Sewing Projects
waistcoat wizardry
Turn a favourite old pair of jeans into an up-to-date waistcoat with a little bit of pizzazz. Not only is it a case of crafty recycling, it's a fashion garment for this season too!
The waistcoat featured in this project was made by Sewing World contributor Joan Irvine from an old ‘favourite’ pair of jeans and a remnant of curtain material. The instructions below only relate to piecing the fabrics together. The waistcoat was made following a commercial pattern.
The pocket template (below) may be used as a guide for cutting the front pockets from the jeans.
Because of the weight of the denim and brocade fabrics, no interfacing is required in the collar.
MATERIALS
* An old pair of jeans*
* 50 cm (1/2 yd) of 150 cm (60”) wide brocade curtain fabric
* Waistcoat pattern
* 1 m (1 yd) of 115 cm (45”) lining fabric
* 2 x metal front fasteners
* Sharp fine crewel sewing needle
* The jeans need to be large enough to cut the front sections from. Our jeans were men’s size 32, leg length 34. Finished waistcoat is size 12. More contrast fabric may also be needed for larger sizes.
Preparation
1. Pre-wash curtain and lining fabric and press.
2. Unpick the seams on the jeans and press.
3. Carefully remove the fob pocket, waistband and front fly closure.
Construction waistcoat
1.Using the front pattern pieces for waistcoat pattern, pin the front and side front pattern pieces to the fabric in the upper leg of the jeans, observing the straight grain of the denim fabric. Cut out two fronts and two side front panels. You may have to juggle the pattern pieces around to get them to fit onto the denim. Mark the darts and any other sewing symbols with dressmaker’s chalk on the wrong side of the fabric.
2. Fold the curtain fabric in half, with right sides together. Pin the collar facing and back of the waistcoat pattern to the fabric. Mark darts and sewing symbols with dressmaker’s chalk and cut out the pattern pieces.
Add a fob pocket to the back
3. Sew the back seams of the waistcoat together. Clip the curve of the seam and press it open and flat with a warm iron. Sew in the darts and press toward the centre back seam. Pin the fob pocket to the lower back of the waistcoat (see diagram). Top stitch the pocket to the lower centre back of the waistcoat sewing 2 mm (1/8”) in from the finished edge of the pocket.
4. Sew in the darts on the two front sections of the waistcoat and press with a warm iron. From the left and right front of the jeans, use the template as a guide, and cut out the front pockets of the jeans leaving the studs in place. Clip away the excess pocket lining from behind the pockets with sharp scissors. Clip as close to the stitching as possible.
HANDY HINT: If making a waistcoat in a larger size, the template may need to be altered to fit your pattern pieces. Check for sizing before cutting the pockets out.
5. Pin the pockets, right sides facing up, to the lower hem of the left and right fronts of the waistcoat and flush with the centre front seams. Turn under 6 mm (1/4”) of fabric near the top of the stud and top stitch the folded edge to the waistcoat. Stay stitch the pockets in place.
6. Pin the studs and front buttoned fly (a zipped fly will look just as effective) to the right hand side front panel and a strip of the waist band and belt loop to the other side front panel (see photo). Top stitch the edges of the fly and waistband sections to the waistcoat, sewing 2 mm (1/8”) in from the finished edge of the pieces. Stitch the two fronts of the waistcoat to their respective side panels. Clip the curves of the seams and press them open and flat with a warm iron.
7. Cut out the lining for the waistcoat as indicated in the pattern. Sew in the darts on the collar facings. Attach the front lining to the front collar facings following the pattern instructions. Continue to follow the pattern instructions and sew the remaining steps to complete the waistcoat.
8. When the waistcoat is complete and pressed, attach two decorative metal clasps to the centre front.
This project by Joan Irvine was first published in Sewing World magazine. For more details of Sewing World, a monthly magazine for people who sew, contact www.sewingworldmagazine.com or phone 01684 588500.
DIAGRAM
