No Sew Knit Vest

…or you can choose a different option with very little sewing.  I’m talking three straight lines that are only about two inches each.  Super easy!

First off, I really need to apologize for the quality of these pictures.  Firecracker (my four year old) was playing with my camera and messed with the settings.  Pooey.  That, and I did this tutorial after all the kidlets went to bed, so I didn’t have any natural light to work with.  Bear with me, and if you have any questions, please email me.  2craftycousins(at)gmail(dot)com.

A few weeks ago, one of our awesome readers emailed us a bunch of pictures of cardigans and vests she had seen at a department store.  She didn’t love the prices and asked if we could help her out. 

Here are some pictures of the vests she emailed us:

Sorry,  They’re kinda blurry.  I couldn’t see the back of the vests, but the front was similar to this vest I wore here.

So, I used this vest as a pattern.

To start off, you’ll need  1 1/2 yards of knit fabric.  If you use another fabric, you’ll have to serge and hem your raw edges, and this project isn’t “no-sew” anymore.  But, it will still be super easy.

When this is all laid out, you’ll see that it is just a half circle with arm holes with a scrunched piece of fabric in the middle.  I hope you like my terminology!  :)  This vest also has side seams.  You can cut three separate pieces for the vest, or just one, like I did.

All of the edges on this vest are raw.  It is knit, so it won’t fray.  I laid down my knit fabric with my vest spread over the top.

I used some fabric chalk and traced the pattern onto my fabric.

That’s really hard to see.  I’ll draw it out for you in Paint.

(Just pretend that’s a perfect half circle!)  Here are the measurements:

Now cut it out.

Cut a small rectangle to sew around the strip of fabric between your arm holes.

Ugh.  I am so sorry about the pictures.  If you want to do this vest COMPLETELY no-sew, cut a longer rectangle and just tie it between your arm holes.  Like I did here.  Then you’re done.  I did the scrunchy-thingy. 

Take your rectangle and fold it in half width-wise.  Sew the ends down.

It doesn’t matter if they’re even or if the seams are pretty.  You’re going to be cutting that part off anyway.  With the raw center seam facing out, wrap the rectangle around the strip of fabric between the arm holes, and sew it closed.

Trim off the excess fabric, or serge the raw edges.

Turn that little tube right-side out, and you’re done!  :)

Isn’t that an easy way to make a department store knock off vest?

…and here’s the back…

Check out another version here.

There you go, Taslima!  I’m working on the refashion for this one

when Monkey takes his nap today, so check back next week for this tutorial.

  I hope this vest tutorial helps, and we’d LOVE to see pictures if any of you try it out! 

Thanks for stopping by, and see ya later!  :)