As the titles says I need help with sewing waistcoats. The problem is I don't know where to start. Although I've been looking for templates left, right and center(Still coming up with nothing useful) the main issues is I have no idea what materials they are made of.

So if anyone could show me one of the following two it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

-Karl

Simplicity does waistcoat patterns. Fabric can pretty much be anything you want, just remember that thinner/softer materials will require being interfaced.

Thank you for that but I just want to know the actual names of the material used in the most common waistcoats. I.e the front par looks like a thick material while the back is thinner and more shiny?

I can't really explain how it looks so well. : /

The back is normally a lining material. The front can be anything, from suiting to silk. It's up to you in the end. You can use poly cotton, but you have to interface that.

This thread might be useful I used the simplicity pattern in that thread to make my Mario waistcoat it was my first time using a sewing machine since primary school and was my first project for sewing. I made it out of blue polycotton if I remember correctly. I am also planning on making a Kingpin gold coloured waistcoat and the front is going to be mustard polycotton and the back and lining is going to be satin which is shiny.

As Nixie says waistcoats are usually made of suiting which is the same material made to make suits. The backs are usually silk or satin I'd imagine but waistcoats can be made of anything really. Interfacing might be needed as Nixie said (I had to use it for Mario), its a kind of iron on cobweb looking material that I believe basically stiffens up thinner materials to make them sit better. (correct me if that's wrong, people that know better than me).

Hope that makes sense.

Thank you for that, it really helps a lot.

Free waistcoat pattern here:

http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/franzi

When you're lining, use this technique to make it quicker:

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4366/bag-your-jacket-lining

Sew round the edges of the waistcoat right sides together, then turn it inside out through one armhole, and do the armhole edges after that. If you sew the armholes it'll be all twisted when you try to turn it inside out (speaking from bitter experience XD)

The back doesn't have to be shiny satin or lining, you can just use the same fabric as the front if you want. If you're using lining fabric you might need to interface it as lining fabric is pretty sheer and slides around all over the place when you're trying to sew it. Alternatively you can just pin the bastard into submission XD

Good luck!