Shirt 3: Dandy hands

 

The final shirt using remaining print from my Mood haul, a poplin long-sleeve version with the same classic collar and collar stand. It retains the curved, slight high-low hem instead of a straight hem all around, and unlike the first two I felt compelled to pattern-match where it counts.

There's not a ton to say because I keep using the same pattern, and also because I used a very stable fabric. I didn't have any difficulties with the actual sewing. The new thing I tackled was drafting a long sleeve, sleeve placket, and cuff. And I'm VERY glad I didn't screw up the pattern matching like I did for my Mario shirt.

It's a wonder why I insist sewing on decorative pockets when pattern-matching renders it invisible, which is antithetical to decoration as a concept.

I must have taken a solid half-day to carefully draw out the sleeve and make sure that it was wide enough for my arm, accommodating the pleat and junk. As they say, measure many times and cut once. I also used this tutorial from Fabrics Store (the linen shop) to draft and install the sleeve placket. I'm not the most precise or the best at math and I have to force myself to pay a little more attention. Using someone else's guidance encourages me to be more thorough and meticulous from the start.

On the back there's an inverted box pleat to give the garment some volume. I had the right general idea of giving myself space to move but not exactly in the correct area. As soon as I tried my shirt on I knew I should have cut the shoulders a smidge wider. Like, it hit me obviously and immediately that the amount of sleeve you have inversely proportionally affects your movement. Thus, the third shirt that was cut the same as two other well-fitting shirts is actually slightly too small. Clearly I can still wear it but I must remember to not lift my elbows above my head when I do. Shame that I spent so much energy on the perfect sleeves only to heck it up here!

Never had a collar stand look so clean* 

Another lesson learned: don't be cheap on things like interfacing. My cuffs and collar have a weird bubbly, blistered texture and I think it's because I was using a poor quality fusible. I've used it before and it's never done that for previous projects. I believe I used an appropriate weight. I have to assume it's just another step in the prep process: testing whether my fabric and interfacing play nice together with a swatch. I've heard that using a pressing cloth helps too.

Since this is the last button-up I'm going to make for a while I should address a consistent problem I have with all of them. I can't seem to make buttonholes without making tiny runs in the surrounding fabric. Noting that I don't use a buttonhole foot, I just use a short zig-zag stitch and sew a narrow rectangle. I'm not sure that a buttonhole foot would solve this problem, judging by how these runs seem more like an issue of needle dullness or speed, although sewing slowly and using a fresh needle have not been working. The buttonhole maker (NOT foot) I found in my grandmother's stash is at least forty years old so we will see! Here's to hoping I can crack these sewing puzzles soon.