High-End Fashion Vest From Recycled Plastic Bottles

Be Innovative and Creative, Make a statement with a Recycled Wearable Art!
Create a Fashion garment from recycled bottles for your fashion show, fashion photoshoot and promotions !

This Instructable will guide you through the process, of creating a fashion vest from Recycled Water Bottles.The print of the vest would be your logo or a slogan that you will print to promote your brand or product!
In this sample- Fashion Vest, Size Small, "Saleyla* Stay a la mode" print.

Step 1: Materials

-16 small water bottles
-two bottle caps
-scissors
-sewing machine (100/16 needle)
-steamer
-black marker
-black trim ( cotton ,finished edges trim 3 yards)
-3/4" silver plated links- 32 counts
-needle nose pliers
-2" safety pin
-small gauge wire

Step 2: Draw a Flat Sketch for the Vest

Start by drawing a flat sketch- front and back of the vest
Draw all the pieces attached, the whole design with the trim embellishment.
You can change the design and use your idea,i always draw a flat first,which will lead me to the pattern of the garment!
With a flat sketch is easy to start working on your project!

Step 3: Cutting the Bottles to Create a Master Pattern

-Start by cutting the top and the bottom of each bottle, we want to keep only the middle of the bottle,which is much easier to manipulate for our project.

-Cut through all bottles as shown on the picture.
-Lay them flat by pressing them on the ironing board.
-Steam all the pieces until they are flat ,they can't be perfectly flat,but flat enough to create the pattern_{,we also want to keep the crinkle look}which is more A LA MODE lately ;)

At the end you should have 16 pieces -7 "W by 5"L

Step 4: Coloring the Pieces for the Master Pattern

Ok,grab a marker and start coloring!

I tried to be more artistic and wrote my slogan all over the plastic_{repeating each word}so i achieved a small print as a result!

You can be creative here and Do your own Art!

Step 5: Creating the Front of the Vest

Here we are --- That's the hard part;)

By looking at your flat sketch,you know your measurements and all the pieces you have to put together.Dont' forget this vest is Size Small

I started first by cutting the shoulder pieces-those are not drawn in the flat skecth,but they are important part of the construction of the vest
They should lay flat on your shoulders
Cut two pieces - 2 1/2" Width by 3 " Length
Topstitch the black trim in the middle-just for a little design (as shown on the picture)

Front Constructing

Upper pieces- 4 counts ; 2 for each side -5 1/2" Length by 2 1/4"
Sew them together and topstitch the black trim in the middle.

? For the Sewing-always saw the two layers on top of each other,use 100/16 thinkness needle_{,Always topstitch the black trim to hide the seams!}

You should achieve two pieces with following measurements -Upper width 2 1/2"; lower width-4"; length 5 3/4". Each piece goes to the upper side of the vest_{please cut the outside edge a little curved for the armhole.}

Then you attach those upper front panels to the shoulder pieces,using the links , big safety pin, and the pliers . You will poke the holes approx 1/4" from the ends.When you making holes,make sure they are as small enough as the thickness of the link.

Then you create the rest :)
By keep cutting the pieces for the pattern

1.Cut two pieces (front middle)-4" Length by 2 1/4"
2.Cut four curved pieces- 5 1/4" Lenght by 4" Width (as shown on the picture)
3.Cut two side pieces-4 1/2" Length by 3 1/2" ( shape as shown on the picture)
4.Cut two curved pieces for middle front- 3 3/4" Length by 3" Width
5.Cut two lower part pieces - 5" Length by 7" Width

Lay down everything together.
Start putting the middle part of the vest by combining numbers 1,2,3,4. First make the the one side of the vest,left or right and then with more experience copy the opposite side.
Construct pieces 1,2,3,4 by stitching them together and adding the decorative trim.

The last trim you will add ,runs accross the waistline and there is some extra allowance for the front ties (measures 24" long)

The lower panels of each side are attached to the middle using two links from each side:)

And now you have the front of the vest ready:)

Step 6: Creating the Back of the Vest

The back of the vest is made of 10 pieces

1. Use four of the main pieces- 7" Width by 5 " Length (upper part back)
2.Cut two pieces- 5" Width by 5" Length (lower middle back-waistline)
3.Cut two pieces-5" Length by 2 1/2" Widht,measured at the widest point ( those are the side armhole part,they should be a little curved)
4.Cut two pieces- 6 1/2" Length by 2.5"Widht (side panels)

Attach the four main pieces (1) for the back using links on each end.
Cut out a curve at the upper side for the neckline.
The lower piecess-would be the middle back or waistline,we want to jazz it up a little and accent the waistline. So we cut three pieces of trim and topsticthing at the waistling_{,also serve it's purpose to hold the pieces together.}
Then we attach the side armholes pieces to the main structure,using the links, and we topstitch more trim ( on the side) for proportion .
Next,attach (2) the square pieces to the main back structure,using a link for each end.

Next,using a link for each side ,attach the side pieces (4) to the main back.

Now we have the back pattern ,all put together:)

Then we take the front with the shoulder pieces already attached_{,and using a link for each end we attach the back to the front!}

The following should be achieved (as shown on the picture)

Next step is attaching the side of the vest.
I used three links for each side, place them 3 1/2" apart.

And Now we have the vest all finished,except the buttons:)

Step 7: Creating the Buttons

We have two bottle caps in white_,
So we take our black marker and colour them in black!
Take the small gauge wire and cut 4 pieces 5" long

At the front of the vest,middle center_{where we have the curved pieces},we make four small holes around the bottle cap (already painted in black)
Then we criss cross the wire at the top of the buttons,for each side, and we tie the wire on the back

And that's all _{It is all done}We have a Great Fashion Vest that we can use for all our shows and promotions!
Be Creative and use a few of my techniques to make your Idea come true!

Thank you for reading,it was a pleasure for me to share my project with you!
All the Best

Saleyla