Button swop project

I decided quite early on that I would upcycle a jumper into a waistcoat, I had an old purple jumper that had shrunk in the wash (maybe it was me getting bigger really!) and I had been shopping unsuccessfully for a waistcoat to replace an old, but very useful one.
All of the fabrics and contributions worked well together and looked good with the purple jumper too. It seemed like the perfect idea!
I started by cutting the jumper down the front and removing the sleeves, then I cut strips from Julies very pretty soft chiffon and also the purple/pink,/black cotton. This wasn't quite enough so I added a piece with similar colours from my own bits box. These strips finished the raw edges of the front and armholes.
Then I cut a pocket and trimmed the top with the blue spotted fabric, the metal dog and shell buttons/ beads from the turquoise chiffon. Your lovely gold elephant didn't find a home this time Louisa but I am saving him for another project!

Miriams beads alongside the rest of the pearl beads were stitched around the neck. Finally I covered 9 more buttons all in the same size and this was where I used my fabric and some scaps of the others. The plain turquoise chiffon didn't make an appearance as such, but was exactly the right thickness underneath other fine fabrics the make the button back snap in tightly. The 2nd button down is the 'exchanged'  button from our retreat.

I must apologise because I can't remember who gave some of the fabrics. I usually label them as they arrive but because we had the pleasure of actually handing them to one aonther I forgot to do this.
 The row of buttons down the front is for show only, the waistcoat is not big enough to do up,  but I think it is better like that anyway because I wasn't sure how button holes or loops would look.
  I had planned to use Mums old treadle machine to do all of the sewing but the soft light fabrics against the thicker woolen fabric caused it to slip so I ended up using my machine and also doing a lot by hand.