Design, weave, and sew your own custom handwoven vest. You’ll weave yardage for a vest using a basic twill structure and wool yarn. After weaving your yardage, you will gain experience fulling your wool cloth to create finished fabric for the vest construction, and learn skills for sewing with handwoven fabric. Waist-length muslin patterns for men or women will be fit and adjusted before weaving your yardage. Vests will be lined with cotton material purchased by the student. There will be numerous options for customizing your vest, including color choices and the addition of pockets, closures, or a back belt.

Note that a $90 materials fee will be collected at the time of class, payable directly to the instructors. Students must have beginner level weaving and sewing experience and be able to warp a floor loom with minimal assistance.

Students will need to register by December 17 to ensure their preferred yarn color selection and pattern size availability. There will be several colorways to choose from, and there will be additional colors available during class.

Students should have beginner-level experience warping a floor loom and weaving. Students should know how to use a sewing machine and have some sewing experience.

Required Tools

• 2 yards liner fabric - quilting cotton weight or similar, and one color thread that matches your wool color and the lining. Please wash the fabric to pre-shrink it, and press the fabric prior to class.
• Buttons or closures for vest
• 2-3 large bath towels
• Pins and pin cushion/magnet, or wonder clips 
• See-thru clear plastic ruler for patterning and sewing (2”x18” recommended size)
• Flexible measuring tape
• Fabric marking pencil or pen
• Fabric cutting scissors
• Paper cutting scissors
• Pinking shears (if you have this, bring it - otherwise, we can share)
• Seam ripper
• Sewing kit - Bring all your favorite sewing tools in a tool-kit

Note: if you cannot find some of the tools listed, don’t worry. There will be some extra of all of these tools provided in the classroom to share.

Optional Tools

• Sewing machine - if you own a portable sewing machine, bring it to class. Please test it before coming to class to know that it is in working order. Bring bobbins to fit your machine. If you do not have a sewing machine you can bring, North House has a few machines. You will be welcome to use them and will be given basic instructions for their use.
• Iron, traveling iron board, and press cloth
• Task light and/or magnifier light
• Rotary fabric cutter (North House has mats to use with these cutters)