• Jacket Zipper (open zipper, not closed)
• Old Camo/Fatigues- I used a jacket, but pants would work too
• Seam ripper, scissors, sewing machine, iron, etc.
• Elastic (I used a black, thin FOE)
• A vest pattern. I used this vest pattern but adjusted the instructions so there was no liner.

Step 1: Take your camo/fatigues jacket and open it up. You can cut it apart at the seams if you want- I did this for the sleeves so I could use the sleeves for the smaller vest.

 

Identify where and how you want to place your pattern.

 

I wanted to get two Nerf vests out of this one jacket so I had to strategize how to get the most bang for my buck. For the size 8 jacket, I placed the pattern over the front pockets so I could use them for the vest – note that these pockets were sewn down on my jacket, but were legitimate pockets underneath. So I needed to just seam rip the pocket opening so it would be a functioning pocket.

 

Once you’ve decided on your pattern placement, cut your pattern pieces. I used this vest pattern, but did not use a liner fabric for the pattern. You could, but I think the weight of this fabric works well so it wouldn’t need a liner. You could use any vest pattern for this project really… I’m just using it so the measurements are right.

 

I cut the 2 front pieces, one back piece (on a fold), and the collar piece. I actually used the original jacket collar for the size 8 and just trimmed it down to the right size.For one Nerf vest, I needed to piece together the camo because I didn’t have a big enough cut for the front.

There were a few areas where there was a double layer of fabric and it was in a bad spot for sewing (the double layers are hard to sew through). As such I seam ripped the extra fabric and removed it to make everything easier to sew- this was mostly important when I sewed the zipper on.

 

Step 2: You want to add all of your “accessory” type pieces to the front and back pieces of the Nerf vest before sewing it together. I started by making pockets for the smaller jacket. For the big jacket, I used the pockets on the original jacket.

 

Once the pockets were sewn on, I took two cuts of my elastic (FOE) for each side of the vest and sewed them on.

I put darts inside them to make sure they were spaced far enough apart.

Once both ends of each elastic were sewn down, I marked 1″ increments on the FOE and sewed a straight line every 1″.

These elastics will hold single Nerf gun darts.

I considered making holsters for the guns on the back of the vest, but I didn’t think they’d work very well so I decided not to add them.

 

Step 3: Face the back fabric and the front fabrics right sides together, pin where shoulders meet. Sew shoulders together. I serged but this fabric doesn’t seem super prone to fraying so I think a straight stitch would work fine.

Step 4: Sew on your collar, right sides together. I top stitched.  You also want to trim off any excess collar (with my pattern, there was excess collar, but that may not be the case with other patterns).

 

Step 5: Sew your zipper on.

 

Step 6: Face your vest right sides together and pin at side seams. Sew.

Step 7: Finish bottom hem and the arm… hole… ? I used some bias tape to finish mine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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