Flak Vest Tutorial. Draft your own pattern.

Took me awhile to get to this as I've been swamped at work, but I thought I'd go ahead and put it together while I was drafting one of my own. I'll post pics once I get a finished vest. Hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Drawing a Flak Vest Pattern___________________________________________ ____





Tools Needed

24-inch Ruler or yardstick

Right Angle

18 inch plastic C-Thru grid ruler

French curve (preferably #17)

Pencil

Craft or pattern paper



Measurements required

Note: When taking your measurements, expand all fractional measurements to the nearest half inch. For example, 36 ¼” becomes 36 ½”.



1. Chest plus 2 inches = total chest measurement

2. Waist plus 2 inches = total waist measurement

3. Length – Find by putting your belt on around your natural waist (around your navel level) and measuring from your back nape of neck to the bottom of the belt.

4. Neck to Shoulder

5. Front Width – Across chest, around nipple level from arm to arm (not underarm).

6. Back Width – Across back, same level, arm to arm.





Before beginning, note the following computations:


a. ½ total chest measurement

b. ¼ length measurement

c. ½ front width

d. ¼ total waist measurement

e. ½ back width


Continued in next post

Step 1: Draw a Rectangle



A-B and C-D equal the length measurement.



A-C and B-D equal one-half the total chest measurement, plus 1/2 inch.



Step 2: Construction Lines



Divide A-C & B,D in half by drawing a vertical line, E-F.



From points A and C, measure down one quarter of the length measurement, creating points G and H. Connect points G and H, forming horizontal line, G-H. This is the front and back Width Line.



From points G and H, measure down one quarter of the length measurement plus one inch, creating points I and J, forming a horizontal line. I-J is the chest line.



Front Section



Step 3: Front Neck and Shoulder



3 ½ inches to the left, and ½ inch up from C, mark K.



3 inches down from K, mark L.



2 ½ inches down from C, mark M.



Connect K to L and L to M with straight lines, forming a right angle.



Use French Curve to draw in the neck curve from K to M.

Note: I usually find it helpful to bring the curve to within ½ inch of M on line L-M, so that the neckline is squared off at the fold.



1 3/8 inches below the A-C line, draw a horizontal line.



To determine the front shoulder line, place the starting end of the ruler on K and angle it to hit the horizontal line you have just drawn at exactly the neck to shoulder measurement on the ruler. Mark N at this point and connect to point K with a straight line.



Step 4: Front Armhole



Mark O on the I-J line at the point where it crosses the E-F line. This is the base of the armhole.



To the left of H, measure half the front width measurement and mark P.

Use French Curve to connect N to P with a slight curve. Connect P to O with a larger curve.



Step 5: Side Seam



To the left of D, measure one quarter of the total waist measurement, plus ¼ inch, and mark Q.



Connect O and Q with a straight line, completing the side seam.



Back Section



Step 6: Back Neck and Shoulder



Draw a horizontal line ½ above A-E.



To the right of G, measure one half of the total back width and mark BB.



3 inches up from BB, mark CC, and connect them with a vertical line.



Position the starting end of the ruler on CC and angle it up to hit the horizontal line you drew above A-E at exactly the neck to shoulder measurement. Mark AA at this point and connect with a straight line. This is the back shoulder.



Connect A to AA with a slight curve. This is the back neck.



Step 7: Complete Back Armhole



Use French Curve to connect BB to O.



Step 8: Side Seam

To the right of B, measure one quarter of the total waist measurement, minus ¼ inch. Mark EE.



Connect EE to O with a straight line, completing the side seam.



Step 9: Add Seam Allowance



Add the desired seam allowance (commercial patterns use 5/8”) to all sides of your pattern except for those that will go on a fold, such as the center front.

Also, to give a little more movement room, add an additional 3/8" to each of the side seams, front and back.







*Directions for Flak Vest Pattern are directly based on the directions for a male body block found in The Costume Technician’s Handbook by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey.





Shoulder should look something like this:

And here's pics of the finished product. This is made from the pattern instructions posted above. Notice how it is fitted throughout the waist unlike most of the cheerleader patterned vests.

Well done :)

Update. Edited part of the instructions to add for additional movement room.

Excellent!! Thank you.

Alan

Thank you for listing the reference book The Costume Technician’s Handbook. I was able to find a used copy at Amazon for $20 shipped.

Alan

No prob. It's a good piece of knowledge. I have altered the above directions from the book to fit the task of creating a flak vest, but the book has a buttload of useful info.

Note: Edited the directions above on 11/08/04 simply because I improved on them.

Awesome job DM. Thanks for posting this!

The tut' is fantastic! I've now got my own vest all drawn out, and cut out of the fabric I'm using.

One thing though.

Is there any tutorial or advice you can post here for the order of sewing? As in which bits to sew together in which order? I have an idea on where to start but ny advice is always appreciated and helpful.

as i am one of these people with not enough time to sit down and do it myself, where is the best one to buy? or who from? i am in the progress of doing a ROTJ and want to make it as accurate as possible...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skupilkinson

Is there any tutorial or advice you can post here for the order of sewing? As in which bits to sew together in which order? I have an idea on where to start but ny advice is always appreciated and helpful.

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Aye, can somebody post some pics, or some examples? I tried this myself, and it turned out horrible. I could use some guidance on how to sew it and where to sew it. I'm learning how to use a sewing machine, so any advice would be appreciated.

Also, how do you put it on? Do you have an opening somewhere? Like a zipper, or snaps?

Thanks!

I have a question as well...

Do you use something inbetween the outer and inner layer of fabric to make it thicker? I'm thinking something along the lines some very thin batting or something just to get it to look a little better. I haven't seen one of these up close so I try to get it from pics, which isn't the easiest way. I'm just afraid that to layers of fabric with nothing to thicken it will make it look a little flimsey.

I used wadding, and that looks great.

And wadding is? Hehe. Madly different terminology on stuff like this in Norway. Same as batting or whatever people call the white, soft and fluffy stuff you use in the neckseal? :-)

Sounds like it's the same stuff. ;) Worked a treat for my vest. It's actually a lot of fun. To see it come together that is. I'm thinking of making some more so I have a choice.

Cool, thanks!

I have enough tackle twill to make two, so if the first one is good, I'll make another for myself too, or sell it (if the quality is good enough that is).

Nice work , Thank you .

awesome work man!!! thanks for this it will be very helpful.

I just have a quick question, mine is going to be made for my own custom beskar'gam so and i was going to use this black vinyl imitation leather.... any idea if my sewing machine is going to be able to punch through that? thanks:)

I think it would depend on the thickness of the material. And you'd need to get the right type of needle, which you can find in any store selling sewing machines etc.

when sewing vinyl you also may need a different foot for the machine. them metal ones tend to get stuck. they sell plastic feet meant for this sort of thing.

You can purchase what is called a walking foot for about $20 if you need to. They do sell as stormtrooperguy mentioned a "teflon" foot. It is meant to be non-stick.

You can sprinkle baby powder on the vinyl where you plan to sew, but keep the dust down. You do not want that to get up into your machine. But a light layer can help to make the vinyl more slick. There is one more tip. There is something called "Sewer's Aid"
It is like a liquid silicon that you dab onto the vinyl and it will help the needle and thread move smoothly and the material move smootly under the foot.
You can find it at a sewing store, in the notions department.

I have had no problems with staining at all, but you may want to try it on a scrap to make sure.

You should also try a "leather" needle, which is stronger and sharper than your average sewing needle.


Good Luck and have fun!

Awesome, thanks for all your help guys (and gals), Im going to begin sewing today!
with my mothers help of course, gotta love her even tho she thinks im crazy lol.

This pattern is amazing, i had a bit of confusion with the picture featuring point DD and the lack of instruction for point DD, but i soon realized my error
Keep up the good work!:cheers:cheering:thumbup

well i have my flak vest sewn together for the most part... well as most as its willing to go... i double checked all my measurements and everything, but when i try to put it on, theres a 4" gap in the back and it wont close all the way... also there is no room for the dart along the sides... the arm holes are very small too... very confusing.. is there another pattern that can be used for making the flak vest? :s

Necro-ing this to ask a question, DM. Everything for my vest pattern has gone flawlessly, except for two things.

1. N is closer to CD than P, by my measurements. This interferes with drawing the front armhole curve. Advice?

2. You left DD out of your instructions. I see it on your attached pic, though. What should I be doing here?

Thanks in advance, and thanks again for posting this in the first place. :)

--Jonah

Great tutorial thanks Darth Mule,
I encountered similar problems with some of the measurements as others have mentioned but I just added extra to the pattern until it looked right.
Thanks again appreciated

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gaanyc Tor

well i have my flak vest sewn together for the most part... well as most as its willing to go... i double checked all my measurements and everything, but when i try to put it on, theres a 4" gap in the back and it wont close all the way... also there is no room for the dart along the sides... the arm holes are very small too... very confusing.. is there another pattern that can be used for making the flak vest? :s

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peregrinus

Necro-ing this to ask a question, DM. Everything for my vest pattern has gone flawlessly, except for two things.

1. N is closer to CD than P, by my measurements. This interferes with drawing the front armhole curve. Advice?

2. You left DD out of your instructions. I see it on your attached pic, though. What should I be doing here?

Thanks in advance, and thanks again for posting this in the first place. :)

--Jonah

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Wow! A thread from the bowels of the TDH. Sorry I haven't checked this in years.

One day I will have to update this thread. I have a better pattern block in my head, I just have to transfer it to paper. I put this one together in the early days of my training. Since then I have become a an official patternmaker and tailor in the professional sense and then stopped doing that to try my hand at costume design. So this is a bit dated.

That being said. It is still a decent tutorial. I just need to clean things up bit.

Gaanyc:

Firstly, I hope you mocked this up first. That is to say, sewed it together in a cheap fabric to make sure you got it the way you want.

Despite what you've said about double checking your measurements, you did something wrong. The size of the armhole is dependent on 3 measurements:

1) Shoulder length (AA to CC, N to K) - The length from the side of your neck to the tip of your shoulder (basically where the shoulder seam in a t-shirt sits)

2) Chest and back width (G to BB, P to H) - Measuring from where your chest/back meets where your arm attaches to your body (not underneath), from one side to another.

3) Half your torso length - the bit where it tells you to divide in 1/4, then in another 1/4.. Fairly straight forward.

I think you missed something on one of these. That's what it sounds like.

Perigrinus:

Sounds like you might have done one of the same. Possibly too long a shoulder measurement.

In regard to the 'DD' questions. I think I eliminated DD from my instructions because it was unnecessary and I just combined it with CC. The image is stock and I didn't alter it, thus it still being present.

I think I can work with that. I'm going to be redoing my measurements tomorrow. Looking forward to your updated template/tutorial. ;) I'm going to be going through a fiber-arts program here in another year or so, myself. As it is, I know just enough about pattern-making to be dangerous, but I'm pretty good at modding them to suit. :)

--Jonah

Ok, reading through the instructions I'm having a bit of an issue. What the heck is "½"? As in

Quote:

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Step 3: Front Neck and Shoulder



3 ½ inches to the left, and ½ inch up from C, mark K.

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Having a very hard time puzzling this out.

Catal: Since I'm planning on using this tutorial soon myself, I did a quick Google search. The results made it appear that I had entered a '½' symbol into the search bar, so I'm assuming he meant 3.5 inches.

Thank you so much! That will make it much easier.

I'm not sure if this was answered here or not so here we go.
About how much fabric should I buy to make a vest using this tut? Keep in mind I wear an XL t-shirt.
Thanks :)

The width you need will be double of your chest measurement, and the length will be a bit more than the A-B measurement. Be sure to round up when purchasing your fabric; it's always better to have too much than too little.