Sew-Along #22 - Art Museum Vest and Trousers - Lesson #1

The Art Museum Vest and Trousers by Oliver+S
  
How excited are you?!?!!?  An awesome sewing pattern for BOYS for EASTER!!!  Or for Spring, and summer, or for fall, or for Christmas, or for any time you can possibly put your boys in awesome pants and an adorable vest and tie.

NOTE: Please make sure you read over the Art Museum pattern directions prior to starting this sew-along.  You should keep these directions open and where you can read them as you go through these lessons. You might want to carefully read through this lesson also before beginning.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or tips to share; please make sure to post them on our Facebook Group.  Also, if you would like to see any of the images larger that are posted in this blog, just click on them to enlarge. 

Ok - so let's start!

Printing
1. This pattern prints in B&W, so make sure to set your printer to the grey scale or B&W setting to save on ink.

2. Make sure that you hit 'scaling none' or 100% for printing - DO NOT select 'fit to page'.

Pattern Assembly
1. You are going to  match up the numbers in the circles to create the pieces.  *Note that this pattern does not print as a solid grid! 

2. Stack your pattern pieces together with all the Pants patterns in one pile and all the Vest pattern pieces in another.

3. As needed cut apart the pieces and rotate to fit together. 

*See on the right hand side that that one A 14 is flipped upside down - that means this piece needs to be cut off and flipped around - all your numbers and letters will have the same orientation in your pattern piece.

4. Once all your pieces are taped together, you can either cut out your needed size (this is what I love about PDF pattern, tape and cut and go) OR you can trace out the size you need on freezer paper or tracing paper. *Tip:  To make cutting easier - trace your size with a highlighter, marker, or other crayon to make visually following your line ever easier.

 

Cutting Your Fabric
Vest:
1. For the Vest you have two fabrics - your main fabric will be your fronts and ties, and your contrasting fabric will be the back panel, the welt pockets, and the entire lining.

2. Cut out your pieces (note that the back is cut on the fold.)

3. Make sure to transfer all the notches from your paper pattern to the fabric (you can use a fabric marker, chalk, pins, or cut in notches to transfer the markings.)

4. Place all you pieces for the vest together (if you ordered a kit from Whimsical Fabric, you can place everything in your handy-dandy zippered bag.)

Pants:
1. Ok first you need to look at what fabric you are using.  If you are using a Print or Cord, listen to me very carefully (if you are using a fabric with NO direction - skip to the next step).  Pick your direction right now.  MARK the top of your fabric - I just use a pin to do this.  Make sure that every single pattern piece that you cut has the top of the grain line facing the top of your fabric.  If you are using Cord, then you have picked a fabric with NAP.  Nap essentially means that your fabric will look different depending on which direction you hold it.  SO right now, you need to pet your fabric - yep, go ahead and pet it.  You will notice that the pile wants to go in one direction and your hand will move smoothly along it.  When you go the other direction it will have resistance against your hand and will look like the pile is being pushed 'up'.  You want your fabric to go with the smooth pile going down (so you would run your hand smoothly from the top of the pants to the hem).

2. Pile all your pieces together and set aside in a safe place. *I like to pile all my front pieces together and all my back pieces together so that there is less likelihood of mixing them up!

3. Cut out all of the pieces (except the waistband facing) from your main fabric.
*if you want contrasting pockets or waist band or belt loops plan that out in advance - it could be really cool!

For Asher's Pants, I flipped the outer waistband and the lining so that his pants have a pop of color (it also helps my husband know whose pants are whose since Asher's are a size smaller.)

4. The waist band lining piece you will cut from a contrasting fabric. (You'll want a cotton here.) If you purchased a fabric kit you should have enough left over fabric from the vest for this.

5. Make sure to transfer all the notches from your paper pattern to the fabric (you can use a fabric marker, chalk, pins, or cut in notches to transfer the markings.)

There you go... everything is printed and cut out.  Please let me know if you have any questions in the cutting process.  In the next lesson we will start sewing the Vest!

* If you would like to enter the prize drawing, please make sure you submit a picture of your completed lesson one to the Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Monday, February 15th.  Also, if you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Make sure to come back tomorrow for Lesson 2!

Suzanne