The Trailblazer Vest for Children has the same great fit and stylish design as the adult version, perfectly shaped and sized for little ones. With a high collar, zip up to the chin, and hand-warming pockets, this vest is cosy, comfortable, and made for playing outside.
The Children's Trailblazer Vest is designed with all the same refined features as the grown-up version: beautifully-shaped seams, a curved back yoke, full front zip, stand collar, in-seam pockets, and full lining.
Options include a curved, dropped back or straight back, a wind flap, and a contrast shoulder detail. All of these features add up to one beautifully-designed, stylish, and practical children's garment.
Nervous about sewing zippers? We promise it is not as difficult as it seems - the Trailblazer Vest offers a wonderful opportunity to learn some new sewing skills, or practice ones you haven't used for a while.
Video tutorials will guide you through the entire process, and soon you won't think twice about tackling patterns with a zipper.
A wide variety of fabrics are suitable for the Trailblazer: sew the vest in lightweight fabrics for a warm-weather layer, or add a quilted insulating layer and snuggly lining to make a puffer-style vest to keep off the chill on colder days.
See this post for more puffer vest inspiration.
The yoke, shoulder detail, and side panels of the Trailblazer work so well for creative design and colour-blocking possibilities. Use contrasting colours, prints, textures, or stitching to create fun, interesting, and unique details.
Or, add piping to highlight those lovely curved seams. Have a look at this post if you'd like to learn how to make your own piping, and this post to learn how to add piping to the seams in your vest (the instructions are written for the women's Pathfinder, but the method is the same).
Do you have a little fisher-boy or -girl in your life? The Trailblazer Fisherman's add-on pack is also available for the children's vest. A variety of pocket styles and sizes will undoubtedly come in handy for fishing gear and all the other accessories that your little explorer needs.
Fishing aside, we think all little collectors will find these pockets useful, and can see them coming home chock full of nature's treasures!
The Children's Trailblazer Vest pattern offers a wide range of sizes from 12-18 months to 14 years. The PDF pattern includes A4, US Letter, and A0 formats and is layered, so you can print just the size(s) you need. The tutorial is clear and thorough, offering lots of helpful tips, and includes video clips to guide you through the entire project, perfect for visual learners.
We look forward to seeing your little Trailblazers decked out in their vests and ready for adventure! Please join us in the Twig + Tale Facebook Group, a friendly place to ask questions, look for inspiration, and share photos of your creations.
Did you know that the Twig + Tale Blog is home to a number of tutorials for customizing your Trailblazer Vest? Read more here:
- Inspiration: Puffer-style Trailblazer Vest
- How to Add a Detachable Hood to the Trailblazer
- Pathfinder Vest vs. Trailblazer Vest: A Comparison
- Introducing the Children's Trailblazer Vest
If you're looking to sew a vest for the each member of the family you can read more about our Men's and Women's Trailblazer Vests here:
~Images by Sarah Connell, Nicola Falconer, Viki Kube, Boevenbende, Sarah Morris, Lisa Spearman, and Kristie Comarmond~
