Boys Waistcoat and Trousers

Halloween is over, but I've been on a clothing sewing kick and it's recently shifting to the men in my house.

First off, my son, Rhett James (RJ).

When he was 2 I made him this newsboy suit, with the pants and vest. 

 It was sad when he grew out of it and it's been one of my favorite things I've made for him.

So I thought I'd make another set, this time it has a little more room to grow.

My inspiration for this suit was actually Robert Downey Jr's costumes as Sherlock Holmes.

I loved the thick wale corduroy overcoat with the subtle printed waistcoat.

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I learned that there's no difference between a vest or a waistcoat, Americans tend to use the term "vest" where the United Kingdom calls them "waistcoats".

Thus I chose to keep the British vibe calling these "waistcoat and trousers".  

I had considered adding a collar on the waistcoat like the Sherlock version, but in the end kept it a more modern vibe with the traditional "v-neck" vest shape.   I tend to be a little picky with boys vests, as I'm not a fan of the "boxy 80s vests" like you find in the basic sewing patterns.  Not to say you could alter a slimmer more fitted version than these chest cubes, but I tried to make it a slightly longer fit on the torso and make the v meet higher on the chest rather than around the waist.  

Just my personal preference.

I made my own pattern for the waistcoat, and Lynette taught me a great new trick to enclose all the seams with lining when you construct it.  

Basically the correct way to sew a vest that I hadn't known before.

The trousers have a faux zip and button front.  

They're basically just elastic waisted pants, so they can't open.  Just pull on and off, but stay on the waist with elastic around the back from side seam to side seam.

I used another pair of his pants as a pattern for these, and so they have the traditional pleat front, pockets and elastic in the waist so he can just pull them down rather than have to deal with zip/ snap front.

Lynette also taught me how to sew a welt pocket.

I LOVED the result, although it requires really precise sewing which I'm not used to, but I'm thinking I'll be making more welt pockets.

Basically the welt pocket is just a slit in the main body of the garment, and you add what I'd call a facing to help turn it around to make, in this case, the pocket between the lining and outside of the vest.

So to complete the little man Sherlock look, I made the blue corduroy blazer a few weeks ago to pair with the waistcoat and trousers to make a unique 3 piece suit.

Suits can be really uncomfortable my husband tells me, but so far this little man doesn't seem to feel too restricted in his three-piece-suit.

The Fall clothing maddness I've been sewing continues tomorrow with my first MEN'S project!