Supplement 340 - Model #222 - 2026
Cape Vest in Sweater Knit
Hi there fellow Lutterloh enthusiasts. The Lutterloh company has generously sent their newest supplement #340 to me and I couldn't be happier. This flowy cape type vest looked so interesting that I lost no time in drawing it up in my size. I'm glad I tried it in a fabric scavenged from my donation pile because I'm sad to report that this pattern was a total fail for me.
Pattern Hints:
The pattern itself didn't seem to have any problems as I enlarged it to my high bust measurement. The fashion drawing indicates that the shoulders are somewhat dropped below the actual shoulder joint. I didn't want this vest to look too sloppy so I chose my high bust measurement to draw out the entire pattern. Once enlarged my pattern looked pretty much like the miniature pattern except the arm holes seemed to be rotated outward a little at the bottom. Below is a comparison of what the back should look like according to the pattern page and what the actual garment turned out to be.
On the left is the drawing provided on the Lutterloh pattern and the right represents the shape of my finished garment. You can see where my arm holes are not only rotated out at the bottom but there's also much more space in between them. This resulted in a vest that either fell off my shoulders or drooped down off my neck when I pulled it up to keep it from falling off. Below is a photo of what it looks like in the back if I try to mimic the look they suggest in the front.
Believe me, I tried so many ways to try to get this to work but it is just too big or at least too wide between the arm holes.
Design Changes:
I made no changes to this design. It seemed straight forward enough but I thought I should test it first. Boy am I glad I did. Below is a photo of what I suspect needs to be changed to make this pattern work.
The rotated arm holes don't seem to be the issue with the fit here. If I were to try this again I would cut at least 4 inches from the center back of this pattern. I measured the distance between arm holes on my largest dropped shoulder top and found it to measure 14 inches. This cape vest measured 20 inches between the arm holes once finished.
Fabric Used/Suggested:
The pattern for this cape suggests a knit and that is indeed what I used. My animal print fabric is a thin, poly/spandex sweater knit. The lining is the same fabric so there is plenty of weight to add to the cascade of the folds. My original plan was to use a sweater knit for the outside and a lightweight solid knit for the lining. I thought it would create a nice contrast when the collar was folded back.
Closing Hints:
Well, even though this garment was an epic fail I feel I still learned something from it. The lesson I take from this is, if it looks a little off then at least measure the pattern to compare it to a favorite pattern or garment. I won't be trying to make this one work. There are too many other patterns that I'd like to try. This vest is now nicely folded and back in the donation pile. It may work for someone else who has a much wider back.
Here's hoping your next Lutterloh project is a great success!
Happy sewing everyone, from,
Ann in Calif.
