I am falling in love with stripes. I told myself I'd never wear horizontal stripes again, but I am breaking that promise to myself. On Saturday (it only took me 4hrs!...I'm very slow) I made a cardi/vest using Simplicity 2603. I've made 3 cardi/wraps using this pattern. One for me, 2 for my mom. I will post pictures eventually. Its really a great pattern. A little tricky in some places (mainly attaching the front to the back at the shoulders/neck.
My vest was inspired by my friend's cardi/vest. She was wearing it the last time I saw her and I thought, "Cute! I can make that!" I also have been seeing stripes all over the blogland, (SharonSews and A Sewn Wardrobe are just two) and I really wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I originally wanted to find a stripe for a boat neck knit shirt, but I hadn't been able to find anything I like. Last weekend I went to Hancock to look and they only had one stripe mystery sweater knit in the value section for $4.00/yd ($2.00/yd with coupon!). It was rather shear, very drapey, and extremely unstable, but I thought, "What the hell! Let's give it a try!" And it was only 33" wide...Weird, I know. I immediately thought of a cardi/vest when I saw the fabric and bought 4 yds thinking I could make 2 items from it.
So basically I took the pattern, chopped off a good deal off the front drapey section (I can take pictures if someone wants to see what I did, but I forgot to document the process. Just ask). I also scooped out the armsyce a bit because it was going to be sleeveless. Additionally I used Amanda's tutorial on adding bias tape to the arm holes to finish the seams. The tutorial was really good, but the armholes stretched like crazy. I just re-serged part of the side-seams closing up the armholes a little more.I am really happy with the finished project. Because the vest is very Forever 21, I didn't bother finishing any of the edges. Just left them raw.
I think I'll right a review on PR later. I could write 4 now.
Thanks Nancy for becoming my newest Follower1 The last two dresses she has made are awesome! Check out her strapless dress. I can't wait to be able to make a dress like that one day with all that structure built in to it.
