How to Draft a Waistcoat w/ Your Measurements | Guide to a Bespoke Suit

[@briantaylor9475]

I just finished with the tutorial using a printed transcript. The only confusing part was using down as a general term versus right, left, up, and down. The pocket drawing was also confusing. I watched it about 15 times. Got it. Great tutorial.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

Thanks. Good luck

[@alexschubert9768]

Great video! Looking at the measurements in the description, what do you mean by length? And do you maybe also have a tip which measurements need to be taken by another person? (Creating for myself) i can't bother my second person too much and should do all I can by myself

[@teekue]

I used this to draft a pattern a while ago and finally got to making a basted trial waistcoat. First of all: thank you for your work! Great video. I was able to follow through all the steps pretty well only sometimes having to go back. Now to my critique: I was pretty meticuolous when following your steps and everything looked good but I have to say that this method does not seem to work for my stronger build. I'd have to fix too many parts. The armholes are too high, the back armscye goes up too far on the shoulders, more like a shirt and I think a waistcoat should be cut more openly around the back scye. Then the front needs probably 1-1.5cm on both sides to close well and the chest is pretty tight too. This means that sitting down with the waistcoat closed makes it pop open. And the balance has to be fixed too because it flares open. Then there are the back pleats, which I've never seen on a waistcoat, that are for shaping of course. But they don't really work in that way. I think removing them and taking in the side and center back seam will work better. The buttoning point seems good for a waistcoat. All in all I learned a lot from your video but I'll probably go ahead and look for a different method for drafting a waistcoat pattern. If I can be bothered I'll try to fix this pattern but I think it is too far off from the get go to get a nice result. Still thanks a lot and keep on doing what you are doing! I have learned (and still learn) a lot from your full videos on how to sew clothes, especially the trousers one. Best regards

[@teekue]

Oh and maybe as a last point about the back not matching up with the front. This was jsut very curious to me as I've never had or seen any waistcoat where that is the case. I have seen some be longer in the front though but then they are also split at the side seam for a couple of cm. I don't quite understand this design decision. Most of the time the back of trousers will either be higher or at the same height as the front, rarely lower as this will look unbalanced. So if you want more shaping the back should do the same. But that is just my opinion. Maybe there is a good reason why you would want to have the back longer.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

@@teekue I totally agree. As far as method goes this one would be a lost cause. But people seem to find use from it so far be it from me to remove the video out from under people. Like you say it can potentially be a good starting point to find something else. As my vocation, it won't typically fit right without a fitting it should always be toiled or basted. I have fixing the waistcoat videos on the agenda too as I've learned a lot since. And about the longer back, that is just typical of bespoke waistcoats. The back should be 1" longer than the front at the side seam.

[@ilsognoastratto]

Thank you for all the knowledge you are sharing! I would like to ask you one thing: having made a quick trial waistcoat using your tutorial, I noticed that it's too thight at the waist. I also noticed that your draft doesn't really consider the waist measurement, so I wonder where should I add those few centimetres I need to make the waistcoat comfortable: at the side seam? If so, to the back or to the front? Should I remove the darts? Or should I change the pattern making in some way? Thank you very much!

[@caffeinatedtailor]

I would generally divide the difference between the dart and the side seam. If you need to lose 2cm; take off 1cm from the dart and 1 from the side seam

[@brownstewchicken5817]

Hi. Your tailoring series is brilliant! Could you show how you cut the coat pattern with a side body? That would be great. Thanks for passing on all this knowledge.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

I've got the footage for a jacket with a side body. Don't expect it for a few months though..

[@aadityathapaliya5966]

How can we add a lapel to this draft is it like extending lapel part out from the break line or seaming it separately ?

[@caffeinatedtailor]

@@aadityathapaliya5966 on a waistcoat it typically gets made and seamed separately

[@aadityathapaliya5966]

@@caffeinatedtailor Thanks Sir for answering my question

[@bernduwebrunner4928]

Hello! Love your vids! Well explained! Why are you not wearing veste and tie?

[@briantaylor9475]

One more question: do you have the seam allowance incorporated into the drafting process? Or do I need to add it when transferring the pattern to the fabric?

[@caffeinatedtailor]

The centre back, the hem and front edge don't have SA, but they're given inlay. Otherwise the side seam and shoulder both have seams included

[@briantaylor9475]

@@caffeinatedtailor , thank you for the quick response. I am teaching myself through your videos and others as well. My goal is about 5 or 6 waistcoats for wear with my kilts.

[@ianthompson4187]

A brilliant video but there didn't seem to be a reference to the length of the waistcoat which is 51 cm so can I ask if there's a reference to the length or have I missed something? Many thanks.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

If I remember rightly; it's just an outcome of the pattern drafting. This waistcoat ended up far too short, specifically at the front. You can definitely apply your own length to the pattern if you have something specific in mind.

[@ianthompson4187]

Many thanks.

[@alanhaenni]

If I may ask: Why is the back hem 2cm lower than the front? How do they get matched up when constructing?

[@caffeinatedtailor]

Excellent question. They don't match up. You can change it so that they match if you'd like; you just raise the back hem to level with the first. Maybe it's just a preference from who I learned from.

[@alanhaenni]

@@caffeinatedtailor Ah, now I get it, it’s just a design element. I thought it was supposed to somehow line up with the front, and I couldn’t figure out how to make that happen. I just saw at the end of your construction video that it indeed is not intended to line up. It’s a nice touch. 1) Thanks for the videos, they’re informative and enjoyable. 2) Thanks for answering the question.

[@briantaylor9475]

Another comment: I followed your video and transcript in an attempt to draft a pattern. I played it at reduced speed in order to better follow along. It was good until I got to Point 16; it got very confusing. You state: "2-16 > ½ chest +5cm. Being 24.5cm” . That is confusing because half of the chest is 47.5, then add 5 cm. That makes Point 16 52.5 cm up from Point 2. Can you clear this up? Thank you.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

I think the misnomer here is saying that the measurement I get it 24.5cm which is most definitely wrong, so I think you got it right from there

[@briantaylor9475]

@@caffeinatedtailor , thank you. Your video is a very good one. I have transcript downloaded and use it in conjunction with the video. I will try again in a few days to walk through it. I very much appreciate your efforts in producing and providing great content. Thank you very much for the quick response.

[@lubenicmackavic2780]

i was confused by the same thing. thanks

[@alfredboseman9454]

Just subscribed today, but been watching your channel for over 2 years. Love your vids and you are in the top 3 of my "Learning Bespoke Education & Techniques On your Own" channels (excluding Maurice Sedwell and Lee Marsh, LOL)!! I've just been stockpiling knowledge, and haven't actually sewn anything bespoked yet, But I'm ready to take the plunge with a waistcoat I'm designing to wear for my son's wedding.. This is an excellent video, but some things regarding point creations in the transcript could be a little confusing given the points of reference chosen in some places during the video and the direction instructedwhich to travel . For example, going from Pt #13 to14 is relative to the shoulder line and the transcript says to "go up 2cm up the shoulder line. My mind functions from a consistent central point of reference for relatively defining up, down, across, back, left, and right. Using the Origin, as the base reference point, we are actually going down from Pt #13 on the shoulder line, or alternatively going up the shoulder line the distance to Pt #13 less 2cms. And in some other cases you are actually going over to (or back from) certain locations, versus going up or down relative to the Origin as stated in the transcript. The video shows clearly what you are doing, but I had a couple of mental disconnects between what I saw and what I was hearing. Redoing the video would be ludicrous, but as a pre-novice, I'm trying to create a written stand alone dummied down reference document based on your transcript that I can rely on as a step-by-step guide for your various point creations and associated intermediary steps needed to set up a given point or curve. Thanks for all you do and the knowledge you freely share. As for myself, you are allowing someone in the US who is close to retiring to finally explore the sartorial world.

[@alfredboseman9454]

I wasn't trying to be critical of your fine work, it's just that of some of the directions given were relative to looking at the garment as it is being worn

[@caffeinatedtailor]

@@alfredboseman9454 Thanks, I realised I wasn't using a fixed point of reference, as you say. I'm trying to do it better in the future, but it's all good to hear. Good luck.

[@collinsadotey1655]

@@caffeinatedtailor love your work

[@clarabae2643]

i made the vest for my boyfriend with this tutorial and i love it 🥰✨

[@briantaylor9475]

17-18 is 14cm, why? Is it 1/3 of the waist height? Waist height is from nape to natural waist?

[@caffeinatedtailor]

No, it's just a standard amount to determine the bottom edge of the waistcoat. Definitely make a toile before using the pattern you make. Mine came up way too high

[@briantaylor9475]

You need to uncaffeinate. Slow down your narration so people can follow it easier.

[@caffeinatedtailor]

Lol, 👍. I'm working on it.

[@cbrown9345]

You can slow down the speed of the KZbin video by adjusting the cog icon. He may be limited on length of video as slowing the audio would increase video length.