Women's Riley Vest

We are going to quilt our outer layer of fabric by stitching the interlining to the main fabric. 

If you are not using interlining, or you purchased pre-quilted main fabric, skip to step 2. Otherwise continue below.

You can quilt your interlining to your main fabric using any pattern you like. Below we will show you how to quilt using horizontal stitch lines. If you prefer, you could stitch using diagonals, diamonds or even a random pattern or free motion embroidery! The sky is the limit. Your design will be visible on the exterior of the garment so make sure you are happy with it before stitching.

If you are using an interlining but you do not wish to quilt it, you can stitch your interlining to your main fabric all the way around each piece, using a ¼ inch seam allowance. This means your stitching will be within the seam allowance and not visible on the main of the garment. 

Whichever method you use, you will need to lengthen your stitch length. I normally sew at a length of 2.5 so for the quilting I went up to a length of 3. Test this on a scrap of your exterior fabric with some of your interlining now before continuing.

First, we are going to draw the quilting lines onto your main fabric. You could use a washable fabric pen, or tailors chalk. Make sure to test your pen or chalk on a scrap of fabric first to check it does come out as these will be visible on the final garment.

Take your Main Back piece and draw a horizontal line 3 ½ inches from the bottom of the vest all the way across.

Continue drawing further horizontals up the Back piece every 3 inches. 

NOTE – The first line is ½ inch further up as it includes the hem allowance. From here on, they should be equally spaced.

The number of lines you will have will depend on which size you are doing.

Repeat with the 2x Main Front pieces, 2x Main Back Side pieces and the 2x Main Front Side pieces.  Make sure to start your lines from the bottom of each pattern piece so they will match at the side seams when we stitch the vest together.

TIP – If you are using a dark fabric or a nylon type fabric that is difficult to draw on, you could mark the start and end point of the lines with pins in your seam allowance either side of the pattern piece. Then use a quilting lever on your presser foot (they sometimes come with your machine and are a metal Z shaped bar that attaches to the back of the shank) to align first with the hem and then with each line to keep you stitching in a straight line. That way you can skip this step and not draw on your fabric. 

NOTE – Do not quilt your OPTIONAL Hood or Hood Patch pieces. We will attach the interlining to these at step 4.

For each of your pieces to be quilted, pin the main onto the interlining, placing the pins in between the marked quilting lines and not on them so that they don’t need removing when you are sewing. This ensures that the interlining and the fabric do not move around while you are quilting. 

Your main fabric and interline should both be right sides up, with the main fabric on top.

TIP – If you are using a waterproof or showerproof fabric, check if pins will mark or make holes in your fabric. If they do, instead use clips or pins in the seam allowance only all the way around the pattern piece.

Using a longer stitch than normal, stitch along the drawn lines. 

To make it easier and more accurate to quilt, attach a quilting guide to your presser foot. This ensures the spacing of your stitching is the same.

Repeat steps for each of your pattern pieces to be quilted. 

From here on, treat the quilted main and interlining as one piece of fabric.

TIP – Make sure you clean the bobbin housing out once you have finished. Small pieces of the interlining can sometimes get into the bobbin housing and interfere with the operation of your machine.

This step applies to both the Back and Back Side Panels, and the Front and Front Side Panels.

TIP – Before starting this step, watch “The Kingston Jacket – How to set in traditional denim jacket sleeves” video. This will help in how to ease the back side panel pieces into the back center panel. Use the side panel pieces in the same way as the jacket sleeves in the video. The pieces need to be stitched and eased together along the seam line (½ inch from the edge), not at the raw edge. 

Ease the Main Back Side pieces into the Main Back piece, using lots of pins or clips. Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

TIP – If you used a quilting ruler or quilters lever in the quilting stage and are confident that the spacing of the quilting lines are exactly the same on all pieces, you can use the quilting lines like notch markers when pinning the layers together. 

To reduce the bulk of the seams, trim just the interlining from the seams. 

Press the seam allowance outwards, towards the side. 

If you are using a synthetic fabric such as ripstop, make sure you use a pressing cloth or clean tea towel between your iron and the fabric to prevent the fabric from melting.

Repeat steps 2.1 to 2.3 with the Main Front and Main Front Side Panels. Then again with the Back Lining and Back Side Lining, and Front Lining and Front Side Lining.

Place the Front Facing right sides together with the Front Lining piece. 

Pin starting with a couple of pins at the top and bottom and then ease the Facing piece into the Front Lining piece. 

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance. 

Press the seam towards the Front piece. Remember to use a pressing cloth, if necessary, for your fabric.

Topstitch ¼ inch from the seam line on the Front piece so it catches the seam allowance.

Repeat steps 3.1 to 3.4 for the other Front and Facing pieces.

If you are doing the Hood, follow the steps below. Otherwise skip to step 5.

These pieces were not quilted in step 1, so we are going to now baste the interlining to the main fabric. 

Using a ¼ inch seam allowance, baste the interlining to each of the Hood and Hood Center Panel pieces. Your main fabric should be right side up on top of the interlining. This stitching will be hidden inside the seam allowance.

Basting the pieces together will prevent the interlining from moving around while you sew the pieces together.

Starting with the lining pieces, pin the Hood Patch Lining piece to a Hood Lining piece. Make sure you have the Hood Patch the right way up. The wider end will be at the top of the Hood and the narrower end will be at the bottom neckline end of the Hood.

Start by placing a couple of pins at both ends of the panel and work your way towards the peak of the hood, by carefully easing the panel in and using lots of pins.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Repeat for the other side to attach the other Hood Lining piece. 

Clip into the seam allowance at the curved part of the Hood to make sure the hood seam sits smoothly.

Repeat steps 4.2 to 4.3 with the Main Hood and Hood Patch pieces.

TIP – After sewing, trim down the interlining from the seam allowance to reduce the bulk. This will help the hood sit nicely on the head. Clip your curves after trimming.

Now we will attach the Hood to the Hood Lining. 

Turn the main piece right side out and the lining piece wrong side out.

Put the main piece inside the lining piece so they are right sides together. 

Match up all seam points and pin the two pieces together. Then pin the remaining raw edges.

Sew around all sides using a ½ inch seam allowance, leaving a gap of around 3 inches at the neck edge of the hood to turn right side out.  

Clip into the seam allowance around the curve of the chin and cut the corners of the angled corners off.

Carefully trim any of your interlining from the seam allowances. 

Turn right side out.

Make sure the raw edges are tucked neatly inside the gap you left for turning.

Press and topstitch around the edge of the hood using a ¼ inch seam allowance. This will close the gap you left for turning.  

If you are doing the Welt Pocket, follow the steps below. Otherwise skip to step 6.

NOTE – You can stitch the pockets in vertically (as in these photos), or on the diagonal (as per the pattern pieces). If you’d prefer a more elongated look, align the pockets vertically (start the pocket aligned with the base of the diagonal marking on the pattern piece then place it vertically upwards). If you’d prefer ease of getting your hands in and out of the pockets, align them as per the pattern pieces.

If you have an overlocker or serger, serge around all sides of the Pocket pieces to finish them. Do not remove any of the seam allowance but just finish the edges.

Alternatively use a zig zag stitch on your sewing machine to finish the raw edges.

Take one Pocket piece, using the pattern piece as a template, mark out the rectangle sewing line on the wrong side. 

We’ll use these markings on the wrong side to stitch on top of, so our stitching ends up on the correct side of the fabric. 

TIP – Having your markings on the right side of the fabric too will help when you line up your Pocket pieces onto the fabric. So, if you can’t see your markings through the fabric, draw them on the right side of the fabric too.

Pin a Pocket piece to the Front of the vest with right sides together. 

Use the welt markings on the pattern pieces as a guide for placement.

The Pocket should be in its finished position (with Pocket Bag pointing towards the center front as if you could put your hand through the rectangle into it from the side seam), just on the right side of the fabric rather than the wrong side of the fabric. We will stitch it and turn it through in the next steps.

TIP – If you aren’t sure which direction to face your pocket bag, try to visualize how it will be at the end. The second photo on the left shows the Pocket alignment.

TIP – Before stitching, make sure your Pocket piece is right side down. The vest and Pocket should be right sides facing or your Pocket will be inside out when we turn it through.

Sew around the rectangle, being very careful to stay on the line to ensure your pocket is square.

Draw a line down the center of the rectangle, stopping ½ inch from each end.

Cut the line you have drawn in the previous step. When you get to the end of the line cut diagonally into each corner.

When you are doing the diagonal cuts, use the very tip of your scissors for maximum control. Snip close to but not all the way up to the stitching. 

TIP – Aim to leave about a millimeter between your diagonal cuts and the corner stitching. If it is not close enough, and the fabric does not sit flat when you turn it through, you can always turn it back and snip some more. However, you can’t take back a hole once it’s created. So, snip with caution and just lengthen the cut later if needed.

Take the Pocket piece and push it through the cut you have just made. Fold the Pocket flat back against the wrong side of the vest front. Carefully press and then place clips in the Pocket opening to keep it sitting flat.

TIP – If the corners do not sit flat, wiggle them a little and press them down with your fingers and try again. This will often just ease the threads of the fabric open enough to sit flat. If they still do not sit flat, go back to step 5.6, and snip a little closer to the stitching and try again.

Fold the Welt Pocket pieces in half with wrong sides together, press, then serge or stitch the raw edges closed ¼ inch from the edge.

NOTE – You do not need to serge, you can stitch normally using your sewing machine as the raw edges will be hidden inside. It just keeps it neat and easy while you are doing the next steps if you are able to serge. If you are serging, do not trim any of the seam allowance, just serge to finish.

If you are adding zips to your Pockets, skip to step 6 now. Otherwise for plain Welt Pockets, continue below.

Pin the Welt pieces to the wrong side of the vest Pocket opening. They should be aligned so they are just touching in the center of the Pocket opening.

Topstitch around the Pocket opening ⅛ inch from the opening.

Turn the vest over to be wrong side facing up. Place the other Pocket piece over the sewn in Pocket piece with right sides together. 

Pin and then stitch the Pocket pieces together using a ½ inch seam allowance. Make sure to keep the front piece away from the Pocket opening. You are only catching the Pocket bag and Welt pieces in your stitching.

Stitch or serge around the Pocket pieces again ¼ inch from the edge. This will be inside the seam allowance.

You will now have two rows of stitching (or one row of stitching and then serging). This gives the Pocket more strength.

NOTE – This step isn’t strictly necessary but it’s really helpful for ensuring your Pocket is strong enough to hold keys, coins, hands, little treasures… whatever you wish to use it for!

If you are doing the Zipper Pocket option, follow the steps below. Otherwise skip to step 7.

Follow steps 5.1 to 5.8 for the Welt Pocket.

Pin the Welt Pocket pieces to either side of the zipper.

You are trying to butt the folded part right up against the zipper teeth, but not overlapping it.

NOTE – If your zip is longer than the recommended length, you may wish to trim it. To do this, measure the zip against your Welt Pocket pieces and mark the end of the zip to be where the Welt Pocket piece finishes. Stitch a bar tack (a stitch that goes back and forwards over the same spot) over where you want it to end. Undo the zip and check it is secure and cannot zip itself past this spot. Cut the remaining tail off the zip, leaving a ¾ inch tail past where you did your bar tack.

Using a zipper foot on your machine sew down both sides of the zipper ⅛ inch from the zipper.

Center the Zipper Panel inside the Pocket cutout. Pin in place.

Sew around the Pocket opening, ⅛ inch from the edge.

Open the zipper halfway.

Repeat step 5.11 to 5.12 

Turn the vest over to be wrong side facing up. Place the other Pocket piece over the sewn in Pocket piece with right sides together. 

Pin and then stitch the Pocket pieces together using a ½ inch seam allowance. Make sure to keep the front piece away from the Pocket. You are only catching the Pocket and Welt pieces in your stitching.

Stitch or serge around the Pocket pieces again ¼ inch from the edge. This will be inside the seam allowance.

Place one of the Main Front pieces right sides together with the Main Back piece, matching at the shoulder. 

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

NOTE – The seam will not match at the raw edge at the neck. It will match ½ inch in from the edge where the stitch line will go. Start matching your pattern pieces from the shoulder in towards the neck to get the correct alignment.

Repeat for the other Main Front piece so they are both attached to the shoulders.

Trim the interlining from both seams.

Press the seam allowance towards the back of the vest.

Repeat steps 7.2 and 7.4 for the Front and Back Lining pieces.

The Collar is a formal-style Collar, so it stands upright while wearing it, however, it can be a bit fiddly to align.  

The raw edges of the Collar and neckline will not match. They match at the seam line (½ inch in from the edge). To give the best result and make sure the Collar fits the garment, ease the two fabrics in at the seam line (½ inch from the edge), rather than the raw edges. Do not worry if the raw edges are a bit wobbly and wavy. It is at the seam line they should be flat with no wrinkles.

If you have difficulty, trim the neckline slightly, so it is ¼ inch lower. This will reduce the amount of easing required but will also make the Collar less likely to stand upright on its own.

We will now pin and sew the Collar Lining to the Vest Lining. This is where you will need to ease the Collar on to have them match at the seam line (½ inch in from the raw edge), not the raw edge.

Find the center point of both the vest neckline and the Collar and mark with a pin or clip. 

Place the Collar piece right side down onto the vest and pin together at the center point.

Match either end of the Collar to the vest and pin.

Ease and pin the remainder of the Collar to the vest. Make sure your pins or clips are pinning at the seam line (not at the raw edge). You may find it helps to curve your fabric as you pin like in the Kingston easing video mentioned earlier.

Stitch using a ½ inch seam allowance.

NOTE – If you are using a thin fabric for your main fabric, you may wish to apply a lightweight fusible interfacing to the reverse side of your Collar Lining to add strength for when you attach the snaps. Only do this if you haven’t put interlining on the Collar, or if your snaps are heavy duty. Lighter weight or plastic snaps may have difficulty going through interlining as well as interfacing.

NOTE – If you have cut 2x Main Collar, just choose one to be the Collar Lining. They will both be identical, so it doesn’t matter which one.

Make small snips halfway into the seam allowance approximately every ¾ inch along the neckline. This will help the Collar sit smoothly around the neckline when finished.

Pin, then baste the interlining to the main fabric Collar piece approximately ¼ inch from the edge.

Repeat step 8.1 to 8.2, attach the Collar to the vest main.

Trim the interlining from the seam allowance to reduce the bulk. Then snip halfway into the seam allowance approximately every ¾ inch along the neckline. 

Pin the zipper right side down onto the right side of the Main Vest. 

Start by placing the bottom edge of the zipper ½ inch from the bottom of the vest (to allow for the hem) and pin all the way to the top of the vest stopping ½ inch from the top of the Collar (to allow for the hem at the top).

Taper the zipper off the edge of the jacket so the end of the zipper tape is away from the seam. This will prevent the sharp corner sticking into the wearers neck. It also means that if your zipper is longer than required, the excess can taper away into the seam allowance hidden from view. 

Your zipper should start turning/tapering towards the seam allowance approximately 1 inch before the top of the Collar, so it has vanished into the seam allowance by ½ inch before the top of the Collar. That way when the lining is stitched on, it will end near the top of the vest, but not so close to the top that it pokes or scratches the wearer’s chin.

Your zipper should run nearly the full length of the front piece, including up into the Collar. It should not go onto the top or bottom ½ inch seam allowance.

NOTE – If your zipper is longer than required, don’t trim it yet. Just stitch and you will trim in a later step.

Using a zipper foot on your machine, sew as close as possible to the zipper all the way along it. You’ll start sewing where the bottom of the zip starts (½  inch from the bottom raw edge), finishing just as it starts to taper into the seam allowance up on the Collar.

Repeat for the other side of the zipper to stitch it to the other side of the vest main.

TIP – Take a moment now to check that your vest is aligned properly when zipped.  

NOTE – Do not use interlining on this piece. This section is just to protect the clothing worn underneath the vest from the zipper.

Place the Zipper Guard pieces right sides together. 

Stitch the curved side using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Clip into the curved section of the seam allowance. 

TIP – Snip about ¾ of the way into the seam allowance using just the tip of your scissors for maximum control. Do not clip further in or it could create a hole. This is just to help it lay flat when we turn it through in the next step.

Turn right side out. Push the curved corners out. Press well. 

Topstitch the curved side using a ⅛ inch seam allowance.

With the jacket right side out, undo the zipper fully so it is separate. 

Flatten the zipper tape out so the teeth are facing the side seam.

If the wearer of the vest is right handed, the Zipper Guard will go on the left side, as you are looking at it (or, to the right side for left handed wearers). 

Place the Zipper Guard over the teeth of the zipper and pin so that the straight raw edge of the Zipper Guard is in line with the edge of the zipper tape.

Using your zipper foot, sew as close as you can to the zipper.

Starting with the lining, place right sides together, and pin then sew at the side seam using a ½ inch seam allowance. 

Repeat step 11.1 for the main part of the vest. 

Remember to trim the interlining from the seam allowance after you have sewn the side seams.

Turn the lining right side out, and the main wrong side out.

Place the lining inside the vest so they are right sides together.

We will now clip or pin the vest to the lining. 

Start with the bottom edge of the vest. Match the side seams at the bottom and pin. Continue pinning the bottom edge of the vest.

Sew all the way along the bottom edge of your vest using a ½ inch seam allowance. 

This will take you close to the bottom of the zipper on either end so make sure to use a walking foot or your zipper foot.

Now to sew around the rest of the vest. 

Pull the zipper down so the zipper pull is halfway down the zip.

Match up the Collar seams and pin. Continue pinning or clipping around the Collar.

Starting from the top of the Collar pin or clip down the zipper.

Make sure the top of your zipper is still angled into the seam allowance so it will not poke into the wearers neck. Your zipper guard will be facing into the garment.

If you have a longer zipper than required, the top of it will be sticking through the seam allowance out. This is correct.

Start sewing from the bottom edge using a ½ inch seam allowance.

Once you get to the zipper pull, leave your needle in the down position in the fabric, lift your presser foot. Put your hand through the arm opening between the two layers and pull the zipper down to the bottom of the vest away from where you are about to sew.

As you will be stitching close to the zip, keep using either a walking foot or your zipper foot.

Stitch all the way around the vest from one bottom edge, up over the Collar to the other bottom edge. You do not need to leave a gap for turning as we will turn it through one of the armholes.

TIP – Use your zipper foot and start sewing the side with the zipper pull just in case you need easier access to reposition the zipper pull.

Clip the corners off the Collar.

If there is any excess interlining on the seam allowance around the vest, trim this now.

If you have a longer zipper than required, trim the excess now, leaving a ½ inch tail only sticking through the seam allowance.

Then, turn the vest right side out through one of the armhole openings.

Press (using a pressing cloth if required).

Topstitch all the way around the edge of the vest using a ¼ inch seam allowance. You may need to use a walking foot or your zipper foot again to get around the zipper ends.

TIP – Use a blunt object, like a chopstick, to push out the corners. You want crisp, sharp edges and corners. 

At the armhole, match up the shoulder seams on the main piece and the lining piece and pin. 

Repeat for the side seam and then continue around the armhole. 

Baste all layers together using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Trim any excess interlining on the seam allowance.

Time to attach the binding. You can either use premade binding or make your own. Follow our free tutorial to make your own binding.

Open out the tape and fold the first ½ inch back on itself to create a nice, folded edge.

Then place the edge of the tape against the raw edge of the back of the vest with right sides together. Pin.

TIP – I like to start my tape away from any seams to reduce the bulk and I start at the Back of the armhole, so you don’t see a join from the Front of the vest.

Sew along the first fold line on the tape. This will be ½ inch from the raw edge of the vest armhole.

When you get back to the start, continue the tape another inch past the beginning and stop. Cut the excess bias tape off.

Fold the tape firmly around to the interior side of the vest and pin. The raw edges of the bias tape and the armhole should be neatly tucked inside.

Pin the bias tape from the front of the garment in the join between the vest and the binding (see the top photo on the left). 

When you pin through the back side of the bias tape (see the bottom photo on the left), the pins should be approximately ⅛ inch in from the folded edge of the bias tape. This ensures the back side of the binding is going to be stitched in the next step.

TIP – If you haven’t stitched in the ditch before, use lots of pins so you are certain of where the binding is. You will be stitching from the front of the vest in the next step and won’t be able to see the lining side of the armhole.

From the right side of the vest, we are going to “stitch in the ditch” to attach the bias tape.

Position the needle in the ditch of the fabric and tape (where you pinned in the previous step). 

Stitch all the way around the armhole.

On the main of the vest your stitching should be almost invisible (hidden in the seam between the binding and the vest), on the inside it will look like topstitching on the binding.

Repeat steps 13.3 to 13.6 for the other armhole.

If you are attaching the OPTIONAL Hood, follow below. 

If you are not attaching the OPTIONAL Hood your Riley Vest is finished!

Using the pattern as a guide, attach snaps to the Hood and Collar. 

Your Riley Vest is finished!

TIP – If you want more or less snaps than the 4 marked on the pattern pieces, mark where you would like them with clips or pins. Attach the ones at either end first, then do them up and check your placement of the ones in the middle before attaching them.