Work in progress Leather Waistcoat/Vest

[Windrider30]

Ok as the title says this is a work in progress just started last night, this will be ALL hand sewn *my fingers are already crying lol* and lace work is going to be invovled

http://imgur.com/a/MoIWL

 

will keep adding photos as I progress, though I know the lace work wont happen for another week or so due to not having enough lace but basically what I am planning on doing is using a gaucho style lace on ALL seams (to hide the seams not that my stitching sucks or anything just think it will add a nice touch) edges (bottom and front sides of vest) will do a Mexican round braid (ugg still struggle with that some times but think it will look SOO much better then a simple double loop) the two pockets will be tooled from 4 to 5 oz leather with a compass rose and thinking of dying it black or a dark brown not sure as the leather is grey garment leather.  And sorry for some of the crappy shots taken with the phone

[bikermutt07]

Looking good.

[dirkba]

Good luck with ALL the stitching and lacing - you sure have a lot of guts.

I have a similar vest, but used real thin leather that I was able to sew.

For effect on the pockets I used small spring buck (female) horns and the "sides of the leather" which had rough edges.

Don't lose steam...keep going! Once you wear it there is no looking back - just smiles 

 

 

 

[Windrider30]

 

3 hours ago, dirkba said:

Good luck with ALL the stitching and lacing - you sure have a lot of guts.

I have a similar vest, but used real thin leather that I was able to sew.

For effect on the pockets I used small spring buck (female) horns and the "sides of the leather" which had rough edges.

Don't lose steam...keep going! Once you wear it there is no looking back - just smiles 

 

 

 

Not sure if it is guts or insanity will let you know lol, this will either be a "proper" waistcoat with buttons or it might just become a "vest" depends on if I can close it over my fat gut...if it wont close then ummm the excuse for no buttons is I do not like tight htings around my chest (grins)

6 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Looking good.

Thanks I am updating the album as I go

[Windrider30]

FINALLY the back is fully laced up...I can not feel my shoulders or fingers right now lol just click on the link http://imgur.com/a/MoIWL and look down at the bottom added photos!

[bikermutt07]

That looks great. Will you be lacing the collar, sleeves, and front edges as well?

[impulse]

Hi windrider

If you have access to an ordinary home sewing machine, there are available leather point needles which will handle garment leather quite well. Should save you hours of hand stitching. Good job with the lacing!From a fellow Aussie, Lois

[Windrider30]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

Hi windrider

If you have access to an ordinary home sewing machine, there are available leather point needles which will handle garment leather quite well. Should save you hours of hand stitching. Good job with the lacing!From a fellow Aussie, Lois

Thanks impulse but every thing I do is by hand, my company's motto or the business I am SLOWLY starting, even the hand stitching, every thing I have made is old school no machines touch the leather once it arrives to me.

 

6 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

That looks great. Will you be lacing the collar, sleeves, and front edges as well?

Thank the powers that be there are no sleeves...that would be a nightmare for me to figure out lol. As for lacing, will be lacing the whole bottom edge, the side seams (side seams will be the same pattern as the back) all the way up to the front edges, the front edges and bottom will be done in a Mexican round braid but that will have to wait for a week or two due to not having enough lace, as I think I am going to need a LOT of lace, planning on buying around 100 yards and hope that is enough lol I honestly thing I will end up in the 50+ yard range in lace when I am done with the bottom and sides. All lace will be black suede the waistcoat/vest will not be lined as I really love the feeling of the back side of this garment leather its very soft to the touch.

[Windrider30]

forgot to mention that the pockets have actual tooling on them a compass rose simple but I reall like the way it turned out so have to stitch those one then more lacing and more stitching

[Halitech]

looking good so far. For the lace, measure the edges you want to lace then multiply that by 9 and add 10%, just for good measure.

I'm curious how comfortable it is with the suede lace going up the middle. Any time I've used it, it tends to bulk up quite a lot

[Windrider30]

The lacing style that I am using feels ok so far (mind you I have not worn it yet lol) but it is not bulking up actually which I am pleasantly surprised with it, and thanks for the measuring part I honeslty think I will end up with between 50 to 100 yards worth of lace once its all done! Just added more pics got the front and back connected both sides now! It is going to be a waiting game though as I am out of lace and have to wait for a week or so before I have the money to get more shipped to me..ah joys lol

[Windrider30]

I can say I am proud of myself today, I have my waistcoat/vest fully stitched together today, it actually fits and looks like it should lol, still only half way though still have to add the buttons (going to use concho buttons found the perfect ones from tandy) just have to figure out how to make the cuts for the actually button holes, and need to do a CRAP load of lacing but that happens later in the week once I get my supply of lace (100 foot worth hope that will be enough lol)

[Windrider30]

Woo hoo after running out of lace and finding another supplier (tandy was out of the lace I had orginaly started to use DOH) for the lace the Mexican round braiding has started I am currently a 1/4 of the way though the edges!! and my fingers still hurt lol check out the link for pics http://imgur.com/a/MoIWL even found some great concho buttons to use when I am done with the lacing!

[bikermutt07]

Looking spectacular.

[Windrider30]

34 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

Looking spectacular.

Thanks almost at the half way mark for the bottom going to take me a while!

[Windrider30]

FINALLY done with the outer edge took 95 feet worth of lace!!!!  took a pick of the neck and collar area http://imgur.com/a/MoIWL using lace from the scrap garment leather that I made the vest from, for the arm holes as I want to protect the edge but I want a softer lace to protect the clothing I will be wearing UNDER the waistcoat!

[AussieMade]

Nicely done, thats a lot of lace used.

[Windrider30]

5 hours ago, AussieMade said:

Nicely done, thats a lot of lace used.

Thanks not done just yet when everything is said and done I will have roughtly 130 to 150 feet of lace used!

[HavenHillJay]

The mexican round braid is a nice detail!

[Windrider30]

1 hour ago, HavenHillJay said:

The mexican round braid is a nice detail!

Thanks have to undo the arm hole that i have done the learher that i used for the gray lacing sucks as lacing ah well live and learn when all is said and done figure i will have about 185 to 190 feet of lace