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Good morning, ear-flapped-awake chihuahua owners and others!

As I mentioned yesterday, I finally returned to sewing after a five-day hiatus, successfully completing my plaid cotton shirt.  In addition to the sleeve slip-up already recorded, there was an ongoing problem with fabric stretching.

This loose-woven, gauze-like cotton, while light and airy and perfect for the torrid summer months they can only dream about in Melbourne, had a tendency to e-x--p---a--n-d dramatically in width, leaving me with more shirt than I had hoped for.

I managed to deal with most of the extra width by taking more in on the sides (where I used French seams; flat felled seams on the armscyes).  I was still left with roughly an extra inch at the neckline.  This shirt should be a 14 1/2" neck but came out as roughly a 15 1/2" -- this despite stay-stitching the neckline, which I do as a matter of course.

I'll probably be washing this shirt by hand and letting it air dry, so I don't know if it will shrink much.  If so, it would be most welcome.

Michael is particularly fond of this shirt despite having a lovely caftan top made from the same fabric.  I do think this is more successful as a traditional button-down shirt, don't you?

As you have probably guessed already, Troy Donahue is staying with us for a few days, so of course we had to get him in the shirt as well.  Obviously, with his movie star looks, he makes the shirt look amazing.  Are the sleeves a tad too long?



I am trying to convince Troy to return to motion pictures, perhaps in a sequel to "A Summer Place."  This until I realized that Sandra Dee has gone to the other side and I don't mean American-International Pictures.  Perhaps Tuesday Weld is available.  Like you, I would most like to see Troy reunited with "Susan Slade" co-star Connie Stevens, but Connie seems to have moved on to skincare with great success.

But back to the shirt.

Here's the back:



Side (with sleeve rolled up 1"):



Collar:

(Do you see how wide the distance is from collar stand edge to actual collar?  I had to cut an extra-long collar stand to accommodate the wider neck.)





Button:



For some reason none of these pictures captures the true color of the background of the shirt, which is a rich pistachio green particularly flattering to Troy.

Friends, I hope this day is everything you've ever wished for in a Saturday -- or at least bearable.   Should we set up a Sew Emergency Hotline?

I wonder if Troy and Cathy would make a successful screen team.

When you lie in bed fantasizing, who do you see playing opposite Cathy in, say, a remake of "Send Me No Flowers"?

Like Doris, Cathy is too much woman for most leading men -- she needs a real hunk. But who's out there?  Tom Selleck?  He's a little long in the tooth, no?  Let's think outside the box on this one.  Any ideas?

Happy Saturday everyone!

Un abraccio a tutti!