Tracing/Doing Vectors

[aPerson]

When doing vectors, how do you do stripes on clothing?

Do you pen tool then stroke, or trace around the whole stripe and fill? I would do pen tool and stroke but, it adds another line at the bottom, which "completes the path." It's a straight line from the start of the path to the end of the path, except I just want it to stroke what i drew with the pen tool.

http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=penstrokeir7.jpg

[Poxicator]

Pen tool then stroke. Make sure each stroke is a seperate item (deactivate the last item) so that they don't join up and stroke via the palette (select paths and use stroke with your chosen colour and brush/pencil).

[aPerson]

When you do "Stroke Path" it rasterizes it though, and stroke as a style or effect adds that straight line

[Poxicator]

You haven't mentioned what app you're using nor a good example of what you're trying to achieve.
If you're using PhotoShop your strokes will be rasterized, if you create vector artwork in your PS image the end result will be a rasterized image. If you are using illustrator your strokes will remain vector unless you decide to rasterize your image.