The lining is the part that goes inside the vest, on the reverse side of the outer cloth. If you have doubts as to how much fabric you need, take your pattern to the fabric or craft store and ask for help. It’s always better to have a bit extra material than not enough. You can choose from a wide range of materials for your vest. Keep in mind the season when selecting your fabric; for example, you can use a light wool for autumn, velvet for winter, seersucker for spring, and silk or light cotton for summer.
Right sides together (RST) means that the insides of your seam – the parts touching each other – are the right sides of the cloth (the part with the pattern and/or the one that will be seen in the finished product), while the wrong sides are showing outside. [3] X Research source At this point, it may be helpful to press the seams flat with an iron if your fabric allows.
For a subtle topstitch, use a regular or lightweight thread that is a similar shade as the fabric. For more contrast, choose a heavier thread and/or a contrasting color. Press the vest before adding topstitch for better accuracy. [4] X Research source
Measure where you want your closures to go. You can eyeball the top and bottom closures and then measure and mark precisely where the middle closures should be. Ensure you have the positions marked evenly on both inside edges so that they line up.
To make button holes by hand, sew two parallel satin stitches the length of the button and connect them at the top and bottom (these are called bar tacks). Place pins at either end of the hole, just along the bar tacks, and slice open the fabric in between the seams using a seam ripper or small, sharp scissors. Alternatively, your sewing machine might have an attachment for button holes. Lucky you![5] X Research source Sew buttons onto the opposite side of the button holes.
