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Jun 10, 2013

Patchwork Madras Shirt? But of course!



With roughly one and a half yards of patchwork madras left after completing my shorts, what else could I make but a matching short-sleeve shirt (like the Brooks Brothers shirt above)?



I had barely enough fabric.  For the first time ever I made a split outer yoke which helped me save fabric since I was cutting the yoke on the bias.  The inside yoke is gray cotton shirting.





My pattern is my old standby, Butterick 4712, with a few minor changes.



To reduce bulk, since the wrong side of the madras is covered in crisscrossing straight-stitched and serged seams, I used my gray shirting to make my facings.  My inside collar stand will also be made from this gray shirting as will, most likely, my undercollar.



Here's what the wrong side of the shirt looks like:



At this point I was attaching my (short) sleeves.  I had originally intended to make genuine flat-felled seams on the armscye, but then I realized that with all those serged seam allowances, the seams would be extremely lumpy.  So instead I simple serged the shoulder seam and stitched it down, creating a faux flat-felled seam.

From the outside, you'd never know the difference. 



Here's how things stand as of the end of today:



Will I add pockets?  Will I cuff the short sleeve?  Will I add a button-down collar?  Will I wear this with the matching patchwork madras shorts?  Stay tuned!

In other news, I have laundered all my purple corduroy -- I didn't measure the yardage but goodness, there was a lot.  My first purple project will be corduroy jeans and we'll take it from there.



Readers, that's all for now.

Have a great day, everybody!

14 comments:

  1. I made my first flat fell armhole seam recently and now I can't stop (felling flat or flat felling, which is it?) I did all the seams on a pair of white jean trousers I finished up over the weekend.

    I didn't realize that men's shirt patterns/instructions have the sleeves go in open (like your picture) until I made a shirt from a vintage cowboy shirt pattern.

    I have only one lady's pattern that does the sleeve like that; it's a Vogue unfitted jacket and the instructions include the faux flat fell.

    Fun, fun, fun on the patchwork shirt! Love it!

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  2. For all the chaos you sure are getting a lot done. Love the faux flat fell seams, that is why they were invented!! Looking forward to seeing all done.

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  3. Your madras posts have forced me to buy some madras from Mood. I looked for some at my local fabric store but they didn't have any. Thanks!

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  4. I love the shirt....Can't wait to see the shorts and shirt together!

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  5. You could always dye the purple cord in the washing machine if you wanted not purple corduroy for sewing with. Do you have machine dye there? We have Dylon and it's brilliant, leaves no residue in the machine and dyes evenly. :)

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    Replies
    1. I'd be afraid to try in our (public) laundry room.

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  6. Looks great. And look at that matching on the front placket! This is gonna be one classy shirt.

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  7. Love it, looking great

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  8. I'm a new follower and you have convinced me I should try sewing clothes again. I have never made a muslin before making a garment and I have been bad about washing my fabric before sewing. I promise to reform.

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  9. Just cleaned out the sewing room/closet this past week and what did I find? A large cut of madras patchwork! Mine is in shades of tan and brown, not my colors at all. But I'm thinking I may make a pair of shorts anyway. Mine is very lightweight though so I'm not sure shorts are a good idea. I'll have to look again to see if there is enough there for a shirt for my husband.

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    Replies
    1. If it's very lightweight, I definitely recommend a shirt (or boxers).

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  10. First of all, your blog posts are so interesting—plus, most of them are vintage-inspired! Anyway, this patchwork madras shirt is amazing. Good thing you paired it with grey. And indeed, “From the outside, you'd never know the difference.” Great job for this one. I'd give it an A+!

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