• Finished Projects

This weekend, I needed a sewing fix, so I make a quick refasion – this  little chiffon vest. It’s sewn from a mock wrap dress my mom bought it for me in high school. At some point the dress didn’t fit over my hips any more, but I held onto it because the fabric is so pretty.

Here’s a picture of the dress before:

Actually, I can do one better than that! Here’s me in the dress circa 2005:

Making this was super easy. It mostly involved picking out seams. I cut the dress off at the natural waist, then took out the zipper, sleeves, lining, and the seams holding the ends of the mock wrap front to the side seams. The mock wrap crossovers became the drapey tails at the front.

I removed the band finishing the neckline and trimmed the edges so that new center front edges are pretty much straight. I also widened the armholes by 1.5″ all the way around. After that, I just turned the edges under twice and sewed a narrow hem all around.

Somehow, things didn’t turn out quite symmetrical and the shoulders came out different widths. I hid this by adding a pleat to each shoulder seam to make them about an inch wide. The pleats have different depths, but I don’t think anyone will notice. Gotta love an easy fix!

Also, it can also be tied! Tada!

Honestly, I started out with plans to make a blouse, but I kept stalling on the project and finally switched to making this vest. When I was making it, I wasn’t sure about whether I’d ever wear it because a chiffon vest seems so useless. It can’t be worn as a shirt, it won’t keep me warm, I can’t even use it to for cover when I don’t feel like wearing a bra (which, to be honest, is mostly why I wear vests like this and this.)

But you know what, it has a purpose – it is fashionable. Need it be more than that? I think not.

And with that thought, I tip my hipster hat at you and wish you a good day.

And happy sewing, of course!