Category: vests

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.

B5534 Vest

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.

B5534 Vest back

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.

Butterick 5534 Vest front
Butterick 5534 front

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

Using Leftover Fabric…

While I had the goal of not buying any fabric for at least a month, I also had some nice, large pieces leftover from previous projects. And by the way, I didn’t buy anything for the month of January. But I had this really nice fabric left from the reversible coat I made in December (you can check it out here ). I decided to use it to make this vest from Butterick 5683.

This is another one of those patterns that I’ve had for a while. But the quilted coating was perfect for it. I also used the corduroy I had leftover that was the reverse side of the coat for the facings of the vest.

B5683

There was a time when I never would have even thought to use different materials that weren’t expressly stated on the back of the pattern envelope! But, as I’ve grown in confidence in my sewing, I’ve become very practical too. I can find a way to use up bits and pieces of fabric. And I always save those larger pieces of material since I never know when they might come in handy.

 

The only thing that I had to change, in part due to the structure of the fabric, is that I had to take in the side seams about 1″. Originally, this was very poufy when it was done and I thought I’d just consider it a miss. But, the pattern (due to the princess seams) was very easy to take in the sides and get the fit I wanted. This is the first time I’ve made this pattern, so I don’t know how it would fit me made in a different material. In other words, I’m not sure if it’s an issue of size even though based on measurements and finished garment size, this should fit.

But whatever the case, I like the vest I made and I think the pattern, with it’s variations, is terrific.