Looking for fall fashion trends? This easy no-sew solution will have you wearing your own trendy piece in a matter of minutes.
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In this article:
Fall Fashion Trends | How to Make a No-Sew Draped Vest
Draped Vest DIY
Fall is fast approaching and you want to look cool with nice fall fashion trends and colors that enhance your style.
The draped vest is such a fun look I have been seeing in all the stores and on the Fall Fashion runways! It’s seriously the easiest thing I have ever made, and so fun to wear.
I just love how the fabric drapes over me and swishes side to side as I walk. Try it out for yourself if you’re searching for fashion trends for fall and let me know what you think! -Lisa
Supplies for No-Sew Draped Vest
- 1-yard Fabric
- Measuring Tape or Ruler
- Fabric Scissors
Optional (sewing required):
- 2 yards Trim
- Sewing Pins
- Sewing Machine
Step 1: Lay Out Fabric
Lay your fabric out in half so the selvage ends are touching (The selvage is the bordered end of your fabric, often white with writing and labels).
Go to the bottom left corner of your fabric, and cut using the folded edge as your guide. Keep reading for dimensions.
Step 2: Cut Fabric
Cut out a triangle from your bottom left corner, by cutting a diagonal line approximately 5 inches across and 9 inches high, this is for the neck. (Pictured in yellow.)
Cut out an oval for your arms. The circle should start about 8 inches away from the edge of your fabric, and 4inches from the bottom, and should be about 6 inches in width and 5 inches tall.
*Remember, your fabric is folded in half*
Being precise is not super important, but for the best fit, your cuts should at least somewhat resemble the photo below. The important thing is to make sure your armhole is big enough, and far enough away from the edge, so your material will drape well over your shoulders.
Step 3: You’re Done!
That’s it! Unfold your fabric and shrug it on. Notice how all that excess fabric makes for a fabulous drape in the front and the back!
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Here’s one of the designer (me) and the muse (Stephanie) wearing our draped vests. Notice how different fabric will lie differently.
Congratulations! I hope you found this easy enough.
If you want to go one more step above and beyond you can add trim!
Warning: This step requires a sewing machine, but it’s really easy! If you do not have a sewing machine, ask a friend who does, and I’m sure they would be happy to help you out. Since this really is so easy and fun, maybe they could even make one too.
Steps for Adding Trim
Your supplies, as I mentioned earlier, include:
- 2 yards trim
- sewing pins
- sewing machine
Step 1: Pin Your Trim
To properly attach your trim, work with the right side of your fabric facing up. Then align the trim’s inside edge, (the edge for sewing) with the selvage of your fabric.
Pin it in place so the pins are sticking perpendicularly to your sewing line.
Step 2: Sew on the Trim
To stitch the trim in place, simply stitch down the length of your piece catching both the trim and the fabric as you go. I used a zig-zag stitch. This is because my fabric has a slight stretch, and I wanted to catch the bulk of the tassels.
If your fabric is stretchy, a zig-zag stitch will help prevent your fabric from gathering in awkward places. My stitch width was set to 3, my stitch length was set to 2.5.
Step 3: Flip and Stitch
Once you’ve attached your tassels, you need to make them face the outside! Turn them under and topstitch over the line you just sewed.
I used a straight stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 for this. It is very simple, I didn’t even bother pinning my fabric.
Just take your time and make sure your fabric is fully turned without any of the delicate trim caught beneath it as you go. This top stitch will hold it in place and create a lovely trimmed edge for you and others to enjoy!
Now doesn’t that look lovely? Now you’ve created your very own draped vest with a fancy trimmed edge!
Have fun with your trim and fabric choices, popular options include pom-poms, tassels, lace. And your fabric could be anything from chiffon to wool, even give the jersey a try!
If you want to finish your garment you can add binding tape to the neckline and arms. The fabric I used does not unravel so I’m going to skip this step.
Another option is adding sleeves to get that kimono look. If you’re a sewer, you know how easy sleeves are to add.
Just take a sleeve pattern piece from another project, make sure your arms eyes line up and attach the pieces as you normally would – tada! Sleeves!
This video from LittleBlackHanger shows a simple DIY Fall fashion:
One of the reasons I love this project so much is because of how useful it is, I am a fabric hoarder, so I often have random excess yards of fabric lying around. This is a simple solution to use up those extra yards, and the overall look is extremely fun to wear! You can even experiment with different lengths or widths and discover more beautiful fashion trends this fall.
Do you have your own fall fashion trends to share with us? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on September 12, 2014, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
This interests me for making gifts. I would like to see pictured the back. Is it open as it looks from the front, or on a fold of fabric?
The back is the same piece of fabric. Let me know if you ave any more questions, best of luck!
LOVING
Drapery material would be good for this.
So true! I’ve found heavier fabrics work better if you want the vest to have better movement.
Is the fabric folded in half? Just wondering because I only see one armhole. Where is the placement for the other armhole? Thanks.
Yes it is, the fold is the bottom segment of the diagram.
Just to clarify- no sewing the raw edges? I may try with linen- that would be cute with the fringed edges. But most other materials might randomly fray.