I just completed a ray way tarp and now I'm looking forward to my next project. I'd like to make a jacket or a vest. I've been reading reviews on the minima and whitney kits. Any suggestions if the whitney would be too much to start with for a novice like me? Prior to making my tarp all I've made was a blanket capote years ago and stuff sacks and things like that. I'm thinking maybe I should go with the vest first and then the jacket, but I'm eager to make the jacket.

My two bits would be to definitely go with the vest first. In my experience apparel is much more complicated than tarps, stuff sacks, packs etc. When you get into fiting collars into neck holes and sleeves into arm holes, small differences in seam margins end up with things not fitting correctly. The vest will be much more forgiving and a lot less frustrating than the jacket. I should say that I have not made the jacket, but have looked at the instructions and would personally rank it as a very advanced MYOG project, not saying you can't pull it off, but I think you would have less frustration and a cleaner finished project if you did the vest and then applied what you learn to the jacket.
Steve

Sewing arms on is more difficult - vest would be easier

I think vest is better than jacket - you lose more heat from your torso than your arms. The skin temperature of your torso is higher than the skin temperature of your arms. Insulation on your torso prevents more heat loss than insulation on your arms. Vest reduces heat loss per weight of insulation than jacket.

Definitely do the vest. I've made the vest and just finished the Kinsman pullover (synthetic) and it was fairly difficult. The vest was easy and it's warm and packs down to nothing.I forget what mined weighed in at, 3 or 4oz? The pullover weighed 11oz but I upgraded the insulation and used momentum 50 to counter the heavier insulation.

Awesome, I'm going to make the vest first. What insulation did you guys use?

Apex - no quiliting - just sew all the way around the edges or else it will creep away from edge and there will be places with no insulation

2.5 oz/yd2 for fairly lightweight maybe down to 32 F

4 oz/yd2 maybe down to 20 F

or down and you'll save an ounce or two, but the baffles and putting in the down is much more difficult

I made my vest with the standard 1.8 oz primaloft sport insulation. The jacket I upgraded to the 2.5 or maybe even the 3oz, I forget which one, but it's toasty.