Making an Oakley Running Vest

 

In my last post, I gave an overview of what I wanted to sew for winter running. The first thing on the list is a new running vest. I mentioned that I was seeing two types of vest: one that was just wind and water resistant, and one that is for warmth like fleece or puffer. I decided to make the wind and water resistant version. 

I started with the Love Notions Oakley vest: https://www.lovenotions.com/product/oakley-vest I've made this a few times so far for me, my mother in law, and my sister. I've found it's fairly loose around the hips so this time I did not grade but made a 2XL full bust version (current measurements 45, 42, 50.5) with a narrow shoulder adjustment. 

Fabric: I had a technical fabric that appears to be a polyester spandex plain weave with a stretchy membrane laminated to the back. It's from a Walmart bundle so I don't have specifics. It's really soft and I tested the red like it and it's water resistant on the surface and wicking on the reverse.  The lining is a bright pink dimple mesh from Fabric Wholesale Direct (I don't recommend it- they say it's a poly spandex but it's 100% polyester, I'm sure. Only mechanical stretch)

Pattern Modifications

I started with view C, princess seams, with the collar.

The pattern pieces have cut-on pockets which is nice if you are making the vest from fleece or flannel, but wouldn't really be nice for this material. Plus, they have no closure so they would be pretty useless for running. Instead, I cut off the pocket piece and then added a 3/8 seam allowance for it and cut it out of the lining fabric. 

Fabrication Modifications

I added rainbow reflective piping to each of the princess seams. I also messed up and did the side seams too soon so couldn't clean finish the armholes so i also put piping on them. 

The pockets are sewn as shown on the Sundance (Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkviHNN8LPI and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00_C9Hxqfmk ). . The side seams are sewn from the arm edge to the top of the pocket and then from the bottom of the pocket to the hem. Then the zipper is sewn to the seam allowances at the opening. The pocket bags are each sewn to the zipper and seam allowance and then sewn together. They are then basted to the front of the jacket at the zipper edge.

The Oakley instructions have you sew the collar on in one step and then bind the seam, but that isn't very neat. Instead, I followed the Greenstyle Sundance instructions. Sewed the top seam for the collar, sewed outside of collar to jacket. Basted inside collar turned up 3/8". Put the zipper in, then fold the collar to wrap around, sew vertically, then turn right way out, baste down, stitch in the ditch from the outside. 

I added a zipper guard like is done on any pattern. I basted it to the zipper before sewing the zipper to the jacket.