Here are two sewing techniques plus some great sewing tips on how to sew a reversible vest or lined vest. One is stitched and turned; the other is sewn and bound.
Try both to help you determine your favorite sewing technique.
For both methods, follow these cutting and sewing instructions:
Choose similar weight fabrics for a reversible vest.
Preshrunk all fabrics and interlinings.
Interlace the vest with a fusible tissue interlining.
Test the interface on a piece of cloth first to make sure it will work fine.
Depending on the fabric, you may choose to have both the front and back of the vest attached.
Note: You may want to interlock the fabric and then cut the vest pieces out of the interlock fabric.
Carefully cut two fronts and one back from each fabric.
Make sure the front and back pieces of the vest are the same size on both fabrics after you cut them. Place one on top of the other to check.
Apply any pocket or design to each front and back layer.
For each layer:
Lay the right sides of the fabric together and sew the front and back shoulder seams together. DO NOT backstitch.
Instead, start and end each seam with short stitches (18-20 per inch) of about 1 to 1-1/2 inches.
Sandwich pressed seams.
Press the seams open.
At the neck and shoulder point of the shoulder seam, trim the shoulder seam allowance back at about a 1-1/2-inch angle to eliminate bulk when the neck and armhole seams are made.
Also trim the shoulder seams of one of the layers so they are slightly smaller than the other layer to stagger or even out the seams when layered on top of each other.
Continue with Method I or Method II to finish the vest.
Method I – How to sew to complete a reversible sewn and turned vest
Lay the two vests right sides together.
Note: Generally, when sewing a lined vest, it’s a good idea to trim about 1/8 inch of the lining before attaching it to the outer shell. This prevents the liner from showing through when the vest is worn.
For a reversible vest, you may or may not want to do this.
If a bit of one of the layers is showing on one side, it may look like a narrow pipe. You are the designer. Create the look you want.
Sew the edges of the vest armhole with short stitches (18-20 stitches per inch) all the way.
Sandwich press these seams.
Press the seams open.
Trim the armhole seams to a 1/8-inch seam allowance. Short stitches will hold this seam.
If it’s a lined vest, topstitch the armhole seams and all other seams as well. If it’s reversible, you may not want the inside seam on the edge to show.
Sewing Tip: Always use short stitches and trim a 1/8-inch seam allowance to sew a curve. Then backstitch if possible. Produces a much cleaner, sharper curve instead of trimming to 1/4 inch and trimming. Try it!
After finishing the armholes, tuck the two right sides of the vest back together aligning all the edges. Pin to hold the layers.
Sew front and neckline together.
Start sewing about 2 inches from the side seam at the bottom of the front and sew along the bottom of the front, up center front and around the neckline and down at the neckline. the other side of the front, stopping about 2 inches from the other side seam.
Use a regular stitch length to sew along the bottom front and up. Change to a short stitch length to sew the curve around the neck.
Sandwich press seam.
Press the seam open.
Trim the curved area around the neck to 1/8 inch.
Trim the rest of the seam to 1/4 inch.
Hold scissors at an angle when trimming to help layer or grade seam allowances or use “duckbill” scissors to help do this.
Sewing Tip: Always stagger the edges of the seam allowances when they end up on top of each other on a finished garment.
Turn the vest right side out by pulling the fronts across the shoulders, one side at a time.
Press well fixing the seam lines exactly on the edge.
With the right sides together, match up the seams of the armholes and pin exactly across the seam line to hold one on top of the other.
Sew the side seams of both layers in one continuous step, carefully passing the needle through the underarm pin.
Sandwich press seam.
Press the seam open.
You may want to leave the full seam allowance here in case you need to leave the vest out at some point.
Now, you have the lower back open and about 2 inches on each side of the side seam toward the front.
Turn the right sides together by matching the side seams. Pin exactly on the seam line on the side seams to pin one on top of the other.
Starting at one front side where you previously stopped sewing, sew the bottom until you come within about 2 inches of the seam pin on the next side and leave about a 4-inch opening on that side.
Sandwich press seam.
Press the seam open.
Press under the raw seam allowances as if they were sewn.
Trim and grade the seam allowances to about 1/4 inch.
Turn the vest right side out through the 4-inch opening in the bottom side edge. This slit is better than having the slit in the middle of the center back. It’s not that noticeable.
Press good again.
At the opening, turn in and align the edges.
To finish this opening, either close it by hand with a slip stitch or attach a narrow strip of fusible web and pin it closed.
If desired, topstitch the vest 1/4 inch from the edges.
Make buttonholes on both sides of the vest.
Sew 2 buttons together forming a thread stem between them. Wear these double buttons through both buttonholes as cufflinks. You can even use 2 different buttons as
as long as they are the same size to go through the holes.
Method II
Another method of finishing your reversible vest is to sew each vest with shoulder seams and side seams.
Place the vests with the wrong sides together.
Sew 3/4 inch around the armholes and outer edges of the vest keeping the 2 layers together.
Trim 5/8 inch all around.
Tie up all the outer edges with matching fabric, contrasting fabric, or a folded edge or braid to finish. You can even use a decorative serrated edge to finish off the vest.
This is quick and easy!
It’s your choice. You are the designer!
Enjoy your vest!
It just makes sense!