Pattern Sizing: Mine. Approximately a 38 in BWOF/12 in Big 4.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? It looked like what I had in mind, more or less, which is always gratifying.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I'm starting to work on a gray-themed wardrobe. The first piece was a white shirt with gray vintage buttons. The shirt decided that even with those buttons, it was too plain and it wanted a vest to jazz it up. I didn't have a pattern for one in my stash, and after going through 3 years of BWOF issues, the closest I could come up with was the vest from the 2/2008 issue with the shoulder ruffles and the peplum. I traced off the basic pieces - back and front, minus the peplum, extending the shoulders out and narrowing the front. I also cropped the pieces about another 2" to get the length I wanted.
Fabric Used: I didn't have anything in stash that would work with the gray bottom weight fabrics that this is intended to be worn with, so I hit the thrift store down the street and a skirt that I liked. Soon it was a skirt no longer. There was just enough fabric to cut out the major pieces, plus the facings (which were pieced as neatly as I could). The lining was made from a poly satin blouse from the same thrift store. Total cost for fabric: $3.45.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: Once I pinned the vest together, I knew I was heading in the right direction, but even roses on herringbone wasn't quite enough. It needed more. I remembered that I had a roll of black leather piping squirreled away from a purse project that had gone nowhere, so I tried that and liked the effect. But it needed more leather! My original thought was to make leather ties for the back, but I thought that was too expected. Then I remembered that last year I had purchased 3 of these miniature black and silver buckles at Pacific Trims in NY for a BWOF jacket that hasn't yet come to fruition. That was perfect.
I lined the jacket with poly satin using Sandra Betzina's method from Power Sewing Step-by-Step, except I left the entire bottom open because I was still fiddling with the length at that point.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I won't sew this exact vest again, but the pieces I came up with fit well and I could maneuver them into something different if I took the time. I'm not big on vests, but there are a few fabrics that are thinking they might want to be combined into another one. We'll see.
Conclusion: This is piece #2 of the gray wardrobe. I really need to get cracking on a pair of pants and a skirt. I wore this vest and the white shirt today with an old RTW gray skirt and I like the outfit, but the skirt's a creeper. Now I remember why I wanted to replace it.
And the poor receptionist at my job is getting tired of (and no better at) playing fashion photographer, but she's come to expect the request when I come in wearing something new.