You may recall that I thought it would be a good idea to sew a few button downs and other shirts for my trip this week. Well I can safely say that it’s not going to happen, not for a lack of effort, but I completely forgot how long it takes to make a single item. Button downs do have a lot more steps to them and flat felled seams on a curve are fiddly. I spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon making the pattern on swedish tracing paper, adjusting the pattern and around lunch time I took a break. I had gotten the fit around the right place, not where I would really want the finished garment, but I thought close enough. Close enough to say, lets do like my friend does and make a wearable muslin. Which is a test garment, but is also a real garment and not one that is only meant to be a test. So that’s what I did after lunch, I brought out some plaid I bought from joanns (in December, but at least it’s not as old as some of my stash).
All the while, the fabric I really wanted to make a shirt out of (and planned on it years ago) sat patiently waiting for its turn. I proceeded to sew the plaid, but came upon the first change when cutting out the pieces. Normally you cut out two of the yoke and encase the yoke/back seam and the shoulder seams in it. But since this fabric is a little thicker, I decided to forgo that extra bulk, opting for a different approach. That’s right, I used the serger on those seams and top stitched them in place. I had to wrestle with the serger to switch from white to black thread, but honestly it looks good. With that done, I went ahead and tackled the sleeves. And honestly, if you just pin/quilters clip it and go slow, you can get a nice result. I was fairly shocked at how well they turned out. Then the flat felled seam for both sleeve caps, honestly took longer then all of the sewing and fitting. With that out of the way I could finally test the garment in fabric, by sewing the side seams. And I put it on to realize I was right before…. I should have taken out the extra width in the hips and midsection. You might recall this is the “larger figures” version of the pattern and I think what they meant is that it’s for someone with a fluffier midsection. Granted I do have some fluff, but not as much as the pattern thinks. So I took out those seams, measured where things should be, basted the new seams and it’ll do.
That’s where the garment sits right now as I type this. I still have to do the flat felled seams, attach the collar stand, the collar, do all the finishing, button holes, and then it’ll be ready. I don’t see that happening today or tomorrow and making the other fabric too, while making a slight adjustment to where the arms eye sits. I think it’s really time to turn my attention to my knitting I’m going to be brining with me. I’m thinking socks, after last year’s Washington trip was so good with socks instead of bulky items. I won’t have a lot of room to pack too much, as I’m trying this whole one bag travel thing, but I’ll have a little room for a purchase or two. Though when I mentioned one place we are going to my mom she said “you can’t bring a floor loom as a carry on.” Which I had a good chuckle about, as I am going to Eugene Textile Center to look at a few different floor looms to prepare for which loom I will replace the Baby Wolf with in the future. No it has not sold yet, but I’m hopeful it’ll sell by the summer.
I’ll try to update you in small tidbits with the fun fiber stuff as they happen. But that might be in a larger post next week when we are preparing to leave. Off to Eugene and Portland I go, though no Knit Purl this year (they closed a while ago) but I’ll find a store or two to look at while I’m there.
Tyger Knits 