slapdashery and swearing

When I was young my Mum made clothes for all the family, and taught me and my sister to sew. 

The lessons included the obligatory 'Search for the Scissors' ('Who had them last?'), the 'Swearing at the Cat for Sitting on the Pattern', and of course the 'Ritual Cursing of the Sewing Machine in many Languages'...

.. but she could make a whole dress out of a small remnant of fabric, and no doubt a silk purse out of a sows ear given half the chance.

I have inherited her lack of patience and her general slapdashery along with her huge collection of sewing patterns...

And there has been much ancestral cursing and wielding of the seam ripper over my stripy waistcoat.

At first I tried a simple fabric binding on the front edges but then they hung limply and tried to curl up on themselves, so off that came, and I have made facings using one of the sleeves which are fortuitously just the right length.

I think I'll finish the edge of the facing with the fabric binding, as suggested by Marigold (thank you!)

Now I am having fun with the armhole binding, accompanied by wailing and gnashing of teeth... I think its time for a Nice Cup of Tea! Hopefully by the weekend I will be able to show the finished article..

Aah if only I was half as elegant...