Airing My Dirty Laundry...a Quick Tip

Do you ever get mysterious marks on your clothes? Or do you ever have a fabric marking pen or pencil that won't wash out?


I used to use hairspray as a last resort when everything including OxyClean just wouldn't remove make-up stains from my clothes, pen marks on Roger's clothes, or any annoying "mystery" stains.


Then I remembered that it was the alcohol in the hairspray that was dissolving the stain.

So...the next time Roger came home with felt-tip marker stains on his pants (again, LOL), and nothing would get them out, I tried the most concentrated alcohol-based stuff we had in the house...."Hand Sanitizer" ! It was much more convenient to use than hairspray, I just had to pump it on and rub it into the stain, then toss the clothing into the washer along with a regular load. And to my surprise..it worked ! So now I keep a bottle of "Hand Sanitizer" in the laundry area for those pesky stubborn stains. So far, it hasn't affected the color of any fabric I've tried using it on, but of course, check in a hidden area to make sure that it doesn't adversely affect the cloth.

A Summer Tunic...

This sweet tunic was made for my 8 year old niece Isabella.

It is the #16 tunic from Ottobre Design issue 03/09. I decided to omit the sleeve ruffles because Bella just doesn't like fussy details.

Made from 3 coordinating soft woven cotton prints, it is a bit difficult to see that the lightest color fabric used for the narrow inset band and facings is a cream-on-white print.

SEWING NOTES: Ottobre Design Pattern, Interfaced with ProSheer Elegance, Cotton prints from Fabric.com

The Vintage Shirt....Completed

Here it is...my husband Roger's "Birthday" shirt,

made with a vintage Butterick pattern (#1481)

Here is Roger wearing his new shirt. He decided he liked the flat collar better than when it was folded with a "roll." Tee-hee...he looks so happy doesn't he ? He really is a nice guy and does love the shirt...really. Modeling? Not so much!

As I said in previous posts, I had high hopes for this pattern because of the way it is drafted. And the proof was in the sewing...it went together beautifully, each piece meeting its match perfectly. Further proof is the terrific fit...right out of the envelope. I really like the way the collar lays, the fit at the shoulders, and how the sleeves do not have that awful "wing-out".

I will definitely make this shirt again, and use it for clients. Even though Roger and I both like the funky retro vibe of this particular version of this shirt, for future versions I may change the collar (making it less pointed/ more narrow), to reflect current style trends.

SEWING NOTES: All seams are Flat Felled. Interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Cotton fabrics from my stash.

Nancy K asked, "Did you do the flat fell seams in the body of the shirt the same way as you did the sleeves?"

Yes Nancy, I did....well almost the same way. When I was cutting out the shirt, I used 1" seam allowances on the side seams of the body and sleeves. Then I trimmed the back allowances to 1/2", and proceeded to fell them as I did the sleeve cap seams.

Vintage Shirt - Felled Seam Technique

Progress on the Vintage Mens Shirt continues!



Now the sleeves are sewn...and I thought you might be interested in seeing how these sleeves are drafted and set. It is done differently than most methods seen in modern printed patterns.








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Take a look at these pattern pieces. I've marked the stitching lines so that you can see that the sleeve seam allowance is twice as wide as the corresponding seam on the shirt back (and front, not shown). The seam allowance of the sleeve is 1", and the armscye seam allowance is 1/2".

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As you can see in the photo below, when the stitching line of the sleeve and armscye are matched (right sides together), the sleeve cap allowance extends beyond that of the shirt. The sleeve is set by stitching along the stitching line of the armscye. It's much easier to do if you first mark the 1/2" seam allowance as you can see by the blue lines. When you've set sleeves this way several times, you can just do it by sight. In fact, when I hand-draft shirts, I almost always draft the sleeve allowance at twice the width of the armscye allowance.

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Here is the sleeve set into the armscye, from the wrong side. Because the sleeve seam allowance is wider, it is "auto-magically" ready to be felled...with no trimming needed!

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To begin felling the seam, just fold and press the larger sleeve seam allowance over the smaller one, enclosing it. In the photo below, the allowance is pressed at the bottom of the photo, and still open near the top of the photo.

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When the sleeve allowance is completely pressed over the armscyce allowance, next press BOTH allowances towards the shirt. Look...an "instant" felled seam !

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All that remains to finish setting the sleeves is to topstitch a scant 1/2" away from the well of the seam from the RIGHT SIDE, through all layers....as shown below.

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And this is how the felled sleeve seam looks from the wrong side, after the topstitching is complete. Nice and smooth, neat and easy...with no raw edges.

Now I just have to choose buttons, sew the side seams and hem, and talk Roger into modeling the shirt...along with the 100 other things I have to do today. But the laundry can wait, can't it? :)

Vintage Shirt....So Far, So Good!

I am very pleased with the way the vintage mens shirt pattern I chose to make for part of DH Roger's Birthday present is coming along. Although his birthday was yesterday....age is just a number, right? :)

So..here is what I have completed so far: Pockets attached, Back Yoke and Shoulder seams sewn, Collar made and attached and the Facings attached.

Below are 2 "looks". The collar is laid flat in the first photo, and in the second photo, the collar is "rolled". Please bear in mind as you look at these photos, that this is a "work in progress" and hasn't yet had a final press. Yes, the collar is the same length on both sides...it appears longer on one side because the point of the collar is right against the black of the print fabric.

So which look do like the most? The flat collar, or the one with a roll?


SEWING NOTES : Pockets cut on Bias, Collar and Facings interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~

Amy asked an interesting question:

"...I like both collars, but I think I favor the rolled. Is there a difference in the way they will be sewn or can he choose which way he wants to wear it?"

If he decides he likes the rolled look, all it will take is a few stitches. But not at the place you might expect. :) Unlike a "button down shirt" where small buttons hold the collar roll, this type of collar is secured at center back to "hold the roll".

Here's why and how: When a convertible collar like this one lays flat, it sits slightly below the seam that attaches it to the neckline of the shirt-back. To hold a roll in a convertible collar, a ShirtMaker (this time little ole me, lol) matches the bottom edge of the collar to the stitching line EXACTLY where the "well" of the seam that attaches the collar to the back neck is located (at center back). Then from the wrong side of the shirt, a few stitches are taken to hold it there. And that's all it takes to "hold the roll."

Karla also asked a thoughtful question:

"...if one were to conceal a tiny snap at the CB of the collar, with the other side of the snap at the seamline on the shirt, would that have the same effect as taking those few stitches? Another possibility - thread loop concealed in the collar seam and a tiny hook on the underside of the collar? The advantages (IMO) would be leaving the collar style up to the wearer and allowing the collar to be ironed while it was flattened - and I am all about making ironing easier."

Sure Karla...that can be done. I'd probably go with a very small snap, rather than a thread loop/hook/eye...I think it would be more stable. Of course, care would have to be taken when pressing the shirt and collar so that an imprint of the snap would not be transferred to the collar.
If Roger decides he likes the roll collar...I'll make sure to take it out of the dryer as soon as it's dry. Then I'll put the shirt on a hangar, button the top button, and shoot some steam into the rolled collar and immediately smooth it with my hands.

Vintage Shirt...A Little Progress

Writing an article for a sewing publication among other things, has kept me so busy that I've only been able to make a little progress on Roger's Shirt.

I decided to make banded pockets, cut on the bias. Here's what one looks like on the shirt front, ready to be sewn (I'll adjust the position a bit before stitching).

This is the pocket from the wrong side. This pocket is cut on the bias, and because I know how rough Roger is on pockets, I needed to stabilize the stretch of the bias cut fabric or they'd be hopelessly stretched-out in no time!

I fused Pro-Sheer Elegance Interfacing (cut on the straight grain) to the wrong side of the pocket. This interfacing is so sheer and flexible that you can barely tell that it's there...yet it completely stabilizes the bias cut fabric.

The BEST Pattern...and Why

This is the pattern I chose for Roger's shirt.

And here's why....

It is the most "elegant" draft among the group of patterns shown in yesterday's post (below). What do I mean by "elegant" ? It has to do with the shape of the pattern pieces.

The separate facing piece gives me the option of using a contrast fabric.

The yoke is curved enough to flow smoothly against the body, but not so much to "ripple" when it is joined to the back.

Now take a close look at the yoke piece (#5). Do you see the very subtle curve of the shoulder line? When joined to the straight front shoulder, it will raise the back of the shirt ever-so-slightly, allowing it to flow smoothly over the body's shoulder-blades.

Next, the sleeves...those beautifully drafted sleeves! A nice slope down in front, and just enough of a rounded shape along the back 2/3 of the cap. Why does this matter? For the short sleeve shirt I plan to make, this higher cap will mitigate a short sleeve's tendency to "wing out". With the coarse cotton fabric I've chosen to use for this shirt, this is very important because I cannot count on the drape of the fabric to help the sleeves fall in soft folds.

Finally, the collar. Notice its delicious curves! It will lay smoothly against the body's neck and collar-bone...and eliminate the tendency that some shirt collars have to "stack" (ride up on the neck).

Contrast the "elegant" draft above to this draft,
which is OK...but just OK.

The main reason this shirt pattern was not chosen, is because it is "flat".
Flat yoke, flat sleeve cap, flat collar. In my opinion, the first shirt pattern is superior. While there is nothing really "wrong" with this pattern, the first one shown is just more "elegantly" drafted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was asked, "Pam, If we take a "flat" pattern and add the little refinements you mentioned - curved front yoke seam, curved shirt back, more sleeve cap height - will we improve an ordinary pattern, or just make a serious mess of it?"

While you can make changes to a pattern that is already drafted, you need to be careful. "LESS IS MORE." Small changes, like very gently curving the back seam (where it joins the yoke) can be done successfully. Bear in mind that this particular change will lengthen that part of the seam, and you will need to ease it to the yoke, or take up a bit more in the back pleat so that it fits the yoke. Adding height to the sleeve cap is possible, again if done with restraint. If drastic changes are made to the shape of the sleeve cap, changes need to be made to the armscye...and that's where making refinements to patterns can quickly get out of hand. Lastly, curving in the shoulder seam of the back yoke can be done, again, with restraint....it needs to be a very shallow (no more than 3/16") "scoop"...otherwise the back will pull up oddly from the underarm point to the shoulder after the shirt is completely sewn.

Too Many Choices....

It's about time I sewed a shirt for my husband, Roger...especially since his birthday is coming up! So from my collection of well over 100 vintage menswear patterns, I've managed to narrow my choices to these....

While of course I already have a hand-drafted shirt pattern for him, working with vintage patterns is fun...and always spark ideas for my own original shirt designs. So now I need to decide. I'll flip through these patterns between packing interfacing orders, and come up with a final choice by the end of the day.

Here is the fabric I'll be using...a cotton print.

I'll be working on the shirt this evening, and within a day or so I'll show you what pattern I chose, and why...along with some pics of the instruction sheets.

MOP Buttons....a quick tip!

MOP Buttons? Of course I mean "Mother of Pearl".

And I just love the look of them on shirts and blouses!

Unfortunately, unless you buy the thin decorative ones (usually found in a bulk bag near the regular buttons), they can be really expensive.

And the thin decorative ones usually don't survive the washer and dryer.

Here's a quick way to strengthen these thin but beautiful decorative buttons :

Using a liquid glue made to attach embellishments to fabric, coat the back side of the button, being careful to avoid filling in the holes. The glue will look "milky" when wet.


Let the glue-coated buttons dry overnight, or until the glue is clear and hard. Now your lovely Mother-of-Pearl buttons are ready to use...and will be able to survive the washing machine !

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It's terrific for tailoring, wonderful for waistbands, and super for casual shirts. Pro-Weft is perfect for so many types of fabrics and weaves like Linen, Boucle, Silk, Gabardine, Wools, Denim, Twill, and more!

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So..WHAT IS IT ?
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A Shirt for Me ! ...with Release Tucks

OK, I promise...
This is my last version of the Brensan Sew Simple Shirt...for a while.

On this shirt I added cuffs to the sleeves, and instead of sewing the vertical darts, I made "Release Tucks". Making release tucks is very easy to do...even on a shirt or blouse that does not have marked darts. And it can be done after the shirt is completely finished!

Just try the shirt on...inside out. Now pinch out about a 1/2-3/4 inch "tuck" near the waist area on each shirt front, and pin it vertically. Turn the shirt right side out and try it on, making adjustments if necessary. Next, from the wrong side stitch each tuck, with a simple straight line of stitching that is about 2-4 inches long.

Here's a quick photo of the shirt from the wrong side, showing one tuck sewn and pressed towards the center front.


SEWING NOTES: Collar, Cuffs, and Front Facing
interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Italian Cotton Shirting Fabric from my stash, Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~.

Can you have too many white shirts ?

...I don't think so!

This is another version of the Brensan "Sew Simple Shirt"....this time with long sleeves, from a very soft, almost gauze-like novelty cotton fabric. The sleeves were made exactly per the pattern specifications, and are wide enough at the hemline to be able to roll up to elbow length. I plan to wear this blouse open over a white tank top, with jeans and white strappy sandals...for a breezy casual look.

I have yet another shirt cut from this pattern, a long sleeve version with sleeve cuffs from a beautiful Swiss cotton shirting. Then I will tear myself away from this pattern and move on to other things. Next up are 2 tailored linen jackets among the many sewing projects I have planned for June.

SEWING NOTES: I did make changes to this version of this blouse: I lengthened the collar by about 1/2" and did not sew the darts. Interfaced with ProSheer Elegance Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~. Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~.

I've been asked some questions about this shirt--

When you say "lengthened the collar" - what do you mean?

On the first version of this shirt, the collar appeared a little short...it was wide enough, it just didn't appear long enough (just purely my perception). So this time I split the collar pattern at CB and added 1/2". Now it extends along the neckline a little further...1/4" on each side. It's really fine as drafted, I just wanted to make a little change.

Is the notch lower than it is on your first version?

I didn't change anything but the length of the collar. Although now the turnback facing ("lapel", "revers") is now shorter, because the collar is longer :) ....am I making sense? LOL

And when you plan to roll the sleeves, how do you do the seams -French seams? Flat-felled?

This time I did flat fell seams. Because the fabric is so light I was able to just turn both seam allowances and stitch them down, without first trimming one of them.

A Linen Shirt....a little rough around the edges

Made for a client, this menswear shirt is an original design.
It is made from a beautiful linen from Gorgeous Fabrics that I distressed heavily.

"Roughing up" fabrics is one of my favorite things to do. Usually I distress fabric before it is cut and sewn. This time I pre-washed the fabric just once in hot water and tossed it into a hot dryer to get the "shrink" out. Then I pressed the yardage lightly leaving some fine wrinkles, and cut and sewed the shirt. After it was complete, it went into the wash again, along with several tennis balls....going through several cycles in hot water. Then the shirt was dried in a hot dryer and the result was a soft linen shirt with lots of drape.

The edges of the shirt, its design features, and felled seams are now slightly faded, highlighting them nicely. What looks like white lines on the shirt are actually tiny 16th-inch pin tucks...one on the bias near the right shoulder, another down the front of the shirt to the right of CF, and another pin tuck on the pocket, again on bias.

The hem is straight :) The distressed linen is draping in soft folds.

SEWING NOTES: Hand Drafted Pattern, interfaced with PRO-WEFT Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics.

A Distressed Silk Shirt...by client request

Made for a very special client, this shirt is an original design. Made from heavy silk dupioni, the fabric was washed once to pre-treat. The pattern pieces were laid on the cross-grain of the fabric and the shirt was cut and stitched. It was then washed several more times in hot water. After a hot cycle in the dryer, the shirt was gloriously soft and the slubs raised irregularly. This gave the gave the garment the soft, slouchy look I wanted it to have.

Design features include a vertical, flat felled Prince Seam (on the right side), banded Sleeves, double top Buttons, and a vertical flat-fell seamed Pocket with top band.

***For my method to make symmetrical pockets with a nice sharp point, check out my tutorial "Perfect Pockets Every Time"

Sewing Notes: Collar and Lapel interfaced with Pro-Weft Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~,
Buttons from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Fabric from my stash.

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A Summer Blouse for Willow

Eventually it will warm up here in upstate New York state, and my 10 yr old niece will be able to wear this sleeveless summer blouse. In the meantime, I think it will layer nicely worn open over a light t-shirt.

This blouse is from an Ottobre Pattern, Issue 02/03, #19...that I modified by adding elastic to the sleeve hems. Here is a close-up of the
"Euro-ruffle" embellishment, an idea shown on the example in the magazine...it was fun and very easy to do--

I cut a 3/4" wide strip of fabric on the bias. The next step was to run a long stitch down the center of the entire length of the strip. After gathering the strip to make a long raw-edge ruffle, I arranged it on the blouse in a random pattern. To secure the ruffle to the shirt, I stitched it down the center with narrow, short, zig-zag stitching. After pulling out the gathering threads, the ruffle embellishment was complete !

SEWING NOTES: Collar and Facings interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE FUSIBLE Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~ . Cotton Fabric from Fabric.com. Mother-of-Pearl Buttons from my stash.

Sewing Green....Literally

I love the color green. So much so that I have to watch that everything in my wardrobe isn't in some lovely shade of that color. But I hadn't yet made anything green this season. So I traced off the HotPatterns Riviera Annisette Top, and made two...one very green, the other with just a touch of green print on the yoke.

This top exceptionally well drafted,
with a nice neckline, and subtle shaping of the side seams.

As usual, I couldn't stop myself from

adding some of my own design details:

The top on the left features a yoke made of silk dupionni with the body of the top in cotton/lycra jersey knit. I raised the neckline of this version, and added a CF slit. I wish I could say it was an intended "brilliant" design detail, LOL, but I can't. Because after raising the neckline and making the yoke from a woven fabric (when it was designed for knits) I needed to add a slit to get it over my head ! But I like the way it turned out...something a little different.

The top on the right was made entirely of cotton lycra knit. I added gathers at the CF. Why ? Just because I felt like it... { BIG GRIN }

SEWING NOTES: Yokes interfaced with PRO-SHEER ELEGANCE Fusible Interfacing from ~Fashion Sewing Supply~, Shoulder Seams pressed towards the body, so that the sleeve gathers would lay flat (rather than "puff up").