Saturday 2 March 2013

It's a Man's Shirt World

I need shirts, especially white ones. I checked the contents of the wardrobe recently and my old white shirts are distinctly grey. While I should be putting my head down and working on SWAP 13, there are more immediate dressing needs. Anyway, I included a few white shirts in the SWAP collection so I can kill two birds with one stone. One's already completed in broiderie anglaise for Audrey, the next one will be for Katherine.

In my Annie Hall moments I love to wear DH's shirts - loose, baggy, gorgeously soft cotton and why can't I have shirts like his?

So, talking of white shirts I made a striped one.....yeah yeah I know, and I'm supposed to be sewing with a plan - LOL

Great with jeans at weekends and would probably be OK with smart navy trousers too; I'd even try this with my white linen wide legged pants when the season is right - very resort!

The pattern is the same as the broiderie anglaise version except this time I sort of stuck to the original design and didn't add any shaping darts or alteration to the sleeves. I did however add a flowery quilting cotton at the cuffs, collar stand and inside centre front for interest and colour, and I think, to feminise the shirt a bit.



 This is a straightforward shirt: it has two piece sleeves that makes for an easy placket-free vent at the cuff. The centre fronts are folded back on themselves so need for interfacing, however, in this case I cut my button fronts separately, cutting one on the bias for the stripes and the underneath one in the quilting cotton. Then just sewed these to the fronts and made up as per the original pattern instructions.



 I did tinker about with the cuffs - the pattern has straight forward single cuffs with one button - I doubled the length of the cuffs and made them into fold back ones secured with button cufflinks. On one side is the stripy shirt fabric and on the other the quilting cotton. The button cufflinks would work just as well with single cuffs too.

Here's how to make button cufflinks to add that little bit of personality to your shirts.






I raised the shoulder/arm hole too as the shirt was looking a bit too much like one of Dh's. This makes it just a bit more fitted and looks like it belongs to me rather than if I'd borrowed it. although I am buttoning to the right - that's men's isn't it?

I think this might just be the first shirt I've ever worn that doesn't need a safety pin at the bust - know what I mean?






















So, it's not white and not part of SWAP 13 but to quote Syndi from Stitchers' Guild - "There's no sewing police!"






32 comments:

  1. Well, if sewing with a plan includes planning to look enviable and fabulous, you do it! I'm prepared to march into the sewingroom in a few minutes and usebutton technique on my Vogue dress I'm trying- it's grey pinstripe wool (how did that end up in my closet?) so I was already thinking classy, like you would do!

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  2. Your shirt is very upscale boutique looking. Nice job of print-blocking.

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    1. Thanks Gwen. It was fun choosing a contrasting fabric.

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  3. Beautiful shirt Ruth! Who need another white shirt when you can be having fun mixing fabric patterns!

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    1. Just might have stubbled onto something here.. Quilters' corner here I come!

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  4. I'm glad that there are no sewing police because it's nice to see your lovely new shirt and to follow along with the fun you had tweaking this basic design. Great job!

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    1. Thanks Kathryn - you lot are the nicest police officers

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  5. Great shirt. I love the details - adds character!
    Marciae

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    1. Thank you Marciae. I appreciate this.

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  6. i really like the pops of a little extra color!

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  7. Love the shirt. Esp the floral contrast bits. Lovely!

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    1. It's another way to use up little scraps - so you don't have to feel guilty about keeping them

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  8. Inspiring. - ...... and yes, I know what you mean about the pin at the bust - what Sandra Betzina calls "gaposis" !

    Janice.

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    1. Thanks Janice. No gaps in this one - surprising really but there you are

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  9. Wow! your shirt is very impressive with all the little, funky details. I think I need one.
    This is very inspiring!

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    1. I now have enough stripy fabric left to make the contrast bits on another shirt - all I need is the shirt fabric

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  10. It is gorgeous! I love the creative details, and it looks to me as though you've done a brilliant job with it!

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    1. Thanks Su, nice to have you visit. I'm watching the CC jacket with eager anticipation.

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  11. Great shirt. I love the floral contrasts too.

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    1. Thanks Sewingelle, The floral adds a bit of life I think (also meant I didn't have to worry about lining up stripes)

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  12. So much better than a plain white shirt, but nearly as versatile! Thanks for the button cuff link tutorial, they look very smart on your elegant cuffs.

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    1. But your shirts are really professional! Thanks

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  13. You look so cool in this style. Love your work.

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  14. Beautiful shirt! I think the stripe print goes well with the flowery print. Nice choice!

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  15. love the bright contrasting fabric - great looking shirt

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  16. I love the combination of the stripe with the print. Very fresh, modern and pretty.

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  17. Perfect shirt! Very trick on the French cuff. I am very jealous of your perfect buttonholes. For all I can do, a
    buttonholes are not one of them. (My machines - all 3 of them - make mince of them.) Rock the shirt!

    Coco

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  18. I promise I'm not being a stalker - it's just that I just found your blog.

    Yet another amazing woven shirt. I love the idea for the pops of color and I'll have to steal that when I get around to finally sewing some shirts up for myself!

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    1. Stalk all you like Shawn - as long as you get some inspiration to sew for yourself - that's the trade off.

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