V-Neck Button Vest with Contrast Trim
A women's lined vest with a V-neck, a three-button front with pointed lower edges, double-welt pockets with contrast welts and a contrast half-belt at the back that adjusts through a buckle.
When To Wear
- Over a shirt or blouse with suit trousers or a skirt for the office.
- As part of a three-piece suit with a matching jacket in autumn and winter.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, hip-length vest.
Neckline: Deep V-neck, faced and finished together with the front edges.
Front: Single-breasted, three buttons with buttonholes on the right front; the front hem ends in points at the centre front.
Pockets: Two double-welt pockets at the lower front and one double-welt chest pocket on the left front, all with welts in contrast fabric. The lower pockets have pocket bags; the chest pocket is backed with a 3.5 cm strip.
Back: Centre back seam; two contrast straps set into the side seams, the right one threaded through a decorative buckle and topstitched after the length is adjusted.
Finishing: Interfaced front facings and back neck facing; front edges, neckline and hem sewn in one with the lining, armholes bagged through an opening in the left side seam of the lining.
Lining: Fully lined, the front and back lining cut without the facing areas.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Double-welt pockets, a fully bagged lining with armholes sewn in two steps, and set-in straps.
Fabric Recommendations
Wool suiting of natural or blended fibres; a contrast fabric for the trim.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neck facing, pocket welts)
- Stay tape for the pocket openings
- 3 buttons
- Decorative buckle
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Under facing – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing - 1 piece
- From contrasting fabric:
- Strap - 2 pieces
- Upper pocket facing - 2 pieces
- Lower pocket facing - 4 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Small pocket lining - 2 pieces
- Large pocket lining - 2 pieces
Attention: back and front pieces from lining fabric are cut without considering the back neckline facing and under facings.
From fusible interfacing: back neckline facing, under facing, upper and lower pocket facings.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse the back neckline facing, under facings, and pocket facings with fusible interfacing.
- Fold the strap pieces in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long side and one short side. Trim seam allowances at corners, turn the strap right side out, and press.
- Stitch the center back seam, press seam allowances to the left.
- Pocket construction. Mark the position of the lower pockets. Reinforce the pocket opening with a grain line strip. Fold the pocket facings in half, wrong sides together, and press. Mark an auxiliary line on the pocket facing parallel to the fold for attachment. Mark auxiliary lines on the front parallel to the pocket opening for attaching the pocket facings. Stitch the facings to the front. The ends of the stitching should stop at the parallel pocket marking lines. Check the accuracy of facing attachment from the wrong side (stitches should be parallel). Cut the pocket opening. Make diagonal cuts 1-1.5 cm from the end of the pocket. Turn the facings through the opening to the wrong side, straighten the edges, and adjust the ends of the facings so that the pressed folds of the facings meet flush. Secure the ends of the pocket from the wrong side with a double backstitch at the base of the corners. Stitch the large pocket lining to the upper pocket facing. Stitch the small pocket lining into the seam of the lower facing attachment, trim and stitch the pocket lining. The upper pocket is constructed similarly to the lower ones, with the exception of the lining. Cut a rectangle equal to the length of the facing and 3.5 cm wide. Overlock the perimeter, place it on the wrong side of the pocket, and topstitch into the facing attachment seams.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams, inserting the straps. Press seam allowances.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the under facings and the back neckline facing, press seam allowances open. Stitch the lining pieces similarly to the main fabric pieces, leaving an opening in the left side seam. Stitch the lining to the under facings and back facing.
- Place the under facings with the garment right sides together and stitch the front edges, neckline, and bottom edge. Clip seam allowances at curves, trim at corners. Turn the garment right side out.
- Stitch the armhole in 2 steps: the back armhole from the shoulder seam to the side seam and the front armhole from the shoulder seam to the side seam through the opening in the side seam. Close the opening.
- On the right front, make buttonholes; on the left front, sew on buttons. Thread the right strap through the fastener slit, adjust the length, and topstitch.
