Japanese Shirt Pattern Journey...Fabric and Pattern Choices
Well...so far, so slow. The good news is that a shirt pattern is a shirt pattern is a shirt pattern. What I mean is that I am very familiar with shirt pattern "parts"...there isn't much I haven't seen after sewing hundreds of shirts I've either drafted from scratch or used patterns to make.
The slow part is familiarizing myself with the methodology of this Japanese Shirtmaking book with no English translation. Specifically, how these pattern pieces are drafted and how the seam allowance margins are allocated. Because not all the seam allowances are the same width. This is a very good thing, and a sign of sophisticated drafting. It saves time to have all the pieces fit together and not need trimming after the seams are sewn...it also saves fabric, always a good thing. On the other hand, these patterns allocate allowances a bit differently than I do when I hand-draft a pattern. And since I want to give a fair review of these patterns, I'll cut the pieces their way...I am always open and eager to learn something new. So, This weekend I hope to get the pattern pieces traced and walked...but only after I've given my studio a good tidying up.
For the first shirt using these patterns, I've chosen a fabric of good but not great quality. One that is good enough to get accurate results (no stretching or shrinking), but one that if it becomes a "give-away", I won't have regrets. I try very hard to avoid "sewing regrets" :)
I'm very much looking forward to reading this series. I'm about to do a review on a Japanese Craft pattern, too! (I made a shirt for my son, Peter)
ReplyDeleteI'm very anxious to read your review of this book. I plan on surprising my honey with some custom-made shirts this Christmas. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am anxious for the review too.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize there were different seam allowances. I have already learned something!!
ReplyDeleteI have this book, but it's just been resting with the rest of them. I'm looking forward to your review. I was attracted by the various collar and cuff patterns.
ReplyDeleteOh I am looking forward to this.
ReplyDeleteI have this book also but (clearly!!) had not pulled out the pattern sheets and looked at them....I assumed they were like Burda magazine and hadn't added seam allowances! Wouldn't that have been a nasty surprise when I went to go sew them together!! I can't wait to see what you put together.
ReplyDeleteCan you give a page ref. for what's bothering you? I have the book and can easily check for you.
ReplyDeleteThe book and it's styles are not hard, neither are the pattern pieces...I was just making an observation that the way the seam allowances are allocated and marked are different than traceable patterns that we usually see ;)
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I recover from a very painful hip injury, I'll be continuing with the series...I promise!