We’ve been talking about and sharing photos of vests lately, primarily unlined and quilted vests. So this seems like a good time to revisit a popular blog post with step-by-steps on how to line a Tabula Rasa Vest. This post describes how Carrie made the Funnel Neck Ikat Vest with a bagged lining. This method will work for any vest which is finished with a facing, including the jewel neckline (also part of Rain or Shine Variations) or a Shirt Variation, which would require inserting a collar between the fashion layer and the lining. Enjoy this Redux – Line a Tabula Rasa Vest in Carrie’s words.
The basic instructions for making a Tabula Rasa Vest are provided in our free download Make a Tabula Rasa Vest. The steps for making a basic vest are also reviewed in the blog post Batik Butik Vest, so please to refer to these sources for basic vest construction. You can see vests in many styles and fabrics in the Tabula Rasa Vests section of our photo gallery. Find additional blog posts about making vests in the Vests category of our blog archive.
Prepare and Assemble Layers
I began by assembling the fashion fabric layer of the vest (in this case, cotton ikat), and the lining layer of the vest (cotton batik) separately. For both layers, remember to finish the top edge of the side panel before sewing the side panels into the vest front and back. For the fashion layer, I bound the underarm with a piece of the ikat. For the lining, the raw edge of the side panel was simply turned under 5/8” and pressed.
While inserting the lining is not difficult, it does require advance planning to make sure the steps for inserting and finishing the lining are executed in a logical order. For a bagged lining, any details that are to be enclosed between the layers must be finished before attaching the lining. For the Funnel Neck Ikat Vest, this meant I needed to attach the piping along the center front, neckline and hem and the button loops to the fashion fabric layer before inserting the lining.
Sew Lining into Fashion Vest
After all those details were completed, the vest lining and fashion fabric vest were pinned together all around the outer perimeter, right sides together, and then stitched. The armholes are not finished at all at this point! Turn the vest right side out, pulling it through one of the armhole openings, to check your work. If all is well, turn the vest back to the wrong side to trim and grade the perimeter seam allowances, then turn right side out again and press firmly.
Finish Armhole
The Vest download describes two ways to finish the armholes with binding. In the first method, the binding is wrapped around the raw edges, creating a visible statement on the fashion side of the vest. In the second method, the binding is turned entirely to the inside of the armhole, narrowing the shoulder slightly.
Carrie chose to bind the armhole openings using the “extended shoulder” method, tying the center front and sides of the vest together with the purple fabric used for the piping and button loops.
Finally, the ends of the binding were tucked between the fashion and lining layers below the armhole opening. The vest was finished by hand sewing the top edge of the lining side panel to the top bound edge of the outer fashion side panel.
Vest with Kimono Band
The steps in the Redux – Line a Tabula Rasa Vest would be slightly modified if you are putting a kimono style band on the vest. After the fashion and lining layers are prepared, insert the lining into the fashion fabric vest wrong sides together, hem the layers, and add the band as directed in the basic Tabula Rasa Jacket Instructions, steps 9-11. Lastly, bind and finish the armholes in the same way as directed above.
Redux note: This vest has become a favorite garment and received lots of wear. In retrospect, Carrie wishes she had used stronger interfacing in the neck area on both the fashion fabric and lining to help maintain the funnel neck shape. Keep that tip in mind for your funnel neck jackets and vests.
Have you found another method for lining the TR vest? We would love to hear about it and to see photos of Tabula Rasa Vests you have created!
