Man's Vest

In addition to the pants pattern, I borrowed this vest pattern from TITP.  It had no instructions, but luckily I've made enough vests now to know basically what to do.  When I got stuck I had the Simplicity 5037 instructions to refer to, which I'd also borrowed.

I didn't just do fake front pockets, but real ones! That took most of the time. 

I'm really not loving the back.  It looks kinda girly to me -- like those collars we used to wear in the early '90s.  I'm guessing I just need a better pattern?

I'm not sure what I'll do for buttons, maybe self fabric?

I got my inspiration from these:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/122651718/antique-victorian-rare-men-waistcoat

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/M21854

*****

Because I didn't love the collar I posted this at The Civilian Civil War Closet on Facebook for some advice.  Here's what some of the "experts" said.

• This looks more like 1830s style vests.
• A shawl collar would come further down in the front.
• The back of the collar needs more shape, more tailoring.  
• 1860s collars should hug the neck, not fall away from it.
• The Past Patterns vest has very good instructions and turns out well.
• Laughing Moon, Martha McCain (Simplicity 5037), and Galla Rock patterns are also good.  (Although, the 5037 looks earlier to me???).
• Pre-1875 vests had 3 pockets: the two lower ones, and one upper one likely at an angle on the left garment side.

McCalls 4290 Vest

I really haven't disappeared, but during the summer I made this vest for my boy's friends so they could come volunteering with us.  My son really wanted to keep it for himself . . . next year, I suppose.  Isn't he a cute kid??

Men's Shirts & Waistcoats

Someone posted this page of shirts from the Ward Shirt & Collar Mfg company in the 1860s on Facebook the other day.  I wanted to find a better copy to save, but couldn't.

However, in the process of looking, I found this Irish-made shirt at the Australian Dress Register from the 1840s that is quite similar.

The Australian site also has some waistcoats (vests) from the 1830s-1860s.  Recently on the Civilian Civil War Closet Facebook page, someone asked what types of fabric to make vests out of.  The answer there was light/medium weight linen/cotton/wool; cotton velveteen; or silk jacquard (plain or patterned).

Vests

I found the men's vest at the DI and cut off the points and folded the seam up into the vest using suggestions found in converting clothing. Easy. I left the buttons because they look wooden-ish & I wanted to save a little money. The fabric is too shiny, and I've been told that in Pioneer days the back of the vest was out of the same material as the front of the vest -- not like the vests today.


I made these boys' vests using a modified pattern (McCalls 4290) with shell and wooden buttons.