Turned Atwater Bronson Lace Kimono Vest

Recently I wrote about a turned Atwater Bronson lace sample I had just completed, but I hadn't decided exactly how I wanted to use it.  

I decided to weave the fabric for a vest using a pattern I'm familiar with, Dana Marie #1007 Kimono Jacket and Vest. The vest is finished!

 ...and in the mail heading for Handwoven magazine's offices in Loveland for the January/February 2013 issue which focuses on varietal wools. 

For the lining I used a rayon batik; I love having something colorful and fun inside the vest, and the fabric has a soft drape with just-right support for the woven fabric. 

If you sew, you know that sometimes the trickiest detail in finishing a garment can be finding the right button, and that was certainly true for this vest. While it only took two days to thread the loom and weave the fabric, it took half of a morning and three stores to come up with the button; buttons in this case. The final solution? Three stacked buttons; the large square one on the bottom is black, the round one in the middle is green, and the top one is shell which has the perfect mix of iridescent blues and greens.

The collar fabric was woven on the same warp with a treadling variation I came up with while sampling. Proving once again the value of sampling! 

I loved working with the yarn, Webs 2/10 Colrain Lace, a blend of 50% merino and 50% tencel. And, no matter how many times I warp my loom and weave, I'm absolutely fascinated by the idea that I can start with this...

and, one thread at a time, end up with beautiful fabric...magic!