Here’s My Take On Butterick 5534

I’ve had Butterick 5534 for quite some time now. This pattern was released in 2010 (not sure if that classifies it as vintage), but I kept it because I really like this look. Well, I finally made a garment from the pattern. So here’s my take on Butterick 5534 with this vest I made. If you aren’t aware, vests are “in” nowadays. It seems that my trendy clothes are always classics.

Pattern

The pattern includes a vest with two variations for the collar, a skirt and pants. Vests are semi-fitted and lined, while the skirt is straight and above knee length. Pants are semi-fitted and straight legged. Again, these are pretty classically designed garments that are stylish for any time.

Fabric

I bought the fabric at JoAnn’s Fabrics (you can see it here). It’s a soft and washable fabric that would make a great suit. I consider this medium weight fabric.

Sewing Process

First of all, I haven’t made a tailored garment in quite some time. The last time I made a vest was more than a decade ago. And for whatever reason, constructing a lined vest is one of those things that seems to confuse me. I can make a lined blazer without these problems.

The part that I find confusing is in attaching the front facing to the lining. I’m actually not convinced I did it correctly, but I got it done. Because the fabric is weighty, there is some bulk in the seams. That’s something to keep in mind for the next time.

I’d like to make another vest just to get the process right!

Overall, I like the tailored look of this. It didn’t take too long to make, even with the problems I had. The pattern is out-of-print (OOP), but it’s available on Etsy and Ebay.

Have you made a vest or a tailored garment late? Let me know.

Black and Red Checks – Simplicity 1538

It’s been quite a few years since the last time I made anything using a plaid fabric (I have several pieces). I bought this material for something else, but decided to use it for a shirt instead. As it turns out, I’m very happy with the results.

S1538

I don’t know if it’s easier to match the plaid when it’s small. I think it just may not be quite as noticeable if things are a bit off. Either way, I used the same process as I would for any other. I traced the main pieces so I could lay them out on a single layer of fabric. Then I used the notches to help me see if things were at least close to matching. All in all it worked out well I think.

Simplicity 1538

This Simplicity pattern 1538 is a basic shirt pattern with a nice fit. It calls for contrasting facings which add a nice touch when you use contrasting fabric.

Now, I’ll use that same process and pattern to make up some of the flannel large check fabric I have. I hope my results turn out as good as this did!

McCall’s 6613 – DONE! My birthday gift to me.

I finished the shirt I’ve been working on. Although it took me a while to do, I LOVE it. The shirt was easy to make, let me just say that. It only took me some time because, as you all can well imagine, sometimes everyday life can slow you down or keep you busy with other things. The best thing is, the plaid matches! It may not be perfect, but it’s pretty darn close. That’s because of this awesome tutorial
on the Mood Sewing Network. I printed it out, followed it, and it worked out great. So, I completed it this weekend as a gift to myself for my 52nd birthday (December 16). The fabric is from Mood. It is so soft and warm – perfect for the cold, snowy weather we’ve had lately.

I see at least one more of these shirts in my future! The pattern is a unisex pattern, so I made this in a small. There are variations in the style. I actually combined two of them because I wanted this style for the shirt-tail (hem) but with pockets, but without the tabs for the sleeves. The plaid matching took a little time but was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure this is my last project for this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

I have to figure out what project I want to work on for the coming year. Thanks for reading!