Shirt hacking!
These are terrible selfies but it might give you some ideas for using a plaid in shirt making.
For your info. I am 5’8″ tall. My measurements 45-40-48 today. I used a size 18 EF. These are the changes I made to the pattern after the muslin stage. I did a 3/4″ forward shoulder adjustment and did the same alteration on the sleeve head to match. I have a lot less problems with twisted sleeves since I started doing those two alterations together. I also did a small 3/8″ stooping back adjustment. That’s it. It fit pretty much right out of the package.
So, here’s what I did.
First up. Change the collar. I don’t want the two piece collar on this shirt. I have a favorite collar that I have made before. I compared the neckline to a different shirt with the collar I want to use, and changed my Harrison shirt pattern pieces to match the collar.
Next up. The overlap on the front. I added to the centre front bodice pattern piece the equivalent of the front button band. Then I am going to cut the centre front bodice twice. The second piece will become my front facing. Add button loops and buttons and I am good to go. I used hair elastics in a good colour for the button loops rather than make my own.
I like the shoulders on my shirt. So I won’t change that. I am happy with the sleeve width so I won’t change that. I will leave off the button placket and cuff and try and draft up the shaped cuff in the inspiration blouse.
I also want a small bit of swing at the back so I am going to add a back box pleat at the back of the pattern below the yoke. Something like this shirt.
I decided to use a precious fabric that was in my stash. After all…….I am 64 years old and if I don’t use up my stash my sons will clean out my house when I die and I will have never gotten to enjoy it! It is a Japanese linen cotton blend. Washed and dried twice so I don’t get any shrinkage. It is just 45″ wide so not a lot of extra fabric for fussy cutting. So we shall see how it turns out.
“Shirtmaking For Curves” video class review
Along with the hacking of the Harrison I have decided to review Jenny’s video class on shirt making, Shirtmaking for Curves (I was given the video class for free for testing purposes).
Now I have been sewing for a long long time, over 50 years, actually. I have taken classes with some of the best teachers in North America. I still like to learn and try new things but there are not a lot of surprises anymore. I have taken a shirt class from Craftsy. It was just OK. Not a lot was learned and I lost interest. I have the Ron Collins shirtmaking video and it was quite fabulous. It was mostly shirt making for men but he does such exquisite details that I enjoyed every minute.
This Cashmerette shirt making video class is really quite great. There is so much detail for the beginning sewer. She also is great on video and speaks with confidence giving the watcher an equal amount of confidence. Also I quite enjoyed the accent! I have to say I did learn something new in her class. A technique called “crowding”. I did learn the technique from my grade 8 teacher but have never seen anyone use it since. I also didn’t know the name of the technique.
So if there are any of you considering taking a video class and need some help deciding which one to take, I would highly recommend this class.
Oh Elaine ,what a wonderful, wonderful posting! I am definitely in the yes,yes do more please camp. It’s already been said so I will just 2nd all previous compliments.
When I look back at older posts I see such a beautiful evolution taking place! Thank you for sharing!
Wow, Elaine! Fantastic shirt and fabric!! Well done! I agree you should do more of these demo’s for those of us with a whole lot less inspiration, imagination and skill.
Elaine,
I checked out Cutting Line Designs and saw two patterns that looked like the collar you used on your shirt hack. One was “The Directors’s Cut” describing a non-bulky collar, and the other was a newer pattern (forgive me, I can’t remember the name) that utilized a “unique” one piece collar. Does either of those sound like the collar you used? I know you said the collar was from an out of print pattern.
I thought I would ask before purchasing either of the patterns.
Thank you in advance for any help and guidance you can provide.
Abbie
I used the collar from the Pure and Simple jacket. I am sure many of her collars are very similar in shape.
Elaine, I really love this shirt and thank you for sharing the hack. Please do more of this sort of thing…you are really good at it. You’ve grown, as a sewist.
Oops, sorry for the typo in my previous post. It should have said, “So good to READ your latest post.” Sorry. I guess I’m more tired than I thought. Cheers, A.
Elaine,
So good to your latest post. I consider you my “mentor” and always look forward to your submissions. I love your shirt, made with the Japanese fabric, but wanted to know what pattern you used for the collar. The stand up collar on that blouse is fantastic. The shirt/blouse fits you like a dream and I admit it, I’m jealous.
Someday I hope to meet you in person. Your posts/submissions fill me with renewed vigor to keep sewing.
Happy Holidays.
Abbie Van Doren
Thank you Abbie. I love the idea of being a mentor. The collar is from one of Louise Cuttings out of print patterns. I love her collars. She makes her collars one piece so that you done have any seam on the front of the collar. It makes the points much easier to get sharp and really reduces the bulk. The under collar is then cut of the bias. All of her collars are cut out the same way.
I will be at Puyallup the year.
Thank you Abbie. I love the idea of being a mentor. The collar is from one of Louise Cuttings out of print patterns. I love her collars. She makes her collars one piece so that you don’t have any seam on the front of the collar. It makes the points much easier to get sharp and really reduces the bulk. The under collar is then cut of the bias. All of her collars are cut out the same way.
I will be at Puyallup the year.
Elaine,
Thanks for your quick response. And….thank you for the info on the Louise Cutting collar. I am going to Orlando in January for a sewing retreat with Louise and Linda Lee. I will carefully look at “all” the collars.
I wish I could go to Puyallup but unfortunately I live in Maine. I shall keep my fingers crossed that our paths may cross one day in the future.
Cheers, and Happy Holidays,
Abbie
I went to that same Florida retreat a few years ago. Maybe 7 ? You will learn lots. They are both really good teachers. The collars alone make this a great investment and fit help is great.
Elaine,
I checked out Cutting Line Designs and saw two patterns that looked like the collar you used on your shirt hack. One was “The Directors’s Cut” describing a non-bulky collar, and the other was a newer pattern (forgive me, I can’t remember the name) that utilized a “unique” one piece collar. Does either of those sound like the collar you used? I know you said the collar was from an out of print pattern.
I thought I would ask before purchasing either of the patterns.
Thank you in advance for any help and guidance you can provide.
Abbie
Thanks for posting about the plaid. I just finished my Harrison muslin and it’s wearable! So happy with it I’m going to make a couple more. I was wondering how the plaid would work on the bias the way you did it. Now I will try it with some plaid flannel I have and love. What did you do with the back? Did you bias the center panel or the yolk to tie the back into the front?
Next up is a Christmas shirt that will entertain my grandchildren this year. It’s got Santa’s on it! ? Then I’ll do my plaid one,
Love yours and love reading about what you sew, We are the same age so it’s nice to see these things on someone more my age.
Margo (also from rural Canada)
Actually I put the yoke on the bias.
Your shirt looks wonderful.
I did a forward shoulder adjustment & a sleeve head now it’s perfect …..love the pattern
Wow loved your makes especially that beautiful Japanese fabric you had been saving. Your styling is wonderful and I am going to try your idea of the box pleat. I bought this pattern in September and still haven’t downloaded it. I am very new to PDF’s but as I live in NZ they are the most convenient option with these Indie patterns. Thanks for the inspiration.
OMG – what an awesome shirt you made!
You look happy in it.
I am glad there is an age where one can actually cut into precious fabric.
I just had to say Kathy how much I loved your comment – I honestly laughed out loud because I thought the VERY same thing – not so much reaching an age but the fabric – how old does the FABRIC have to be before it becomes LESS precious enough I can cut into it!
I did the Pam Howard class and I liked it. She speaks slowly, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, its actually pretty relaxing. I only had one gripe and that was the tower placket instructions was not included in the course, she tells you to go to her own website for instructions and when you do so the video is not Craftsy quality. But I did learn from the video and I liked her style.
I love that picture you posted of that swing back with the triangle. The sewn triangle looks so neat, anyone know how to do that?
Awesome…Wasn’t sure I liked the fabric while it was still in one piece but the end result is spectacular, well done!
Good afternoon. I just finished reading about the shirt & of course learning, as I enjoy doing.
I am also a retired RN & have been sewing for more than 50 yrs. I watched my grandmother as a child. She was a beautiful seamstress. She would take measurements & sit on the floor & cut a pattern of her own design out of newspaper. Amazing. Wedding dresses & all. I only wish I were that talented.
Anyway my first attempt at sewing was on an old treadle that I could make hum. I’m pretty much self taught with very few classes. (The area I live in doesn’t have much to offer.) But wow, now we have the internet with blogs, & sites like this one & of course you-tube. It’s amazing.
Your shirt is gorgeous & you look as happy as I was when I saw the end result on you. I love it.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Carol
A grateful sewer here. Thanks for all your kind responses. The fabric was too narrow to fussy cut. So I just cut it out as per the usual methods and this is what I got. I did turn the middle front bodice piece upside down so I could use the dots in a place that pleased me. That was it.
The moral of the story. If you have a fabulous but interesting print. Just use it. Cut it out and go for it. Great big prints with interesting patterns would be lovely in this context. JUST USE IT and see.
Beautiful shirts! Thanks for the class recommendstion. I am going to check it out now!
I would like to mention that I added between 3 and 4 inches to the side seams starting gradually from below the bust. I wanted a bit oversized and not as well fitting through the body as the shirt pattern itself.
Help us out! Which Craftsy class wasn’t so hot?
It was the Pam Howard class. It wasn’t a bad class it just wasn’t great.
That is adorable!!!
I much prefer your shirt hack to the Pinterest inspiration shirt. Great job!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your shirts! I’m 66, and this is a wake-up call to start using my stash, also…great ideas, Elaine, executed to elicit envy in all who cast their gaze upon you! Happy Thanksgiving! We sewists have much to be thankful for!
I adore your shirt hack, Elaine! The prints combo are great together. I would throw my hat into the ring in suggesting to use the lightest fusible interfacing you can find to fuse it to the bias piece. Shouldn’t affect the drape of the fabric by much at all and it will help with the stretching. The weight of the fabric would be similar to that of a facing piece.
Lovely use of fabrics and some very attractive and original effects for the shirts! I love the visual effects of chevrons, interlocking checks, and the other clever-looking, apparently-intricate effects that in reality are not difficult to achieve.
Hints for cutting and sewing on the bias when you want the visual effect, but not the physical bias effect:
1. if the fabric is a nice stable shirting, starch the heck out of it before cutting and sewing. Just remember to give your machine a good cleaning afterwards!
2. if it’s an area where the fabric is doubled – typically a yoke – cut the underneath piece on grain; this will stabilise the bias-cut piece. Starch the bias piece before cutting if you are nervous.
3. if it’s a *very* bias=y fabric, I find that block fusing a suitably-sized piece of fabric with a very fine interfacing will enable you to cut out and sew in confidence, and usually changes the hand just enough that the bias piece will now match more closely that of the on=grain cut pieces. Do a test first, though, and if in doubt, try heavy starching..
4. if you are nervous of stretching a long straight bias edge while handling it and sewing it, I find that running a narrow strip of low-tack masking tape “within the seam allowance* gives enormous confidence and is easily removed afterwards.
5. remember that the seams on a pattern like the Harrison don’t just a way to get excellent fit, but also offer design opportunities and very effectively stabilise fabrics, so make the most of them!
Hope that helps.
Elaine I absolutely loved your final shirt – I loved the way you shaped it, the interplay of the fabric pattern – it’s gorgeous! All that you did with it was impressive but when I read you’ve been sewing for 50 years I thought, “Now don’t get excited you have a ways to go before you can imagine doing something like this!” 🙂 I’m 62 but I’ve only just returned to sewing in the last 2 after NOT sewing for 40 so in all honesty I consider myself to be a new sewer 🙂 Great blog post! I’m signed up for the shirt making video class and you’ve made me more excited about doing it – very soon! I have it on my winter sewing roster and you’ve given me a nudge to get on that SOON 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to prepare, edit and photograph for this fabulous post.
OMGoodness! Love the final product! Thank you for the class review too- it’s going on my Christmas list!
What a fantastic hack and review, Elaine! Thank you so much for writing it. I love both your shirts, especially the hack.