Waistcoat Alteration

[Chas]

I have just acquired this waistcoat:



The softest suede in the world, four pocket and with genuine leather buttons as well. For this little beauty, I paid 10 pence (1/10 of a pound).



BUT

It is a 42" and I am a 44" chest.



And here using a trusty kilt pin.



You can clearly see the 2" gap. But that is at middle button, the top and bottom buttons are more like 3" to 3 1/2".

So here are the questions:

1 - Do I put a fillet in, down each side, from the armpit?

OR

2 - Do I put a wider fillet centrally down the back?

OR

3 - A combination of them both?

OR

4 - A whole new back? (If so, should it be like 1 , 2, or 3 above?)

OR

5 - Some other Idea, that I haven't thought of?

Any ideas or thoughts?

Regards

Chas

[KWD]

Personally I would do the sides, but if you don't want it to look as if you altered the vest, I would make a new back..

[sydnie7]

*** for a new back. It looks as if the armholes are pulling at you -- i.e. not far enough forward -- the new back could cure that as well, if the problem I think I see really exists.

And may I also say. . .


SCORE!!!!! Congratulations on that nice find!

[Chas]

*** for a new back. It looks as if the armholes are pulling at you -- i.e. not far enough forward -- the new back could cure that as well, if the problem I think I see really exists.

And may I also say. . .


SCORE!!!!! Congratulations on that nice find!

That is rather what I thought. But where should the increase in size be - central or armpits?

Regards

Chas

[gary meakin]

I don't see how hanging fish from the sides is going to help at all.

[Piipriker]

this looks like new and then for only 10p. I'm envious.

[Chas]

this looks like new and then for only 10p. I'm envious.

From what I can see it is new.

I found a brown woollen two piece suit at a charity shop. My intention was to alter the jacket to an Argyle and possibly make a waistcoat from the trousers. It came in a garment bag.

I took it to the check-out and found that they were having a 1/2 price sale on all goods. As the cashier was ringing up the sale, I found a lump in the bottom of the garment bag - there was the waistcoat.

How much? Sixty pence, all together - suit, waistcoat and garment bag!

Regards

Chas

[Dixiecat]

That is rather what I thought. But where should the increase in size be - central or armpits?

Regards

Chas

I wouldn't bother with a new back. If you put a new back on you'd have to put the extra fit you need on the side seams, making the back at least 1.25" to 1.5" wider at the sides. Yes, I know you need only 2" to close the gap in the front, but you need what we call 'wearing ease' so that you can breathe so you'll need to add at least an extra inch. Adding 3" to the back can make it look a bit, well, big.

I've recently come across several high-end garments that use a side seam panel made from knit fabric. If you can find a matching knit fabric, inserting a 1" strip in the side seam will give you 2" to close the gap and give you some ease from the stretchy-ness of the knit.

Whichever method you chose, I'm sure it'll look great. Good Luck!

[sydnie7]

That is rather what I thought. But where should the increase in size be - central or armpits?

Regards

Chas

I would distribute the increase between center back and side seams. You may need to add at the shoulders as well, just a little bit but those "small" fronts need to move forward in all dimensions.

Do you have another vest that fits, that you could trace a starting pattern from? Because the fronts will remain "small," you will probably need to put even more at the side seams and shoulders than your well-fitted vest has. Cut the new back piece out of muslin or other scrap fabric and do test fits before putting scissors to the final fabric.

DCat has a good suggestion as well and much easier, depends how you want the final to look!

[Dixiecat]

Armhole alterations can be tricky even on vests. Playing with shoulder seams will alter both the armhole AND the neckline, areas which show ill-fitting issues more than others. That's one of the reasons I'd stay away from replacing the back. It's already fitted together. To make it balanced, you'd have to add to the front too, which you can't. A side seam addition won't change the neckline but will add width mostly where it's needed, at the chest/abdomen area.