Fall is in the air somewhere. Not here in Colorado yet, and definitely not where Rhonda lives in South Carolina, but SOMEWHERE in the world it feels like fall, right? A couple of weeks back when I put together our Fall Indie Pattern Roundup, I found the perfect garment to ring in the season: the Dropje Hooded Vest from Waffle Patterns.
I chose Robert Kaufman cotton/linen denim for the outside, and RK shetland flannel (the most beautiful flannel in the whole world — it has a herringbone/tweed sort of weave and is yard-dyed like the shot cottons) for the lining. The pattern itself is not lined, except for the hood. I decided that I needed to line it up. I’m not an expert seamstress by any means, so it took a bit of thinking. Ultimately I just duplicated the outside pieces for the inside, and had to hand-sew down the facings along the zipper and hood. It turned out just fine, and I’m glad it’s a bit of a heavier weight this way.
The pattern itself was easy to follow. Waffle Patterns is the brainchild of Yuki Maeshima. Yuki’s pattern was so clearly illustrated and well written that I was able to figure out each step very easily. I also loved how this PDF pattern comes in layers for the different sizes; before I printed, I was able to select the size layer I wanted, hide all the rest, and print out the pattern in only the selected size.
The best part of the pattern was its collection of little professional finishes, which turned, for me, into ways to make the vest my own. There is contrast topstitching along the zipper, pockets, and hem band, and I chose a separating zipper in an aqua that coordinated well with my lining fabric. I also decided to make the armhole facings in the lining, so that they would add a pop of color when the vest was zipped up. The vest also has darts along the neckline, which really add a pretty and feminine touch to an otherwise “tomboy” sort of design.
I did find the sizing to be a little large for me. I was in between sizes and so went up, figuring that it would be a fall vest and I would wear heavier sweaters underneath. It’s still wearable, but a bit bulkier than the picture on the pattern. If I make another one down the road, I’ll probably take it down a size. The hood also is a bit too big to wear up, but I don’t mind as I think of it more as a styling feature than a functional one anyway.
Overall, I’m glad we included this pattern in our best selections for fall. It’s a nicely written little pattern, and there’s definitely a lot of bang for your buck (and your time — it only took me a couple hours to assemble once I cut out all the pieces). I love the vest, and I’ll definitely wear it out and about once the weather dips below 85.
What are your favorite patterns for fall?
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September 26, 2014 at 7:36 am (7 years ago)Thank you for sharing this, I’m so happy to see my customers making nice things! Love the denim & flannel colour contrast!!!