After the Norfolk jacket and the breeches, we’re now focusing on another essential garment in the men’s wardrobe: the waistcoat.
Similar to the patterns mentioned before, this one also originates from my early days as a pattern maker, marking my initial exploration into men’s tailoring in the 19th century. The waistcoat pattern represented my first endeavor in digital illustration, departing from my usual hand-sketching method. Despite the learning curve, it marked a significant milestone in my journey of pattern-making.
However, despite its age, a detailed blog post and sewing guide for the waistcoat was missing. That’s where this upcoming blog post comes in, especially focusing on the pockets. Join me as I delve into the nuances of constructing the waistcoat, offering practical insights and step-by-step instructions to help you bring this timeless garment to life.
Choosing the materials: A waistcoat, typically worn with trousers and a coat or jacket, evolved in material and style throughout the 19th century. At the start of the century, waistcoats were often crafted from contrasting materials. By the century’s end, they matched the trousers and jacket for informal occasions, forming a three-piece suit as we recognize today.
Similarly to modern practices, the back of the waistcoat was typically made from lighter materials. Polished cotton or fine twill/satin was commonly used for the back, straps, and lining.
Let´s dive into sewing, step by step as usual!
(1) As usual, start with cutting all the pieces from fashion fabric, interfacing, and lining, and carefully transfer all marks and notches, especially the little corner marks on the collar. The waistcoat is called collarless, but that´s not quite true, it´s kind of a shawl collar, just with a collar stand.
Now, let’s proceed straight to the intricacies of pocket sewing. I encountered some challenges with the 19th-century method, especially when working with thick wool fabric. The more angled breast pocket posed significant issues with bulk, therefore, I decided to change this pocket in the pattern to a less angled one. Also the pictures are not the waistcoat, to show you improved instructions, without all the mess I made with my first attempt on this wool fabric.
First, baste a piece of linen or cotton to the wrong side of the front, covering the pocket opening. Mark the pocket opening with a basting thread, clearly visible on the right side of the fabric.
Fold the welt in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Reopen and mark the inside, as well as the half line. Sew the outer pocket bag to the inner half of the welt using a 1/4” (7mm) seam allowance, right sides together. Re-check before sewing, and stitch exactly between marks (x). Trim back the seam allowances as shown and press towards the pocket.
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