shirts!

And now I’m done with Amy Butler (for this week anyway) and have moved on to some other patterns by Wendy Mullin and her Built by Wendy line. I bought Mullin's book, Sew-U, at the same time I purchased In Stitches. It’s a fun and useful tutorial for anyone looking to get into sewing garments and how to work with patterns. While I’ve yet to find the patience needed to learn how to make a pattern fit me before cutting my fabric, and I have every intention on buying a dressform when I move into a larger place (450 square feet really isn’t very much space when you have your bedroom, living room and craft room all together), getting to work with patterns and learning how to change the design has been, well, fun!

Sew-U is broken into several sections – an introduction on fabrics and sewing in general, skirts, shirts and pants. I used the pant pattern last Spring and did an okay job on making them fit. The waistband needed some adjustments and wasn’t perfect, but if I wear a longer shirt no one can tell… The hips and butt fit and the pant legs were shaped the way I wanted and I added pockets. So all in all I made a wearable pair of dark blue twill pants. Not bad for my first shot at something beyond a skirt.

My latest attempt at my own garment making has been two shirts: one button down from the Sew-U patterns and the other is a basic loose top from another Built by Wendy pattern. The latter is a pull over construction - the body is a straight cut with a wide neck; the sleeves and neck are finished with an elastic band. The pattern is not particularly interesting, but I thought it would be a good simple top to start with and if made with a fun print would make it worthwhile.

I found a grey and white block print that I’m not overly in-like with but goes with my wardrobe in general (and if the shirt doesn’t work out I’m not disappointed about losing the fabric). This was also my tester for Wendy Mullin's sizing (again my lack of patience and space has limited my desire to get in the habit of making muslin testers first) and looking at the finished measurements for the pattern I cut the fabric for a size 6. After sewing the seams together and basting on the sleeves, I did a fitting. A size 6 is too small, which is funny considering I’m a petite and have a 34” bust.

Figuring this was a guide in my sizing for Mullin's patterns, I cut the Sew-U button down shirt in a medium (6-8). This fabric is a vibrant blue with lime-yellow flowers running in vertical stripes and I love it. I wanted to alter the design of the shirt slightly to formalize the bright cotton print and make the shirt a better style for me. I opted to try cap sleeves and only do a rounded neckline instead of a collar. Both would be finished with a bias binding from dark blue silk shantung and matching dark blue buttons. I put together the darts and front facings then basted the side seams, but, as my luck would have it, when I tried it on the shirt was at least a size too large!

I need to alter both shirts before I can go any farther and I have a good idea on how I am going to make the one larger and the other smaller - hopefully without scrapping either project and starting over. Wish me luck!