Traditional Victorian waistcoat paper sewing pattern for both ladies and men, by Folkwear.
In Victorian times, gentlemen were not considered properly dressed without a jacket, vest (or waistcoat), and tie. Indeed, even smart Victorian women donned fitted vests for street wear, with walking skirts and long jackets. Today, the vest is still an integral part of business attire and fashion for men and women.
Views A and B are originally men's vests, now sized also for women. View C is a closely fitted women's vest. All three are fully lined; the backs are cut from lining fabric for comfort and to reduce bulk.
View A is a simple, collarless V-neck vest with four welt pockets and adjustable back waist belt. Center front is pointed at the bottom and rises to high hip length at sided and back.
View B is bias-cut for a decorative fabric treatment, featured a shawl collar, and ends above the hipbones with a shallow point in front. Like View A, a back waist belt adjusts the fit.
View C is shorter, extending just to the waist. Four front darts fit the vest snugly to the bust. A small notched collar plunges into the double-breasted front, which closes with two rows of buttons. Traditional Bow Tie (with instructions for tying) are also included.
Suggested fabrics: Medium to heavyweight fabrics of cotton, silk, wool, linen, synthetics or blends with or without nap, such as brocade, velvet, corduroy, canvas, pique, velveteen, or synthetic suede. The bias cut of the shawl-collar vest is especially suitable for stripes or plaids.
Fabric Requirements: See images.
Sizes Included:Women's Sizes XS-3XL; Men's Sizes SM-3XL
Folkwear provides sewing patterns that are based on authentic vintage and folk garments from around the world, with special focus on embellishment details, history, and honor of the garments and the cultures and times they originate from.
"We believe that sewing is made richer, and therefore more enjoyable, when you understand more about the garments you have been inspired to make - including their histories and cultures." - Folkwear
At Truro Fabrics we're a small, family-run business in the heart of Cornwall, UK. We love compiling our carefully chosen fabric collections and sharing beautiful products with our customers. All orders are lovingly wrapped in recycled tissue and re-purposed packaging, ready to arrive and be made into exciting creations.