The Lace Vest

Hello Readers. I have seen some lacey vests and kimonos recently that I really liked. I don't usually like to buy things retail, I like to try to make things myself. If I can. I don't always succeed but I like to try. I found a nice lacey dress recently at a clothes swap and thought I could use it for material. Basically, I brought it home and cut it up for parts. Y'know, like a stolen car.

Here is a look at the dress. It has a handkerchief hem. There are 4 points along the hem of the skirt skirt, 2 in front and 2 in the back. There was a beige lining under the lace. I originally thought there would be enough lace to make a kimono with sleeves. I was wrong, so I made a vest.

  

I started by cutting off the lace at the waist. I cut all the way around the dress. I ended up with what looked like a lace skirt. I also cut the waist tie/sash off the dress to use later.

I saved this but I am not sure what I will do with it.

I cut the lace skirt up the back because there was a seam in the back. What you see in this picture is the beginning of my vest. I folded the fabric over on itself. That is going to be the back of my vest.

 I also rounded of the corners at the top of this picture. It helped the front of the vest lay flat in the front when I was wearing it.

It looks like a bat doesn't it? It's the "Bat Vest".

I connected the two pieces of the waist tie and it made a long thin piece that I was going to use as a collar of sorts.

I attached it to the raw edge at the top of the vest at the neckline and down the front of the vest. It made the vest look more finished.

The added front pieces gave me a little more fabric up around my neck and in the front of the vest too.

I opened the side seams and made armholes. The points of the original hem are still visible and I liked the way they looked.

It looks like I have bat wings. Call me Batwoman!

I liked how the black lace looked with a black outfit but the photo did not come out very well. You can't see the vest at all. You can see the vest more easily over this white dress.

I did it, I made a vest. It was easy to put together but I had to sew most of it by hand. My sewing machine kept trying to eat the lace. It was annoying but the hand sewing went well.

Thanks for reading, now go make something fun for yourself.


*Year end update- I still like this with a basic black outfit. It adds a little something to a plain black t-shirt and jeans.