Adventures in shirt sewing - Ch.3 - The holy grail

Edit : Someone very cleverly showed that this pattern has a strange likeness with BurdaMag 9/09 #105 shirt pattern.
Of course, Justice has not proven anything (as in, in all legality), and all doubt is permitted.
But, come on...

So, all these rehersals for this. For not throwing away 1.50m of Liberty Besty Ann.

No matter how ready you might be, the moment you have to cut in this kind of fabric (and I'm not talking about quality, I'm talking about price here), your hands are clammy.

The only, and last, alteration I made is lengthening the shirt at the side seams, reducing the curve ; now that I can lift my arms, it's nice not to have the sides go out of the trousers (and let's not forget how easier it is to hem a less curvy curve).

I made french seams, that I then topstitched, everywhere. Yep. Even in the sleeves and at the sleeve insertion.

On the two photos above, this is how I started and how I ended. I managed not to sew several layers together, nor my fingers.

The collar and cuffs are finished with "stitch in the ditch" on the outside, as to be invisible.

(This is the method I've been taught at school, but I'm aware that in RTW, it's not the official method, as it is too time consuming. Not so much for the sewing time, but for the slowness involved in perfect invisible stitch in the ditch, and quality control. In the manufactories I've been in, the methods employed are the ones used by Male Pattern Boldness in his FIT course.)

Unfortunately, I won't offer any close-ups, as the fabric pattern forbid any attempt at discerning anything. (Sometimes I wasn't sure what I was doing...)

The pattern asks for 1m50 of the main fabric and 0m40 of the contrast fabric. In reality, in size L, with a 1m40 of width fabric, I just used 1m50 in totality (1m30+0m20).

I had problems finding traditional shell shirt buttons. Such that I couldn't find any in the right size, and in the end I had to compromise and buy the most inconspicuous buttons I could find (pearly grey plastic ones).

Adventures in shirt sewing - Ch.2

Edit : Someone very cleverly showed that this pattern has a strange likeness with BurdaMag 9/09 #105 shirt pattern.
Of course, Justice has not proven anything (as in, in all legality), and all doubt is permitted.
But, come on...


So, to remedy to the fitting problems of the previous shirt, I decided to make a size L, but with size M sleeves, as they were already quite big.
(Do I hate too much ease in the head sleeve when it's not for a coat or a jacket ? Yes. Let's be reasonable.)

Destashing again (yay !), I used a lilac poly-cotton chambray. As it was a bolt end, I had just enough to make a short-sleeved shirt.
(oh, the disappointment in not having to make cuffs... so sad...)
But short sleeves with a turn-up ! (let's not be too lazy)

In the end, the shirt is comfy, at least, and the sleeves went right in the armholes. I redrafted them a bit, accentuating the concave and convex parts. And it still had ease in the head. (my pattern drafting honor is safe)

I found lilac shell buttons. They're too big but at least the color is right.
It's weird how finding real shirt buttons can be so difficult. Sometimes you don't want fancy, you want legitimate.

More of that with the next, and last, installment in the shirt sewing series, with the Liberty fabric shirt.

Adventures in shirt sewing - Ch.1

Edit : Someone very cleverly showed that this pattern has a strange likeness with BurdaMag 9/09 #105 shirt pattern.
Of course, Justice has not proven anything (as in, in all legality), and all doubt is permitted.
But, come on...


My first shirt since school. (hmmm, I know...).

I waited a long time for a pattern I liked.
Somewhere between fitted and baggy. With darts, but not with princess seams (I hate those, they're difficult to fit when you don't have someone to help you with it). And a back yoke.

After reading good reviews for the Mythique from Aime comme Marie, I decided to give it a go.

I wanted to make a wearable muslin so I destashed a checked flannel, and a remnant of pink toile de Jouy. (I was lacking 20cm of flannel...)

I made a size M, but the shirt ended too small at the upper back and at the armholes. I can move, but it's a bit uncomfortable. But the sleeves are very roomy (and I have muscular arms). I can put it on without opening the cuffs.

As you can see on the photo below, when I lift my arms, the back is really strained.

I decided to go lumberjack all the way by putting pearly snap buttons on. (so retro)

I'm happy I made this "muslin" first, because, by wearing it (precisely, by putting it on), I discovered a mistake in the pattern. (and I'm quite ashamed I have missed it while sewing).
Look closely at the pattern drawing.

Yep, the cuffs are buttoned the wrong way. Bottom on top.
And so did I sew mine.
(I went to check in stores before writing this, to make sure I was right, just in case...).

I also think that there could be more notches, notably for the collar and the sleeves. (I like precision, and notches allow for this, and rapidity in sewing)

So next wearable muslin : make it comfortable without making it too big.