motorcycle vests

[wolvenstien]

I have a project I have been putting off since last year to make 4 motorcycle vests with a memorial carving on the back of them. I bit off more than I can chew and have no clue what I am doing when it comes to making garments. I bought the pattern pack at Tandy, and the largest is too small even for me and the vests are for four people who are larger than I am... I have no idea how to enlarge the pattern for thier sizes, and it has to be modified for the back piece.

From front to back, the vest will have two pockets on the front, laced up the sides with 13 lace holes, a special sunglass holder on the chest above the heart, and the back piece (made from 4-5 oz veg tan) and the rest of the vest made from 2-3 oz chrome tanned black leather. The instide would be lined with yellow nylon and one would have an inside pocket.... I would actually like to have an inside pocket on all of them but only one is required....

I have everything purchased for this project, but like I said before, i have no clue how to put it all together to make a nice looking vest. I actually made a vest from the pattern with fabric, so I know the largest pattern is going to be way too small for the people I need the vests for.

If anyone out there can help me, yell at me... PLEASE... this project needs to be done very soon... Thanks

Mike

Attached is a pic of the back piece. Its cut on the corners because I did it only as a practice piece to see how it would look. The ones that will be made for the vest will be square.

[$$hobby]

Im not sure if this would be the best route to go, but what ive done in the past is use something that fits, rip it apart and use it as a pattern. what is a vest, but a jacket w/o the sleeves?

If you can use a old jacket, then you can iron it out to flatten it and make your patter from that.

as far as assbembly hints goes, look at one of your jackets/vests. lining it will take some time and some practice. if you have some extra material, try making a smaller version so you can work out the bugs. either that, the first one with all of the boo-boos will be yours.

[Hoyden]

I hate patterns. For some stupid reason, I can't understand them, so I build my own. I can look at something and tell how to make it and work off of measurements.

That being said, I have a website bookmarked at home that has directions on how to make a simple tunic that include how to measure a person and create a pattern.

I've used this method to make everything from chemises, shirts, vests, gambesons, tabbards etc for Ren Faire to making costumes and leather vest for a friend.