Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Steampunk-Flavored Vest



I guess I couldn't count on my streak of practicality lasting; after making something like five normal tops, I couldn't resist jumping back into costumes for a bit. After getting back to TCOCC, I surveyed the state of my sewing room (bad) and decided that I needed to get rid of some of the stash. I still had about a third of a curtain left after making my steampunk skirt, and I had thrifted a 70's vest pattern (McCall's 3072), so obviously the right thing to do was make a vest to go with my whole ensemble.

Vintage Pattern Wiki's copy is a large, mine was a
medium (bust 34-36). I used View D.
This pattern was not the best place to start for making a very fitted vest. It's already meant to be a loose-ish vest, and my copy was too big to boot. I ended up cutting my lining first and using that as a muslin, then transferring all my changes and cutting out the shell and sewing them together. In the end, it was only a matter of taking in the side seams by about an inch and a half (meaning there were six extra inches of ease!) under the arm, tapering to about 3/4" at the waist, bringing in the center back seam by about an inch at the top to get rid of the gaping, and taking in about 3/4" at the back shoulder, tapering in to 1/2" at the neck.  To make things extra fun, I also cut the back on the bias so as to get the chevron effect. I really like how it turned out, though, so it was worth the effort of pinning and fussy cutting. I also decided to go with regular buttonholes instead of the corded loops that the pattern called for, mostly because I couldn't be bothered to make corded loops.


See, it's a real working pocket!
This vest also marks my dubious entrée into the world of tailoring, and gosh what a botched debut it was! Kind of like Kaylee and her layer cake dress, only I didn't even have an extensive knowledge of machines to enchant the old men with. So yeah, I have a lot of practice ahead of me before I can make a beautiful welt pocket like Poppykettle. Maybe it would help if I were an engineer. Or, you know, I could just be more meticulous in my marking and stuff. At any rate, I'm still pleased as punch that I've got a place to put my pocketwatch now! I'm also exceedingly pleased with my (useless) epaulets and the buttons I used; they echo the buttons I used on my steampunked Nerf gun.
Seriously, that welt pocket is so ugly. That's why I made the buttons waaaay larger, so you can be entranced by the prism...

I think it's official...I am in love with chevrons!
Summary:
Fabric: Less than a yard of 60" wide 70/30 viscose-poly blend curtain fabric for the shell, 100% cotton lawn for the lining
Notions: Three large buttons, two smaller buttons for the epaulets, a snap to keep the vest from gaping
Techniques: Double welt pocket
Hours used: Eight, what with the muslin-ing and welt pocket and all
Will you make this again? I don't think so, unless I decide I need another fitted vest in a slightly more wearable fabric?
Total cost: about $2 for the buttons and lining; the curtain fabric was free
Final thoughts: I'm pretty happy with the vest, and willing to overlook the ugly pocket welts and the slightly pointy darts, mostly because it's just a costume piece. I do think it really helps tie the whole costume together, and should I decide to go to a winter event, the vest will help with the warmth thing. As it is, it was pretty ridiculously warm to wear, even just briefly for pictures in our air-conditioned apartment. Oh, and when I asked my husband what he thought, he (wisely) asked first, "What look are you going for?" When I said it was for my steampunk outfit, then he said it was just fine and worked well for that purpose. I mean, did he think I was going to wear a vest with a pocketwatch out in public for real life?! Actually, knowing me, that's not entirely out of the question.

Next costume piece to finish: something hobbit-y for Second Breakfast on September 21st...anyone in the LA area want to join me next Saturday to celebrate Bilbo's and Frodo's birthday?

43 comments:

  1. Love this! It is absolutely fabulous. I am loving the little pocket.

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    1. Thank you! I love the pocket too, even if it is a bit wonky!

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  2. It looks great! I think you should get a vintage bike and Velocipedienne all about TCOCC in that outfit

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    1. Hah! As if my skirt and train could handle a velocipede!

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  3. As in: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=331

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  4. How fun! Welt pockets are hard. Tape was my friend when I did the two on hubby's pants, and (sadly) that's not even my idea, that was included in the Kwik Sew directions.

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    1. Oooh, tape might be the answer to my problems! My hand-basting is not the straightest, and my chalk makes really thick lines, so maybe the straight edge of tape will help. Thanks!

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  5. Both of those pieces are *so* cute and so you!

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  6. looks great! all the little things make this vest so awesome and truely unique

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  7. that is some superb stripe-matching!

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    1. Thanks! It was surprisingly easy on such a stable fabric.

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  8. It is a great piece to complete your outfit! I think your pocket looks pretty good - way nicer than the 20 costumes I just spent the last 13 hours crashing out! (Seriously, my sewing was speed over precision - I'm kind of dreading the hem fittings tomorrow because there was no time for mockups...)

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    1. Oh man, that does not sound like fun (actually, it still sounds strangely appealing, as I work best under a deadline...)! I hope your hem fittings went okay!

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  9. seriously, girl. SERIOUSLY. i want one to wear with rolled up jeans and bright red crocodile heels. and loops and loops of pearls. can you see it?!

    this is amazing.

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    1. Hmmm, leave it to you to make me think I might be able to make this work in real life! *runs off to closet*

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  10. Fantastic! Dubious entree? I think not! It looks fabulous on you!

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    1. Jilly, you are too kind! Still, you can bet I'm going to be practicing my welt pockets much more before I dare bring one to a show and tell!

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  11. It looks fabulous, can we see some pictures of the whole ensemble?

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    1. Thanks, Johanna, and I will eventually get pictures of the whole outfit! It was just way too hot to do so this week, and I'm still putting together all the elements of the costume.

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  12. I was impressed with the matching stripes on your back-seam, but I was blown away with the way your vest-front stripes line up with your skirt stripes! Very tailored, very well-done!

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    1. Much as I'd like to be able to lay claim to such stripe-matching skills, I'm going to have to chalk that one up to pure luck. I didn't even think to try matching those stripes!

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  13. Are you kidding I think that welt pocket looks great! The whole thing is awesome; I love pocket watches. I got one as a present for my husband one year...it's being sadly neglected; maybe I should steal it. :)

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    1. I say you steal it! :) And let's just leave it at, there's a reason why I'm not showing close-ups of my pocket...it's a six-foot pocket, if ever there was one!

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  14. Welt pocket and chevron combo win! Those stripes are perfectly matched! I think everyone needs some steampunk in their everyday life...

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    1. Thank you! Hmm, now I'm thinking I really do need to find a way to work this into everyday life.

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  15. ERMEHGERD. 2nd Breakfast?! And hobbit-y costumes?! Oh, to have a Lear jet... love the vest so much! I think it turned out very well, considering you started with a too large pattern that was designed for a looser fit. The chevron in the back is such a fantastic detail! I adore your costume posts - I definitely live vicariously through you :)

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    1. Oh Meg, we would second breakfast it up so hard, we would put hobbits to shame! Thank you for your kind words about my impractical clothing!

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  16. It looks amazing!! Love the design, and the fabric choice. Now you *need* to come to Steamcon, since you have this fabulous thing to wear. ;)

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    1. Oh, I really wish I could! It looks like the dates aren't going to work out this year, unfortunately :(((

      It means a lot to me, though, that you like my vest!

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  17. A very awesome vest! You did a great job of taking the pattern and creating design all your own, love it!

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  18. Love it! Next time I do a welt pocket in a stripe (something I attempted about two years ago for the first and only time...) I will cut the welt on the bias so that I don't have to worry about whether the stripes are straight or matched.

    My kids have decided that we must be a Steampunk family for Hallowe'en, and my husband has even agreed, so we are on the prowl for ideas... must google goggle tutorials...

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    1. Huh, next time, bias it is! And I can't wait to see your steampunked family -- your girls are going to rock it! I mean, the adults will, too, I'm sure, but I feel like steampunked kids are rarer :)

      I did steampunk my own lab goggles, if you want a fake-torial!

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  19. I really love the outfit, I'm glad you took pride in such a wonderful costume.

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  20. Gorgeous! Really inspiring! I am a dedicated Neo-Victorian and have decided I need to start learning to sew, so I find this a great inspiration!

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  21. Hi, do you have any photos showing the lower half of the vest? I love the way it comes down lower, but I am dying to see the finish of the bottom! :) Thanks!

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    1. I'm not sure what you mean by the lower half of the vest...it is shown completely in all these pictures. Unless you mean the skirt that I'm wearing with the vest? It's the same material so I can see how it might look like a peplum-ed vest. The vest really ends at my natural waist and the break in the line angles is the bottom of the vest.

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    2. OMG! Had I looked at the small photos at the bottom of the blog, I might have seen that for myself... D'OH! Sorry about that! You have the stripes matched up SO PERFECTLY that I just assumed it was one piece! Holy crap! Amazing look... very, very well done xx

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