A Learning Curve: Simplicity 2155, View D

Notes:

I chose this pattern for the shoulder princess seams.

As you can see, I did not add the collar or make the belt. I wanted to try one of Sandra Betzina’s methods for lining and opted to omit the collar in order to do that.

I added bound buttonholes.

I cut size 14 at shoulders and bust, size 16 at hips.

I made two petite adjustments of 1 inch each: mid-armholes and at a couple inches above the waist.

 

Problems:

I forgot to scoop out the armscye after the petite adjustment so they are tight. It should be easy enough to reopen the hand-sewing on the lining to fix that. I followed Betzina’s advice to remove the gaposis on the front and back armscye (staystitch the area, putting your finger behind the foot to draw up the fabric).

I did not perform a broad back adjustment and the shoulder blade area feels tight. Maybe increasing the size of the armscye will help that issue a bit.

My bound buttonholes are sloppy. I think they are sloppy because I followed a technique in Sandra Betzina’s Power Sewing which has the buttonholes bound in a double layer with the lining. That is too bulky

Now I know.

On the inside of the garment, Sandra sews 1/4 inch around the button hole (rather than in the ditch) and then cuts the remaining patch away, leaving the edge raw. I did not want the top stitching so I turned in the raw edges of the patch and slip stitched. They look awful.

But from the outside, even though they are wonky, the striped binding adds a needed pop to the bland grey.

 

I was hoping this would be a bit more loose fitting, less fitted.

Techniques:

Bound button holes.

Princess seams. I’ve made relatively few. I chose this pattern because this vest has princess seams that go to the shoulder rather than the armscye. I hope to tweak this pattern to give me a more loose fitting garment that can be used for many fabrications and embellishments, with or without a lining.

 

The lining method has you insert one lined piece into another and sew through all four layers at shoulder seam and at side seam. Conclusion: I do not like this method, at least, not on heavy garments. No matter how much I tweaked, I could not get the edge points to line up perfectly.

 

The above side edge matched fairly well, but the one below not at all.

 

So, I’m concluding that this grey wool vest is far from perfect but perfectly wearable. I didn’t intend for it to be a show-stopper so I am not bothered by the errors. It will be fine for a bit of warmth around the house or a quick trip to the store. Perhaps we’ll call this a wearable muslin.