Cedar Fork Stitches: Li'l Cowboy Vest Tutorial

No little feller or gal wants to be caught out riding the range without a proper vest!

Here is what you need for a quick and easy wild west accessory:

1. 1/2 yd or less appropriate western fabric

2. 1 child's tank or sleeveless tee from Wal-Mart or wherever.

Choose a color you like, it will be the lining.

(sleeveless is actually a better look, wider at the shoulder, but either works fine! This one is kind of a cross between the two...just whatever they have the day you shop is fine!)

3. pins, scissors, seam ripper and thread in your sewing machine

That's it! Let's get started:

1. Disassemble the tank shirt. Remove any collar or sleeve "banding". Pick the seams from the shoulders and arm holes. Measure your young'un from armpit to waist. Measure from arm hole to bottom of shirt, adding an inch or two for seam and growth allowance. Mark. Cut off bottom hem.

Keep in mind this construction process is not an "exact science"...if I can do it, you can too!

2. Find center of front, along the bottom edge of shirt. Using a straight edge and pencil, eyeball it best you can and make a mark along center line. Cut the front in half by cutting along line.

3. If there are no side seams, use your straight edge and pencil again to mark lines for the sides. Cut along lines, giving you 3 pieces: 2 front, 1 back.

4. Determine a neckline that pleases you. Mark and cut both front pieces. I would advise googling vests to see what style suits you.

5. Next, lay out your 3 pieces on your fabric. Pin and cut. Your tee shirt pieces are both your pattern and your lining!

6. Sew along the neck and arm hole edges and along the bottom and front. Do not sew the shoulder or side(s).

7. Turn pieces right sides out and press. Top stitch along arm holes, back collar, bottoms, and fronts.

I apologize for not having great pictures for this step, but when turned and top stitched, the pieces will look like this. They will be open, unsewed, at the shoulders and along the sides.