Looking for vest or pattern for vest

[Smilingotter]

Alright, my first post here (Breathe...try not to be nervous... just picture everyone here in their underwear... ok, that yielded mixed results...)

While money is currently short, I don't anticipate that situation lasting too much longer. Therefore I'm starting my search now. Like the topic title/description says I'm looking for a double-breasted vest not unlike the one that Tim Curry wore as Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island while he was acting as ship's cook.

It looks a lot like a Union or Confederate officer's jacket, minus the sleeves, so if all else fails, a pattern for one of those could be useful. Still, if someone is actually selling a similar vest, I'm not above paying for the convenience of not having to use my nearly nonexistent sewing abilities.

Any suggestions would be all sorts of appreciated.

- Tom

[Capt Grey]

You wouldn't, by chance, be the same "Smilingotter" that posts on the Dewback Wing ASAP board would you? That person was interested in some hakama-type pants for a Jedi outfit that I was going to make for him (still have the pattern). I go by SD_GreyJedi on the ASAP board.

If you are the same person, then no need to be nervous because you already know someone here. Welcome to the Pub.

I do have a couple of Civil War uniform patterns but I would have to take a look at the vest to see what modifications are required.

[Atala Syrcuse]

Is this what you're looking fer?

It be Simplicity #5037. I believe I have this one. I could convert this ta be double-breasted in the front is ye like.

[Smilingotter]

Capt. Grey - yep, it's the same me. And I haven't forgotten the hakama either - I still have your email address, and still have some decent material. (And I still intend to do that at some point, when my disposable income is a little less laughable...)

Atala - those would be a start, but they should probably be longer in addition to the double-breastedness. I found a few pics:

I don't have a pic with a good view of the length, but it was such that he was able to wear the typical black pirate belt over it. So I'm thinking about 5-6" below the waist.

It looks to be leather/suede, though I don't have to have an exact duplicate. Material and color are negotiable...

[Red-Handed Jill]

Simplicity 4083 is double-breasted, but shorter. There's also the Jack Sparrowesque pattern, Simplicity 4923. The vest can be modified to be double-breasted fairly easily. One thing it has going for it is that it is shorter in back, which is historically accurate. And Butterick 3072 is pretty decent - again, you'd have to modify it to be double-breasted, but it's mostly a matter of adding width to the front panels and figuring out the buttons.

As far as sewing leather, good luck. There are all sorts of materials out there (such as microsuede) that can mimic leather without the price, weight and difficulty to sew. The vest fabric in those pics doesn't look like leather - more like a dark reddish, aged fabric with a pattern.

[Smilingotter]

Thanks - I'll look into those patterns.

Would y'all say that the doesn't have any lining (from the look of the folded front panel, or that the lining was done in the same material?

[Red-Handed Jill]

Definitely lined - and in the same material. Vests should be lined; at least the front panels.