Designing a Vest

Two approaches for creating the pattern for a vest are shown here. One is to draw the design lines on a quarter-scale photo of the person the vest is being made for. The other is to trace the design of a catalog photo after it has been graded to the proportions of the person who is to wear the vest.

The photos used for this approach are called Catalog Photos because this type of photo should be full front and clearly indicate the design of the garment. Most often these photo show the front of the garment but not the back. The treatment of the back is a matter of establishing fit and design lines that will true up with the front.

Contents

Designing on the Photo of a Person

The design lines of the vest can be drawn on a quarter-scale photo of the person the vest is being made for. These lines can then be copied to the Master Pattern and adjusted to the size required.

1. Draw the button overlap.	2. Draw the neckline.	3. Draw the Armscye.
4. Draw the Hem.	5. Draw the top button.	6. Draw the bottom button.
7. Calculate the spacing for the additonal buttons.	8. Draw in the additional buttons.	9. Move the design over the Master Pattern.
	10. Adjust the shoulder seam and hem to the size indicated by the Master Pattern.

Tracing a Catalog Photo

When you trace a Catalog Photo, the lines for the design are established. When you compare the tracing to the Master Pattern of the person who will wear the vest, the lines of the design can be adjusted. To achieve the best fit for this design, the darts are changed to a Princess Seam.

1. Trace the catalog photo	2. Move to the Master Pattern.	3. Change the Darts to a Princess Seam.