Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Tweedy Wool Vest - Kwik Sew #3705

Here's a lined wool vest which I just finished for my friend Kathy, using Kwik Sew #3705. Kat and I visited the Los Angeles garment district a couple of weeks ago and stopped in at Michael Levine's to shop for fabric. That day all woolens were 20% off and Kat picked out a deep rich teal interwoven with black; very subtle, very pretty, very Kathy. We decided upon black taffeta for the lining. The weave of this woolen fabric tended to unravel very easily and required careful attention in handling once the pattern pieces were cut. Otherwise, the vest was easy to sew, following the pattern instructions, and I was done in no time at all. This was a fun project to practice sewing skills on; pockets, putting in the lining...that kind of thing. Since completing the vest, I also finished my first pair of pants and I am more excited than ever about sewing. I chose a European-style pant pattern by Lois Hinse, using a lightweight denim. Had to adjust the fullness in the legs for a sleeker fit, but otherwise I had very good luck.