My shirt is done! (and I think I know what I'll be wearing on MPB Day)
As soon as I finished sewing my double gauze shirt, I hand washed it to get the Niagara spray starch out. Because of the amount of water the fabric holds (a lot) and the commensurate weight, I rolled the wet shirt in a towel, gently squeezing out as much of the water as possible, before hanging on a hanger to dry. That way the shirt wouldn't hang so heavy and stress the delicate fabric.
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| Ready to be rolled in a towel. |
This morning we did a little photo shoot!
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| You hardly ever see gathered cuffs on shirt patterns nowadays but they used to be common in the Seventies. |
The sleeve cap on this pattern is almost flat, resulting in a shirt that's roomier at the armscye but also much more comfortable, especially when I raise my arm. I'm going to write a post about sleeve caps in the near future.
I was concerned about finishing the shaped bottom hem -- I knew I couldn't do a standard rolled hem by machine and I didn't want to stretch the hem out. Here's what I did. First I stay-stitched the edge at roughly 1/4". Next, I serged the edge (with three threads instead of four and using the least dense stitch setting) without cutting anything off. Finally, I turned the hem up at the original stay-stitch line, pressed, and topstitched from the right side. It came out really nice, and there's hardly any stretching evident.
I found these really cool Oliver Peoples prescription eyeglasses (below) at the Chelsea Flea Market a few weeks ago, super cheap. Trouble is, they're someone else's prescription. I'm not sure if I'll have them turned into readers, which I use primarily when I sew, or just "dummy" glasses, which I always feel a little silly wearing. Or I could wait till I need a real prescription myself! Thoughts?
And that's it, readers. I think I may make a pair of shorts for myself next -- something to go with my new shirt so I have a whole new outfit.
Hope your sewing projects are going well.
Have a great day, everybody!
Posts
What an interesting post! Great(and timely..) tips for washing and hemming a gauze garment - thank you so much! And the shirt looks - and fits - superbly.
ReplyDeleteGreat shirt and hem tips! Why not just get them tinted as sunglasses. Or just a slight tint liken you have now! The shape is good On you!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a tint. Dark glasses that shape make me look beady-eyed. 😉
DeleteThe fit on your shirt is impeccable!, especially the back! really great hemming tips, very helpful, and the spray stretch, I'm going to use that idea very soon!
ReplyDeleteMarvelous, Peter, just marvelous! The whole look looks great! Happy Summer! --Erik
ReplyDelete.....looks terrific, Peter...& I know how difficult that fabric is to work on...I use the same process when I make shaped hems & they always turn out perfect...so much easier than trying to do a rolled hem.......see you next Saturday..............
ReplyDeleteI have been studying sleeve caps myself and how to make a sleeve more comfortable when raising my arms. Look for flamenco dresses and how they do those. A lot more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI am having hem envy, and tempted to call it "Hemvy", but fear Ikea will send me a "cease and desist", or plaster the word on the next sofa or sheets they introduce.
ReplyDeleteYou and a certain west-coast woman are actually making things with sergers, and not just tangling threads and wasting fabric.
[hand to forehead, hanky a'drift] It's all too much for me right now.
It’s a beauty, Peter!
ReplyDeleteWhat type of interfacing did you use? I’m always flummoxed by interfacing. I don’t really like fusable just because I’m a natural fiber purist.
Double gauze is comfy.
I used a layer of white cotton shirting instead of fusible Worked great.
DeleteIt looks great! Can’t wait to see it in person on August 11. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear you’ll be joining us, Pam!
DeleteA lovely shirt, beautifully done. Thanks for the starch tip, it will work on several projects.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and, no doubt, comfy shirt! But would you sew with this type fabric again? Challenge or hassle?
ReplyDeleteI would. It’s incredibly cool-feeling to wear.
DeleteWow. That is a great shirt. I love it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shirt, and you look great in it. I’m eagerly awaiting your post on sleeve caps!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is one nice shirt!!
ReplyDeleteMay be obvious to everyone else but not me so I'll ask: Did you pre-wash the fabric before cutting? How did you keep it from ravelling (spelling?) to death??
ReplyDeleteI love the shirt and the glasses.
Yes, I prewashed it. It raveled a little but not much. If that’s a likelihood you can serge the cut edfes before laundering.
DeleteThank you, Peter. I so enjoy your site.
DeleteYour shirt is beautiful; just beautiful. Yes, gathered sleeves were common and looked quite graceful when sewn into the cuff. I also love your glasses and vote for turning them into readers. I would love to have another pair of those glasses, which I wore in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going 70"s, have them tinted pink. It was popular back then to "see the world through rose colored glasses"!
ReplyDeleteFrank F.
Keep spreading the word about how to finish a shirttail hem, Peter! No need to laboriously press twice, pin, and stitch; serging with a narrow three thread, turn twice, and topstitch. It should work for charmeuse-like fabrics as well as stiffer cottons. Doing your recommended stay-stitch will tame a ravelly fabric. Readers, on your next blouse/shirt, just serge, turn twice and stitch, no need for pins and pre-pressing.
ReplyDeleteLovely shirt. Just a quick note on finishing shaped shirt hems cleanly. I do this by sewing them twice with an 1/8" flat fell foot, folding to the inside. The first pass turns the raw edge over and the second conceals it in the seam for a clean, narrow hem finish. Have never had a stretching problem doing this.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip!
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