Good Morning! We had a bustling weekend filled with celebrations and Ultimate Frisbee (in the rain! K called Uncle midway to avoid getting sick again). I also stole away for a few hours to luxuriate in some crafting, and remembered my minimalist sewing plans. The warm zip vest seemed like a practical item to tackle for these days with rapidly cooling temperatures, but I couldn’t get myself worked up into a frenzy of excitement about sewing with batting.
As I waded through my stash of fabrics, I came across a piece of white-and-grey pelt the size of a placemat and recalled how K lingered to touch a faux fur vest at Target. I believe it was this one. K rarely stops to look at ready-to-wear clothes, so that moment stuck in my mind. Naturally, I had to make one for her.
I used this book, which actually has a pattern for a faux fur vest. I am thrillingly close to have sewn every pattern, and I’ll have to do a round up of all the clothes I’ve made from this book soon. I derive a lot of satisfaction from seeing all the outfits lined up together — it’s the small things in life, right? Or maybe it’s the touch of OCD in me.
I did change things up a little bit:
– K wanted a cropped vest, so I cut out the size 130cm, but shortened the length to 110cm.
– There are separate instruction for spring and winter versions for this vest pattern, and the winter faux fur version recommends a hook-and-eye closure. I didn’t have one, so I used one of the other closure options of a loop and button (the third option is a tab closure). The loop is leather, and the button is a vintage metal one from my mom.
– Since I had so little of the faux fur, I used it for the front only, and found a nice neutral grey wool for the back piece.
– I lined it with leftover jersey knit from the Halloween costume cape instead of rayon lining fabric that I usually use. This was purely out of laziness since the knit happened to be right there by my cutting table. I’m glad it wasn’t too fiddly!
I love quick, unnecessary and fun projects. Necessity sewing gets me down for some reason (underwear comes to mind).
If K could have given me a thousand thumbs’ ups, she would have. “I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it,” she declared.
(She accidentally threw the hanger on which the vest was hanging, which is why she looks like that up there. I think it’s cute).
The only tricky part is that faux fur starts shedding uncontrollably once you cut into it, so I was very, very gentle about handling the front pieces. I looked like a 90-year-old offering up a sacrifice while concentrating on walking meditation: I carried the faux fur pieces on upturned, flattened palms as I took painfully slow micro steps from the cutting table to the sewing machine. It worked. There was minimal fluffy tufts floating about, and the vest practically assembled itself.
Fun fun fun. I can now cross off the knit tunic, the skinny jeans and the (modified) vest from my minimal sewing plan:
Not too shabby, I’d say. K agrees.
P.S. I did not make the jeggings, though I wish I had because they’re so awesome. They’re from the neighbor hand-me-down pile. We’ve made very little progress on the clothes elimination front….
I love this vest. K looks so great in it. Is it still shedding?
Luckily, now that I’ve sewn it up, it doesn’t shed at all. There must be adhesive applied around the edges of faux fur initially, but once I cut into it, chunks started falling off along the cut edges…K loves this so much, she’s worn it two days in a row!
I looove this vest too! What a great pairing that is.
And yes like you necessity sewing has been getting me down too. I need to be making a jacket of sorts and I am thinking dress 🙂
Isn’t that heavy feeling of necessity sewing so disheartening? I absolutely support you in sewing up a dress, Asmita — I call the fun in-between projects “palate cleansers” now to give me momentum! 🙂
what a great mom you are: noticing what your daughter slows down to touch in Target, and then filling in the vest void upon returning home – pretty observant and sweet. Loved your description of handling the faux fur fabric . . . can just picture it:) And I’m almost as excited as you to see all the finished projects from that Japanese book lined up in one big show ‘n tell – you have completely (not surprisingly) rocked that book!!
Well, I don’t know how observant I am since I had to urge her to move away from the Target vest since she couldn’t stop caressing it ;-). She’s very much in love with the one I made, though. She’s now worn it three days in a row!! Thanks, Lucinda!
I like the idea of a walk by kids clothing department. It’s clear we’re on the way somewhere, we’re not stopping, we’re not shopping. But you’re welcome yo touch nd pass comment and give me ideas of what I should sew next.
You did a great job here and she sure does look delighted. You could copy those jeans for sure. Next size up maybe…. (challenge right there 🙂 )
It’s been fascinating to watch how oblivious K is to most RTW clothes. She’s got such an overflow at home, and we just never buy clothes so she doesn’t even ask!
I made her a similar pair out of this amazing denim knit ages ago, and that one was super loved. Looking forward to making another pair some time in the future…Thanks Shelley!