OK, I wouldn't wear this to a job interview, but then again, I'm not going to a job interview; in fact, I hope never to have to go to a job interview again. But that's beside the point.
I finished my pink linen shirt and I think it goes pretty well with my toile de Jouy pants, or at least, better than anything else I own. As you can see, I still have to hem these pants.
But back to the shirt. For some reason -- linen fatigue? -- I had more trouble with this shirt than I did with Michael's. I had to attach the collar twice, and cut two different ones, as the first one came out too long for the collar stand. What's that they say, Measure twice, cut once? It's true.
The bottom of the shirt has deep curves, and even though I tried my best not to stretch the edges as I stitched, I couldn't avoid those ripples.
Ironing doesn't help (much). I think I'll likely shorten the back hem, since it's a little long, and cut the curves less deep. This isn't the first time this has happened to me, but it's much more pronounced on a shifty fabric. You'll notice that I usually cut my shirt bottoms straight across, which is the way they're cut on the original pattern too. Maybe I'll just recut the bottom of this shirt straight and make life easy for myself.
This is the first time in a long time I've put pockets on a shirt. It's a nice touch, especially for a casual shirt like this one. These pockets aren't lined, just interfaced, since I wasn't sure I could line and turn them accurately given the shape, and they're right there on the front of the shirt.
What else? Nothing really. It's nice to be finished even though I'll likely tweak a bit here and there.
Oh, and I still need a belt...and a blue linen blazer!
You can view more pics of my shirt project here.
Happy Thursday, everybody!
It's a look! :) And it works, against all the laws of probability. Really works. You're a genius! Or very, very lucky, or both heheh
ReplyDeleteVery nice! Do you do your own buttonholes or do you get them done?
ReplyDeleteLewis, I use an old Singer buttonholer attachment (on a Singer 201) -- does a great job.
DeleteBefore you change the hem on this shirt, wash and dry it. Stretches nearly always come out. Then, if you have to, do the deed.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Sue. I'll wait a bit.
DeleteAwesome job! I LOVE the pants. They are my fave!
ReplyDeleteIt looks fantastic! I just love the cut of the shirt! And the trousers are my fave too!
ReplyDeleteGreat shirt-I appreciate the detail. Nice stitching and great work.
ReplyDeleteI would love to interview you as-is! Just finished two interviews of men in suits (one ill-fitting which was way more distracting than your gorgeous get-up. I really want some toile pants after seeing yours. I think you have started a new THING.
ReplyDeleteGreat shirt-I appreciate the detail. Nice stitching and great work.
ReplyDeleteI like the curve. It works!
ReplyDeletePeter, if you have enough fabric you could cut a facing for the hem instead of turning it under, and that would get rid of the ripples.
ReplyDeleteHi I am new to your blog, predominately directed by Sigrid in The Netherlands. Love you pants and the shirt is great, despite the problems you encountered. I have just made 8 shirts (2 to do) as a deal for my other half 10 shirts = designer handbag lol. Look forward to reading your blog
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Peter! If it's any consolation, I've never managed an absolutely clean curved hem, either, and I've been sewing much, much longer than you have! Maybe with my new method, it would work better, I don't know--do a rolled serger hem, fold it under, and topstitch that. It's a dirty trick, I admit, but it's what I've been doing lately for strangely shaped things and ruffles and it seems to work.
ReplyDeleteHow about self-covered buttons (in toile) for the blue linen jacket. Or perhaps if the jacket has a breast pocket, line it with the toile. But then I suppose if you want to wear it with something besides the toile pants, it might not work.
ReplyDeleteAs for a belt why not blue linen to match the jacket or toile to match the pants. Of course you could always try finding a reversible belt that has dark blue on one side and lighter blue on the other.
The pink shirt would also go nicely with grey pants, if you want a slightly less casual look.
Brilliant, Peter! I was going to say that a nice pastel shirt in some colour other than blue would look good with those toile pants, and I was RIGHT! Now I wish I HAD said it, so I could take at least PART of the credit for this smashing look! (or, did I say it? I'll have to go back and look! Old age and c.sattivum don't do anyone's memory any favours, take it from me...) Any road, I really do think you are now officially a 'style setter" and Vogue should take notice! Just see how much snazzier YOU look than those Prada models in their dreary BAD seventies-ripoffs! Nothing I can say makes the point that "fashion qua fashion" is currently "circling the toilet bowl" as well as the pic of you in your sharp-looking pants and shirt compared to that pic of those AWFUL-looking Prada "high fashion" >snort< outfits!(notice that they are wearing SOCKS with SANDALS...could anything be WORSE? When major fashion faux pas-es are being touted as "the latest thing"...well, that tells us everything we need to know about the TRUE state of the "fashion world")
ReplyDeleteOh, I like this outfit very much! Your collar is beautiful, glad it turned out so well after all that unpicking!
ReplyDeleteBravo on the collar stand! I would sell my soul to be able to do those as well as you did here! and I really love the toile pants!
ReplyDeleteI really like this outfit! You can't even see the hem issues when the shirt is tucked in.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the linen jacket. I'm hoping it will help me overcome my jacket fear. Also, navy was a great choice for that project!
Love it! I want toile de jouy pants.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the linen jacket addition.
Have you tried gathering the bottom hem?
ReplyDeleteI ususally do that in stretchy fabrics, that way it stays put while I iron it into submission :-) Only when everything is nice and flat, and stays that way, do I put it under the needle :-)
I feel you have turned me in to The Terminator- "I want your clothes your boots and your Motorcycle"
ReplyDeleteThose Toile de Jouy Pants, must have, I mean they ARE so - thats it I'm taking the cover off my sewing machine, I am sewing me some of those.
Put that gorgeous pastel pink shirt with them and combine it all with a blazer, and seriously peter, you are going to have to hire security to leave your apartment, trust me no one is going to be looking at the hem of the shirt, expect mega style envy.
I'd write more but now I have to go find me a toile and make it all jouy.
I've used wash-away stabilizers to prevent wavy edges on shirt hems, that works pretty well. These are the stabilizers used for machine embroidery, the ones I likes are the types that look like lightweight non-woven interfacing (instead of the types the took like plastic wrap because those dry up and can't be stored more than a few months), S trop applied to the hem with a water-soluble glue stick works well and it can be washed away in the sink or the washer.
ReplyDelete"a strip" applied to the hem with a water-soluble glue stick works well and it can be washed away in the sink or the washer.
DeleteDear Peter,
ReplyDeleteI love the shirt. Very cute and well done as always, except for the hem, but I think you can solve it.
I love your pants too, but I muss say, IMO the two pieces do not go along together. The shirt has a loose silhouette and this pants ask for something with a fit cut as a top. The shirt youd be beautiful with some more casual, maybe some white shorts and sandals, also to break the formality of the model. But as I say, it is just my oppinion...
A factory shirt sample maker told me back in the age of the dinosaurs to stitch these hems single layer to both make a guide line for an even hem and to ease in the bias areas of these bottoms in the most curved areas on the side. I had to follow this with a press as I wasn't experienced enough to fold it in evenly as she did. She said to stitch at 5/8 on the single layer stitching and it would be at the bottom of the hem. For a long time I would serge the bottoms and press up to topstitch as someone mentioned as some of these curved bottoms are difficult to get perfect and it was fast though it does seem a shame if doing all the work on the shirt to cop out there but I did this same in the armhole scye for a mock flat fell. Dh wore these work shirts a lot and they held up well. Fine fabric I would do the real thing but for every day use and speed the serger in these two areas was fine. He treats his work shirts very badly anyway. Your collar band is to die for-wonderful shirt. You are doing such nice work. mssewcrazy
ReplyDeleteGreat work on the shirt, despite the hem! I want one. I want the pants, too.
ReplyDeleteSuper cute outfit! I love it! Linen is perfect for this sticky weather in NYC!
ReplyDelete