Idyllic Vest

 The last visit to the craft thrift store netted a few upholstery samples from the free bins, that I grabbed entirely with the idea of making vests very much like I wore in the early 1990s.  I may not necessarily wear them now, but Simplicity 9630 from 1990 is an easy pattern, and it's fun to make vests with it that would have thrilled young me.

I had already made one vest from one of the free upholstery samples, and just finished a second

And, yes, Teen Me would have loved it.

The limited amount of the fabric meant I couldn't be too picky about what design element ended up where, so the one cottage that made it into the finished vest is a bit obscured by a dart.

I knew I wanted to use these bird-and-filigree buttons--I don't think I originally salvaged them from an actual early 90s vest, but I know I would have been thrilled with them if they had been on a vest I owned.

 

This  jacquard 'tapestry' fabric pressed beautifully.  Just look at that point!

 

 

I used the last large pieces of this plaid fabric for the back and lining.  After having saved it for years to use with a particular fabric in a particular project, I was free to use it up with whatever else seemed appropriate, and I do love my print mixing (even though nothing in this project is printed) so of course I used it here.

Although there was enough fabric, it wasn't contiguous, so I chose to piece the back lining with a center seam, which is visible in the first photo.  There are also some discolored areas on this fabric, which are also on the back lining pieces, hidden from view when worn.

I slip stitched the lining closed on that few inches I couldn't machine sew.

   

 I initially made this without back ties, but decided once it was otherwise finished that I'd like to have them, so I continued ignoring the pattern, on the matter of back ties, and cut the pieces based on what fabric was left, then stitched them on near the darts through all layers.  The pattern wants you to insert back belt, fastened with D-rings, into the darts, so this feels sturdier, and doesn't look that much different...well...beyond also making it a tie instead of a belt.

 

 Teen me may not even have noticed.