In-Vest-ment Sewing.

It feels like I have been sewing this vest for ages for although it is plain it is actually quite a complicated pattern. The pattern is from Knipmode Mei 2013 .

This issue features patterns based on various style icons - Brigitte Bardot , Jackie Kennedy , Coco Chanel and Kate Moss . There are also patterns for garments  worn by Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
I chose the vest because I identify with Kate Moss. Not really. If I had any style icon it would be Princess Mary of Denmark , an Aussie who just happened to meet her prince in a pub !!
No, I chose the vest because I have sewn a couple of others and they are very useful outer garments to add some light weight warmth and  for carrying stuff - mainly hankies, bits of paper , the phone and doggy bags.
The vest has lots of features.

1. Notched collar which was the tricky bit . The knipmode instructions were great though so I had no troubles. Kidding - for all I know they might be fantastic and there are no diagrams to help with construction . So I used my Singer Photo Guide to Sewing book to help and played around with the pieces basting them in until it looked right. Kudos to Knipmode because the patterns really do come together well.
2. Epaulettes.
3. Lot of buttons even where you don`t normally need them. The pattern calls for snaps but I don`t have the snap equipment . My Mum does but when I have used them the snaps pull away from the fabric. I found some dark buttons ( ? black or dark blue - I can`t tell ) with little gold centres which breaks up the expanse of plain dark blue .

4. Pleated pockets and flaps .

5. Waist casing to add some extra shape but not really necessary because the vest was not over sized at all. I had to buy some dark navy cotton tape for this but had already squirrelled away the cord stoppers. Yay for sewing squirreling.

6. Separating zip . One side of the zip is sewn in between the front of the vest and the facing but the other half is just sewn freestyle on the other front. I haven`t seen this before. The pattern calls for a shorter zip but I thought that looked a bit odd so bought a separating zip that reached the garment hem.

I really like this vest although I was starting to tire of sewing all the fiddly bits . I have to be careful at the end not to rush to finish sewing because that is when I make mistakes. I have learnt the hard way many times .
The fabric is just a very plain dark navy suiting that Mum gave me 5 years ago  that was given to her by her SIL that was given to her by some-one else. Yes , I adopt the fabric no-one else wants but it eventually finds a caring place in my wardrobe. Now the weather is turning ( glorious Autumn days but could use some rain but not like what NSW is getting ) this vest will gets lots of use and truly be an investment in sewing . ( sorry so corny )