Week #5: Let's Hear it for the Boys!

So I first have to say that I know these pictures are not good. My original plan was to finish in time to go "on location" and show them in action, actually fishing. But there were two problems with that plan.

1. I couldn't figure out quite how to hide the fact that Brian is in a wheelchair which would have been a pretty big give away.

2. Um... I finished them at 10 pm the day they were due.

It was crazy! I got up at 9 am, went to the bathroom, threw on some clothes and then went downstairs and sewed like a mad woman for the next 13 hours, not even stopping for a bathroom break! (I didn't mean to, I just realized that was what had happened when I finally made a mad dash upstairs... ah, the things we do for our art...) The only thing that made this possible was my sister, Caite. She came down and took care of my kids, made us breakfast and lunch, and became my sous-seamstress! She cut out pieces and pinned stuff and kept me sane. :)

Father and Son Fishing Vests

Jake was rocking the store mannequin pose. "Hey Mom, how about I look off in the distance like I'm contemplating life?"

I really wanted to make something special for my "boys" this week. My husband is an avid fly-fisherman and our son is finally old enough to be a good buddy to go with on fishing trips. (As in, he'll actually sit and fish  instead of trying to jump into the river..) My husband was in need of a new fishing vest as his old one was falling apart, so I designed them matching vests.

The vests are constructed from a light cotton twill and lined with cotton so they will be lightweight and comfortable to wear. The pockets and yokes are made from rip stop nylon for strength and durability. The dad vest has a zipper pocket in the front lined with nylon to hold his phone and wallet, things you definitely don't want to lose or get wet. The patch pockets are mitered at the corners to allow them to expand out for greater capacity, and all the pocket flaps have Velcro closures for easy access. The patches on the top pockets are made of the cuddle fleece that people usually use in blankets, the fuzzy texture makes a great surface to hold flies.

The dad vest also has a large zipper pocket that is almost the size of the entire back. Useful for holding maps, gloves, even an extra shirt once the sun comes up and the temperature rises. The D-rings in the back can be used to clip a net to while fishing, and then to hang the vest from at home. 

My boys were thrilled with how the vests turned out and can't wait to go fishing in them!