If you ask me, buying a faux fur vest can be a little tricky. I know this because after a month of looking, I finally settled on one that would do, but wasn’t my dream vest. I mean, when shopping; not only do you have to make sure it’s the right length, but you also have to ensure that the hair doesn’t look too fake AND that it’s in your price range—which can be sometimes be a bit of a tall order for one vest. But, it doesn’t have to be….not if you make it yourself.
I recently came across this really cool faux fur at Mood Fabrics NYC, and instantly my brain started bubbling over with all the things I could create to fend off these fluctuating January temperatures, and I was thrilled. My first creation is the Faux Fur Vest Tutorial….tell me what you think below. Editor’s note: MoodFabrics.com has lots of faux fur options.
SUPPLIES: Needle and thread, hook and eyes, scissors, tracing paper (or tissue paper), straight pins, sample vest, silk lining (not pictured), a yard of faux fur, and a sewing machine.
HOW-TO:
1. You first need to create a pattern…I started with the back panel of my vest. So grab a vest that you’d like to replicate — I used a thrifted denim jacket that I cut the sleeves off of — and cut it out (Note: I gave it about a 1.5 inch seam allowance on 3 of the sides, but about 2.5 inches at the bottom).
2. Here I used my tissue paper to trace one of the front panels to create a pattern for it.
3. Cut out the form you created and pin it to your fur.
4. Next, cut out all 3 pieces and pin each side panel to your back panel (right sides facing each other).
5. I wanted a collar on my vest and used the collar on my denim vest again as a guide (Note: I made my faux fur vest collar about 4 inches longer and made the ends squared off then pointed).
6. After you’ve cut out your collar, pin in to the top of your back panel.
HOW-TO CONT’D:
7. The under side of the faux fur was unfinished, so I wanted to add a lining to mine. Therefore I used the patterns I created for the vest to do the exact same thing for the four pieces for my lining.
8. Here I’ve started to cut out the front panels. Sew them all together the same way.
9. Now take your finished lining and fur vest and place them together (right sides facing each other), and use your straight pins to pin them together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance across the collar and down both sides of the front (Note: Leave the bottom hem open as well as the arm holes for now).
10. Now sew the two sides and collar that you just pinned.
11. You’re getting close, now flip the vest on the right side.
12. Take three hook and eyes and hand stitch them to the front of your vest.
13. Lastly pin the bottom hem as well as the arm holes, before you hand stitch them together, and you are all done!
Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of the award winning blog, Frugal-nomics.com; a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime. A DIY girl at heart—Brandhyze has been featured on The View, The Early Show, The Today Show, InStyle Magazine, Essence Magazine, and MTVStyle. A Wilhelmina Model for over a decade, with a Business Degree from Loyola University Chicago, Brandhyze provides DIY content to the popular How-To Site, eHow; and has been a contributor for Yahoo Finance, Manilla, Good Housekeeping, and Newsday Westchester. Brandhyze is a huge thrifter and a lover of all good deals, follow her on Twitter @MyFrugalnomics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Frugalnomics.
11 comments
girllll I’be trying to figure how i was going to make my own faux fur vest. Thanks!
You’ll be SO happy with it…I get a lot of compliments on mine Alisha!
Love it! Thanks
So glad you like it Bianca!
Thanks for inspiration. I bought the faux fur fabric a few weeks ago and I will be making mine soon.
Send us a pic on instagram Vanessa of you rocking your finished vest!
This is cute!
Thanks Levone!!!
[…] to Mood Fabrics NYC (they have SO much new stuff in stock) while scooping up the fur I used on my fur vest, I came across this great leopard-printed faux fur, and immediately knew what I’d do with it. […]
Brandy you are too much!!! :). I purchased some fur (nice size piece and amazing price) from the remnant bin at the Mood L.A. store and didn’t know what to do with it, now I’m going to make a fabulous vest like yours. Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
[…] We’ve been getting a whole lotta snow here in the city, and everywhere I look, people young and old have been donning these Russian Fur Hats with the Ear Flaps (think they’re called Ushankas) to keep warm — me included. So, I thought it would fun to create my own. I used some beautiful fuchsia colored wool knitted fabric I found at Mood Fabrics, that really popped against the faux fur I found there. Want in on the action? Take a look at the steps below. Oh, and if you want another fun idea for fur fabric, check out my fur vest here. […]