I Said "Yes" :) (to the Peony Vest)

We had to take a little break for awhile...sometimes relationships are like that, you know?  "It's me, not you" I told the Peony, and this was true.  After some required R&R, I feel centered & ready to enter the relationship arena (aka sewing room) again, and we're getting along better than ever!

I suppose this step was the equivalent of a ring - a nice little bound buttonhole* (my first! at least in memory....I may have done some in my previous sewing life, but I don't remember ever being successful....).    Once the leather had been cut, there was no going back, and even though I've known I wanted to commit for some time, this pretty well sealed the deal :)
*CORRECTION!  sdBev asked if this buttonhole was going to have lips, and I realized this is NOT a bound buttonhole; since it doesn't have the inside lips...I'm still searching for what the formal name (if there is one) of this sort of buttonhole is - anyone?  
UPDATE:  gloria suggested Spanish Snap buttonhole (which looks like a pretty cool technique), and Lynne concurs, so I'll go along with that.  Although, since it seems to be a variation of the Spanish Snap, I think I'll just call it the  "Koos Buttonhole" :)

I bought Koos Van den Akker's Vogue 1213 (aka the Stegosaurus Coat) after seeing sham's version, along with her recommendation to get the pattern for the buttonholes, if nothing else.   She was right!  I LOVE his buttonholes!   Well, I love a lot of what he does, but that's another post.   So I borrowed his buttonhole idea, with a few alterations, and I'll be using it again!  And again, I'm sure!

Here's the simplified process (not really a tutorial, just a brief explanation):

Cut a square (or circle, or whatever) of fabric & lining, & sew RS together along the edges, leaving an opening to turn.   Turn, slipstitch the opening, & baste along your buttonhole edges to mark the placement.  Baste two "v's", which will be folded & stitched later.   And there's lots of room for other creative folding & stitching options once you have this figured out!  Too much fun!

Place the buttonhole piece, RS against the inside of your garment.
Stitch along the basted buttonhole edges.
Slice the center of the buttonhole; cut v's at each end, (as you would do in any welt opening)
and pull the buttonhole fabric through to the RS of the garment.

Fabric pulled through.  
After this, you fold along the basted lines that form the v's,
& topstitch along the foldline, the outside edges, and the buttonhole.
Done!

I also (finally!) made a decision about the spaghetti tube.   Here's the front:

The end of the tubing, towards the top, isn't sewn down yet,
but I think it will extend into the gold fabric, kind of as shown.

I added some pigskin strips to the back side panels, echoing the lines of the strips on the front side panels.  The only embellishment left now is to add some more of the spaghetti tubing onto the back piece.  I'm planning on just adding some simple, curvy lines, as on the front piece.

All that's left after that is sewing up the sides,  finalizing the hem placement, and  sewing up the lining seams (some, if not most, of that will be done by hand).

Oh, and the button.  I have a cool button :)

I hope you all are taking the time to keep yourselves healthy and happy, in order to keep your relationships happy and healthy :)

Here's to Joy, Abundance, and Well Being.......