Thread: Seeking Turkish Vest-making advice

So I've got it in my head that I need a Turkish vest. I've been toying with the idea of making one, probably using Marvash's Turkish-Arab Vest pattern (Amazon.com: Marvash's Turkish-Arab Vest Pattern (Belly Dance): Arts, Crafts & Sewing).

As it happens, the recent move brought back to me a few generous lengths of light-to-midweight silk brocade I was given -- each is a few yards. This is the one I'm favoring for making the vest from (please excuse cruddy Webcam quality of pic):

Picture 61 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

(I have the same fabric in olive ombred into black -- the darker border is about 6 inches.)

Here's where I need advice. I heavily favor having sleeves. I like the one on the lower left of the pattern. But this is not a stretch fabric, clearly.

So sleeves for dancewear, using a non-stretch fabric. I have broad shoulders for my size, and while I've made things with set-in sleeves before, not for dancing in. I'm thinking a possible solution would be to make it armpitless (to sidestep the tearing, allow for full mobility, and also minimize the "I sweat like a stevedore and I'm wearing silk" issue).

Has anyone got specific advice for this? Making a Turkish vest with sleeves from a non-stretch fabric? Is giving it the "cold 'pits" cut a likely good idea?

(I'm also thinking of covering a belt with the fabric -- probably just the light turquoise, since working with that border design in curves would likely be a challenge, plus visually, it would work better. I am sort of designing this in my head around a couple of things I have that need stuff to complete a costume.)

Thanks :) I've searched all over the Intarwebs for specific advice and not had much luck.

Simplicity 2159 is a Ghawazee coat with sleeves for non-stretch fabric. Simplicity Creative Group - Misses' Costumes In theory, you could shorten that into a Turkish vest. Simplicity patterns are on sale at Hancock Fabrics this weekend, so if you have some extra fabric or you can find a good deal on the remnant table, you could probably work up a test version for less than the cost of a movie ticket.

I just made that Simplicity pattern for the Ghawazee coat. (I made the one pictured in pink)
I made it out of silk jacquard shell and the lining is silk charmuese.

Even with it being a non-stretch fabric, I had no issues with the sleeves and being able to put my arms up and move about. Its not terribly restricting.

I have the Macedonian -Turkish vest pattern from Patterns in time on its way to me (should be here any day).

What if you were to make a detachable sleeve that ties on with grommets and ribbon?

otherwise, I know I have seen sleeves without armpits in them. You could always do a little flutter style sleeve.

Okay, first of all, this pattern is designed for woven fabric, so there shouldn't be any issues. Just make sure that you have made any adjustments in the arm measurements which you need to make. ie: the sleeve is wide enough for your arm.

Secondly, if the drawings are anything to go by, the fitted sleeve version has cool arm pits already. So that has also been taken into account.

A suggestion: as this piece is lined, make the lining out of a nice, cool cotton. make it first and make any adjustments on it. Then, transfer those adjustments to the silk. Then line.

{{{HUGS}}}

Wow, that was quick, with good suggestions :D

Tourbeau, making a test vest sounds like a good idea (although the picture doesn't do it justice, the main reason I'm cautious is that it's really good fabric, and it'd be a shame to mess it up.) Fencai, a detachable sleeve might also work -- thus two vests in one, and the grommets/lacing could be a decorative element.

Tahiradancer -- yes, it's hard for me to see it, but I thought it *might* have the pitless sleeves. And doing the lining first would serve the same purpose, basically, as running up a test vest. Rumor has it that this line of patterns runs small, so I'm expecting to have to make adjustments to the measurements of it...

Originally Posted by Fencai

I just made that Simplicity pattern for the Ghawazee coat. (I made the one pictured in pink)
I made it out of silk jacquard shell and the lining is silk charmuese.

This sounds lovely! What color? Will there be pictures?

It's good to hear that pattern works well -- I *might* wind up doing that instead, and modifying it to be a vest. I'm considering if it would work better.

Thanks, y'all!

I have never regretted making a sacrificial garment first! I did it with two ghawazee coats, one was a first-time of a pattern and I had to change the size upward. The 2nd time was the same pattern, but with changes and with polyester brocade as the final fabric. I got several mess-ups out of the way using old sheets as the sacrificial garment.

I love sleeves, loose flowy sleeves, because I have my family's heavy arms and batwings. And because flowy sleeves are the nuts, too! I have no shoulders to speak of. The 80s were good to me with all those shoulder pads, LOL! ... okay ... rambling ...

Originally Posted by Tiziri

This sounds lovely! What color? Will there be pictures?

It's good to hear that pattern works well -- I *might* wind up doing that instead, and modifying it to be a vest. I'm considering if it would work better.

Thanks, y'all!

yep! Photos are in my album in my profile. Along with the Turkish Vest that I made yesterday!

Originally Posted by Fencai

yep! Photos are in my album in my profile. Along with the Turkish Vest that I made yesterday!

Gorgeous color combination! And they came out great!

Originally Posted by Tiziri

Gorgeous color combination! And they came out great!

thank you! The vest I made with the patterns in time macedonian turkish vest. Soooooooooo easy to make! I will say that I did upsize 1 size from what the pattern said as far as S-M-L sizing went. this fits like a glove when its on, no further alterations needed

Originally Posted by nadyasidhe

I have never regretted making a sacrificial garment first! I did it with two ghawazee coats, one was a first-time of a pattern and I had to change the size upward. The 2nd time was the same pattern, but with changes and with polyester brocade as the final fabric. I got several mess-ups out of the way using old sheets as the sacrificial garment.

I love sleeves, loose flowy sleeves, because I have my family's heavy arms and batwings. And because flowy sleeves are the nuts, too! I have no shoulders to speak of. The 80s were good to me with all those shoulder pads, LOL! ... okay ... rambling ...

A sacrificial garment is definitely in the cards -- I'm thinking if I make it in an attractive-yet-inexpensive fabric, if it comes out well enough, I will have two Turkish vests (one "informal"), and since I have too much extra fabric of various kinds anyway...

A large part of the sleeve thing for me is that I have some modesty issues to work out regarding costuming, truth to tell (a lot of it based around being Muslimah, where non-hijab compromise feels a bit guilt-inducing sometimes; I'm still wrestling with it, especially when it comes to dancing). I've discovered I'm more comfortable showing my belly than my arms/shoulders/chest. Go figure! (No, I know exactly what my Muslim friends would say...because they say it.)

My shoulders are square and rather broad for my size, so fluttery or puffy stuff up by the shoulders makes me look a little like a five-foot-one linebacker -- I spent a lot of time during the 80s cutting out shoulder pads, because even though it was the fashion, I looked a little *too* fashionable, IYKWIM, and when you're very short it's hard to pull that off

Tiziri, the vest link you've shown I have from eons ago. I cut the pattern off an original and only ever made the sleeveless version, many, many times.
very easy really, your fabric choice is great too. Cut one for outer fabric and one for lining.
I like to put in darts at the front side of breast and two at the lower back hem edge, do same for lining and sew the right sides together all the way around leaving open the upper shoulder edges.
trim and cut curves where necessarily (for ease) then turn right side out.
Iron and press the edges before hand sewing the shoulder seams.

now to me, it looks like the the longer sleeve version is in a contrasting fabric and can be sewn directly into the arm hole or you could even wear a simple chiffon/silk blouse like tunic underneath it.
:)
oh and just to add, when sewing arm holes leave a few inches or more at the "pits" open.

I have made the Atira's pattern many times, both with and without sleeves. The key thing to be aware of is that many of Atira's patterns run smaller than what they should, so I urge you to make a sample in a really cheap fabric such as muslin first, to test the sizing.

if you size the vest big enough to fit you properly, the sleeves shouldn't give you any trouble with being able to raise your arms.

I personally am NOT a fan of the open-armpit look. The reasons dancers give for doing it are always for the gratification of the dancer - comfort (cooler), convenience (because it's easier than sizing the vest properly in the first place), etc. But if we, as performers, expect audiences to sit through our performances, give us their full attention, applaud at the end, and praise us afterward, then shouldn't we consider the audience experience when we make our costuming choices?

I have never, ever heard anybody say that the reason they want to open up the armpits is to present an aesthetic that will be more pleasing for the audience to watch. And there's a reason for that - it's NOT pleasing for the audience to watch!

Wellllll...after all the discussion, I happened to go to JoAnne fabrics today with a friend, where they were having a sale on all Simplicity patterns. Since it was too good to pass up, I bought the Ghawazee coat pattern Tourbeau listed and Fencai made...for $1.99 (regular price: $16.95 -- see what I mean about "too good to pass up"?) And that is the pattern that May Contain Pits (so now I'm still debating it), and will require alteration -- but it's definitely doable, by the looks of things. A practice vest is definitely in order, though.