Sewing Tutorials and Shirt Designs by Pamela Erny.
Featuring tailored ~Off The Cuff~ Menswear Shirts, Clothes for Children, and other Fashion Apparel...plus "How To" Sewing Tutorials, Sewing and Design Tips, Sewing Techniques, and more.
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3/03/2010
Hot Off the Machine...Newest Shirt Design
This "Striation Stripe" Shirt is my latest original hand-drafted design, made for one of my favorite clients. This shirt's design features include a Band Collar, French Front plackets, buttoned "Cigar Pocket", cross-stripe Sleeve Plackets, and Wood buttons.
SEWING NOTES-- Fabric provided by the client. Pro-Woven Fusible Interfacing from ~FASHION SEWING SUPPLY~
Pam How do you determine when to use Pro Woven Fusible Interfacing or or the Pro Sheer on a project? Do you make samples or do you already know from experience which would be best for the fabric you are working with?
Anonymous, Generally I just know from experience which interfacing to use. However, there are times that I make quick samples from scrap fabric to test a variety of my interfacings.
Usually this is how it works out--
ProWoven Fusible, for classic SHIRTS made from shirting cotton or cotton blends.
ProSheer Elegance, for soft unstructured BLOUSES and TOPS made from knits, or lightweight wovens, and delicate fabrics like silk.
What a lucky customer! Your fabric choice is stunning, and the cuff and sleeve placket variation is so effective. I'll have to keep this technique in mind--elegant work--brava!!!
Very nice! Wow, that sure looks like a fabric I just bought from fabric.com: http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=60335525-43e7-4974-9b41-1ac879a98c37&CategoryID=b15cca46-4361-476d-86e7-a833e5bff70c
Great to see it (or a fabric very much like it) made up!!
Just in case anyone else had the same question about the French Front placket. I found a men's drafting book that had one so I withdraw the question. Nancy Zieman's covered it in several of her books. She called it the "Pronto" placket where the front extension is folded and stitched in such a way as to mimic a sewn on placket.
Theresa, please forgive me for not answering your question right away. I have been quite ill for the past few days.
Thank-you for your excellent explanation in my absence :) Zieman's explanation does lack some information, however. A French-Front button Placket is a timeless classic design detail of it's own, it is not used to mimic a sewn on placket or as a short-cut technique. It *is* a cut-on placket...one that is turned twice to the *inside* so that a clean, sharp reinforced fold is seen on the "public side" of the shirt.
That said, a "Cut-on Placket" can be folded twice to the *outside* and top-stitched to mimic a sewn placket..that technique is called a "Cut-on Placket".
Let me add that with a classic French front placket, it is very important that the shirt front is cut precisely on the straight grain. Here in my studio we do that by tearing the fabric length-wise and placing the edge of the placket side of the front pattern piece along the torn edge. If we are working with fabric that does not tear neatly, we very carefully follow a lengthwise (warp) thread when placing the pattern.
Pam, thanks for the tip on "absolutely" straight grain for the French front placket. I've done a few of them but was not so fussy, and although the shirts looked nice, they could have been better. I will keep that in mind the next shirt I make. Hope you are feeling better soon.
I truly appreciate your comments, Thank-you! I have eliminated the annoying 'word verification' (yay!) but now I need to Moderate all comments, sorry! *** Your Comment Will be Posted After Moderation...I have to do this to stop spam***
Pam
ReplyDeleteHow do you determine when to use Pro Woven Fusible Interfacing or or the Pro Sheer on a project? Do you make samples or do you already know from experience which would be best for the fabric you are working with?
Great new shirt design, I am sure the client will be so pleased.
ReplyDeleteOh, Pam, that's a beauty!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Generally I just know from experience which interfacing to use. However, there are times that I make quick samples from scrap fabric to test a variety of my interfacings.
ReplyDeleteUsually this is how it works out--
ProWoven Fusible, for classic SHIRTS made from shirting cotton or cotton blends.
ProSheer Elegance, for soft unstructured BLOUSES and TOPS made from knits, or lightweight wovens, and delicate fabrics like silk.
Very nice! I just my my little grandson a dress shirt without a pattern. This makes about 4 i've made for him.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky customer! Your fabric choice is stunning, and the cuff and sleeve placket variation is so effective. I'll have to keep this technique in mind--elegant work--brava!!!
ReplyDeletethats is a n excellnt design, I admire your skills.
ReplyDeletejanome sewing machines
Very nice! Wow, that sure looks like a fabric I just bought from fabric.com: http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=60335525-43e7-4974-9b41-1ac879a98c37&CategoryID=b15cca46-4361-476d-86e7-a833e5bff70c
ReplyDeleteGreat to see it (or a fabric very much like it) made up!!
Anonymous...thanks, glad you like the shirt. Yes you are right, the fabric does look very similar!
ReplyDeleteFabulous shirt!
ReplyDeletePam, that is some wonderful fabric, kinda like butterscotch you can wear. Define "French Front Placket" if you would please.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I like how the simplicity of the construction lines compliment the fabric without the two competing.
ReplyDeletehi pam ,glad to hear from you ,was thinking of you last night hoping that all was well with you,jane and the kitties from the sewing lists
ReplyDeleteJust in case anyone else had the same question about the French Front placket. I found a men's drafting book that had one so I withdraw the question. Nancy Zieman's covered it in several of her books. She called it the "Pronto" placket where the front extension is folded and stitched in such a way as to mimic a sewn on placket.
ReplyDeleteFabulous fabric and really suits the design!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTheresa, please forgive me for not answering your question right away. I have been quite ill for the past few days.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for your excellent explanation in my absence :)
Zieman's explanation does lack some information, however. A French-Front button Placket is a timeless classic design detail of it's own, it is not used to mimic a sewn on placket or as a short-cut technique. It *is* a cut-on placket...one that is turned twice to the *inside* so that a clean, sharp reinforced fold is seen on the "public side" of the shirt.
That said, a "Cut-on Placket" can be folded twice to the *outside* and top-stitched to mimic a sewn placket..that technique is called a "Cut-on Placket".
Let me add that with a classic French front placket, it is very important that the shirt front is cut precisely on the straight grain. Here in my studio we do that by tearing the fabric length-wise and placing the edge of the placket side of the front pattern piece along the torn edge.
If we are working with fabric that does not tear neatly, we very carefully follow a lengthwise (warp) thread when placing the pattern.
Pam, thanks for the tip on "absolutely" straight grain for the French front placket. I've done a few of them but was not so fussy, and although the shirts looked nice, they could have been better. I will keep that in mind the next shirt I make. Hope you are feeling better soon.
ReplyDelete