Skip to main content

Final Summer Sewing

This shirt was the last of my summer sewing. Like most summers, there are many things left on my "want-to-make" list, but summer is a short season here and consistently my least productive time of year for sewing. After this shirt, I did make a few back to school things for my kids, so fall sewing has already begun. 

I’m really happy with this shirt, but nothing was surprising about it. I knew I liked the fabric and used my tried-and-true shirt pattern.

IMG_9769

This fabric has been in my stash for a few years. I bought it on deep discount at an end of season sale. I like that it has the tie-dye feel without being overly hippie-ish. It is a lightweight cotton (lawn, perhaps?) with a stable weave and soft feel. It was lovely to work with. Unlike the fabric for this shirt, which felt a little bulky, this  worked wonderfully for the collar, plackets, etc.

IMG_9760

I continue to tweak my collar making methods. For this one I combined Tasia’s tutorial (bleached muslin, glue basting) with Pam’s point turning tip. For finishing the collar band, I use Gigi’s tutorial. I am very happy with how this collar turned out. Awhile ago I modified the collar stand at center front so it angles straight from the button placket edge to the collar edge. I think I’m ready to return to the traditional curve. And maybe I’ll start putting buttons and buttonholes on the collar band again.

I do think I need to add a curve to the long edge of the collar, the edge that rests on my shoulders. Before cutting out this one, I did trim it a bit. I don't think it should have the folds like you see here. I like the height of the collar at center front, so adding more curve is the next thing to try, I think.

IMG_9759

I’m not sure that these buttons were the ideal match, but I had them on hand. Also, JoAnn Fabrics is my only local option for buttons and their selection is so dismal that I wasn’t hopeful about finding something better (Aisles and aisles and aisles of beads, but buttons? Who needs those?!?). Sigh.

IMG_9761

The sleeve placket and cuff went together without any issues. For a neat finish, I used French seams for the side and sleeve seams and finished the lower edge with a narrow double-turned hem.

Like I said earlier – not a surprise, but definitely a success. Now, onward with more fall sewing!

Labels

Labels:

Comments

  1. LoriSeptember 9, 2015 at 1:51 PM

    Beautiful blouse, your sewing is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LisaSeptember 9, 2015 at 9:56 PM

    Love that fabric, and it is a perfect pairing with that pattern. Looks very sharp with the white pants!

    ReplyDelete
  3. KS_Sews (Dressmakingbacles)September 10, 2015 at 9:56 AM

    They do have a sad little selection for buttons, don't they? Sigh.

    The shirt looks fantastic and your stitching is really beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burda Skirt Again

I'm not sure what prompted it, but awhile ago I decided that I needed a green skirt. The last time I was at Fabricland I saw this green wide-wale corduroy. I wasn't really looking for the skirt to be corduroy and the color was a little different than I was hoping for, but since I had my eyes peeled for awhile and hadn't seen anything better, I thought I'd try the corduroy. After looking for a suitable pattern, I settled on the Burda 2/2010 skirt that I've already used three times . Because of the weight and bulk of the corduroy, I didn't want to try to mess with too many details. I'll use another skirt pattern soon. Really, I will. One of the things I really like about this pattern is the pockets. This time I made the pocket facings and part of the pocket bag out of a cotton woven solid to reduce bulk. Since I'll be wearing this skirt with tights I added a lining. Adding the lining was really simple except that I cut the lining exactly the sam...
14 comments
Read more

Simplicity 2508 - Orange Coat

I have more fabric than will fit in my fabric closet. It seems that a purge and reorganizing effort is on the horizon. But, before I get to that, I've queued up projects for some of the bulkier fabrics. I need the space that they take up. The first of these projects is a new coat for me! The fabric... I purchased this orange coating fabric over a year ago when all the clearance fabrics at Fabricland were $1.00/meter. However, this is not a high-quality piece of fabric. It is mostly polyester and I don't expect it to wear well. I suspect it will pill. For that reason, I didn't invest a lot of time in the construction. Also, I'm thinking that I might get tired of an orange coat more quickly than something neutral, so I didn't see the need to use lots of elaborate techniques on this project. The lining fabric was given to me by a destashing acquaintance. It isn't particularly fabulous, but it was on hand and perfectly serviceable. The entire coat is und...
11 comments
Read more

Simplicity 8014 - Black Shirtdress

I do love a nice collared shirt, so the shirtdress seems like a natural extension of that. There are so many good shirtdress patterns available right now, it was a little difficult to choose. The one I used here is Simplicity 8014 , View D. I really liked the denim version on the envelope, but I wanted the option of wearing this to work, so no denim for me. I had considered trying this in silk, but shortly before I went fabric shopping I messed up this silk top with some sort of oil stain. My attempts at treating it only seemed to make it worse. Only low-maintenance laundry items for me, I guess. This fabric is polyester. I wouldn't say it was a joy to work with, but it wasn't bad. After making a muslin, I was pretty pleased with the fit. I removed 1.5" in width from the back - only the dress piece, not the yoke. I also added 2" in length to the skirt. The pattern has gathers at CB, but I changed that to a pleat. I also omitted the pockets. In the final ...
8 comments
Read more