Garment Sewing--A Shirt

Prewashing in process

Goal number five on my November list was to make a garment for my middle granddaughter. I can't remember the last time I sewed a long sleeved shirt with a yoke. There was a time that I would make a western styled shirt for my brothers, dad, and husband. It's been about three decades since I've done that!

About 10 years ago, I bought this fabric thinking it would make a nice shirt for each granddaughter. I didn't make the shirts. In an effort to move the fashion fabric out of my studio, I decided to sew this fabric into a shirt for my almost twelve year old granddaughter. She likes plaid shirts.

I pre-washed the fabric. I was impressed that the fabric was color fast and didn't appear to shrink!

Drawing the pattern pieces from
the master pattern

The next step was to draw the pattern off of the master pattern. I have a little pattern tracing fabric left from a purchase from JoAnn Fabric store. I miss that store for notion purchases. To stretch the pattern fabric, I used wax paper to draw off the smaller pattern pieces.

The pattern

The pattern that I'm using is a Kwik Sew that I likely bought thirty years ago! 

Cut out ready for stitching

Next, I cut out the pieces from the fabric. It took a while because I ended up cutting the pieces out one at a time so that the seams, when I sew them, will match. 

Buttons from the button box

When I made shirts in the past, I did have to iron the areas of the finished shirts that were interfaced because the fusible shrunk. I did try a new to me technique which was to preshrink the fusible interfacing. I followed J Stearns Design YouTube video that she posted ten years ago! Her recommendation was to place the interfacing in hot water for about 10 minutes, gently squeeze out the excess water, roll the interfacing in a towel, gently squeeze the towel and hang the interfacing to dry. I'll be interested to hear if that process works!

The pockets went on without an issue. Then I managed to be challenged with stitching the front bands. I stitched, I ripped. I stitched and I ripped. Finally, the third time I got it right. I don't know why I was making it such a challenge! 

I have done a lot of ripping. . . goodness! I managed to make two right sleeves. . . ugh. So there was even more ripping. When I was ready to stitch the buttons, button holes and hem, I danced around the studio a bit. I gave a shout of joy when I found eight buttons in my button stash that worked! I don't know if these came from my grandma, my mom or me. I'm leaning toward my grandma. I placed a similar red \button on the collar stand. 

I thought I would finish this project over three days. . .HAH!!! It took me a week; but who will know that fact but you and me? A finish is a finish!!

I used a yard and three quarters for this project. This brings my net loss of fabric used from stash this year to 47 and a half yards. I likely will not meet my goal of having a net loss of 100 yards by the end of the year. I am pleased, however, that I have used 108 and three quarters yards of fabric from my stash. Perhaps, next year, I'll be able to curb my purchasing a bit more!

Linking to Oh Scrap and Sew and Tell.