Shirt 2: Jungle Chic

 

It's the same shirt pattern! Number two! I feel like I need to keep this one brief to avoid being redundant, heh.

This was made from another fabric in my Mood haul, this time in a flowy rayon woven. I was aiming for leopard prints, because they're neutral in tone but still fun, and landed on this print that employs every dang animal pattern. I see snakeskin, giraffe, tiger and/or zebra, cheetah...

But no cow? Not for a safari.

There are a few changes from my first poplin version. I expanded the length and width of the collar and now I think it's just about perfect. I widened the front facing a smidge even though this rayon doesn't require it; the drapey-ness makes it so it doesn't have any issues sitting flat. The pattern is cut just a eighth-inch larger on the side seams and arm holes to create a seam allowance wide enough for French seams. Finally, I put an inverted box pleat on the back to give myself some extra wiggle room.

Sewing this thing was rough, I won't lie. I'm not used to rayon... batiste? (Identifying fabric types is my weakness). The absolute worst part was cutting even though I both spray starched the stuff to hell and back and sandwiched the fabric between tissue paper. So, so slippery! There's no breast pocket because I didn't think I could cut a decent rectangle, I was so frustrated. I am AMAZED that the shirt came out wearable because I was convinced the two front pieces were perceivably asymmetric.

French seams and yoke details.

Hemming the shirt has been an ordeal as well. I left the shirt hanging for two days as drapey fabrics like these are famous for warping under gravity, even when cut-on gain. I don't think two days was long enough seeing as how right now, the hem on the back of the shirt has drooped into a curve after I've already stitched it down. This characteristic may have worked out in my favor, partially; I cut one side of the front too short when I was trying to straighten out the hem (I panicked) but the downwards growth evened it back out a little (a sigh of relief). It's still a little uneven but it isn't noticeable, thankfully.

I'm not swearing off rayon wovens completely. I'm confident I could sew it again with minimal headaches now that I have some practice (I am not doing spray starch again, this sucker needed a starch SOAK). The issue is that while I like wearing rayon, I don't like taking care of it. I've been told that its fine to machine dry, but that's not my experience with drying store-bought rayon clothes as they always shrink or get a weird texture. I love my handmade clothes but I try not to treat them too delicately, otherwise I'll never wear them. Anything made of rayon is at risk of receiving too good treatment. Hmph!