07 July, 2012
Negroni Shirt finished
Wow, down to the wire! Mat's off to California for a conference in a few hours and I have only just hemmed the shirt and sewn on the buttons. So no photo of him IN the shirt until later, if he wants to be photographed that is!
Overall I'm fairly happy with it, but there are certain aspects I'm not thrilled with. The facings and collar aren't sitting nicely together and the outside of the yoke is slightly larger than the inside piece so it's slightly puffy-looking. The front facings don't sit nicely where they meet up with the yoke either. I'd need to make a few more to get an idea of whether that's me or the pattern or the fabric or a combination of all three! Probably the latter. It's amazing what pressing can do though!
Overall the style of the shirt is nice, although definitely slim-fitting. Mat's right on the upper range of the measurements for a medium - like he matched the numbers on the pattern exactly! Which is always a good sign in a pattern I think, because it indicates it's good for your proportions. There is an odd gap in the measurements though, with two inches in between all the size ranges, not sure what you're supposed to take from that. I did a tissue-fit that also suggested that the medium was good, particularly around the shoulders. However, the shirt turned out to be a bit slim through the body for him, which I fixed by letting out the side seams slightly (so no nice flat felling on them which is a pity!). The sleeves are also perhaps a skosh too short, but there's not much to be done there. If I make it again I'll cut a large on some pieces and a medium on others. I will also make a proper stand collar, this two-in-one version just doesn't thrill me.
The pattern itself is easy to follow, although the lack of clipping of curves is a puzzle. This isn't the only pattern that I've used recently that omits this rather essential step, nor the worst offender by far, and I can't understand how anyone can get a collar, or the curve on a facing around the neck, to sit nicely if the seam isn't clipped. What do you all think about that? Am I being needlessly pedantic over that step?
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I haven't sewn a shirt for many moons, but I remember that clipping collar and facing curves seemed to be a very essential step! The shirt looks great!
ReplyDeleteCollars, with or without upstands are probably one of the hardest things to sew and get a truely professional finish - so I wouldn't knock myself out if I was you. Is it assumed that if you need to clip, you will? Sometimes clipping is mentioned in the beginning instructions as a construction technique, and you take the initiative. I would expect a pattern to give explicit instructions about where things do and don't need clipping, because I know sometimes you purposely don't clip to get a certain look. On the positive side, I love the fabric you have chosen - hopefully it helps to hide any of the imperfections.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they're tricky but I haven't had a result I've been this unhappy with for years! It's a different technique for putting that section together than I've traditionally done, and it has a lot less wiggle-room in terms of getting everything in the right place, though it does give a nice finish.
ReplyDeleteI don't worry so much about the lack of clipping instructions in more advanced patterns because, like you say you should know these things, but it also happens in patterns that are billed as beginner-friendly or that take the time to explain other basic techniques like flat-fell seams in the text. It's just an odd omission! There was one pattern that had instructions for seam clipping for one bit but not for another that also needed it. I just worry about real beginners not getting the results they deserve!
I love this fabric! It's a great looking shirt.
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