We love making soft, warm felted wool tops for winter! This brightly colored vest incorporates 3 wool fabrics that Rae felted at home in the washer and dryer. (See Tips for Handwoven and Handcrafted Jackets for more details about preparing felted wool.) She used the selvage of one fabric to create the single layer “band” and strips of wool to finish the edge around the armhole. One of the great things about working with felted wool is that it doesn’t fray on cut edges. You can also overlap the seam allowances to reduce bulk. In a vest, the top edge of the side panel often needs to be narrowed slightly so that it doesn’t gape in the underarm area; this doesn’t effect the rest of the garment since the sleeve isn’t being fitted to the side panel. (See our Swing Variations pattern for step-by-step directions on making a vest with the Tabula Rasa Jacket pattern). The flower pin, made from strips of felted wool, serves as the closure. See Edye’s Felted Wool Sweater jacket, too!
