just makes sense! |
| of the front, up the center front and around the neck | | | | |