Cancelled weekend productivity.

The weather was unsuitable for a drive up the freeway. So I got to stay home at the last minute and sew instead. I bought this pattern off the Internet recently and decided last week, since I'm so sick of my limited shirt collection (or have put on just enough weight since the bus commuting to feel limited), to give it a go before Peter Pan collars go out of fashion. I have in my mind some really nice blouses. But nice material is expensive. So before I cut up $70 worth of Japanese cotton I wanted to trial the pattern on something cheap. To make sure I make the right size and everything.

Last Wednesday I went to lincraft after work and I found some nice linen, but instead I decided to go for the cheapest stuff I could buy and still realistically probably wear. I bought some green knit, like for a tshirt, for $7.50/m and some grey stretch poplin for $15/m.

I washed the fabric with a load of sheets, towels and undies. I now have green sheets and undies.

On Friday night I traced the size M pattern pieces onto kitchen paper (this is a trick so that you can go back to the pattern and use the other sizes later, rather than cutting out the size you want and losing the rest), and pinned the pieces onto the green knit.

I got up on Saturday morning, had breakfast, got half dressed, and started work. I sewed all morning. I finish the green shirt after lunch. Not that i had lunch, except jatz and cheese. Observations: the pattern sizing is generous, esp with a stretch fabric. The sleeves do not fit well on the back of the shoulders, but I'm not sure how to alter it. The placket is difficult and totally redundant: I should just sew a fake placket on. I will never need to unbutton it. And the fabric was much too thick, esp for the placket and other fiddly bits. I did not notice that the pattern suggested very light fabric.

While all the sewing stuff was out and the house was already sew messy I thought I might as well keep going so I went straight on and started the grey poplin shirt. Again, the fabric was too thick, I think. Surprisingly so. But it was far easier to sew than the knit. So I am looking to buy something quite soft and drapey.

I left off the placket for now, I took the sleeves in a little but and made the collar go a bit closer to the centre front. I didn't use interfacing due to the thickness of the poplin. I put the collar on neatly, then realised it was all off centre slightly, so had to unpick it and put it back on. I overlooked the seams all nicely. The one thing to do is decide how to finish the placket area, because it needs something, for structural reasons as much as decoration. the collars are a little heavy and need some support to stop pulling on the neckline. So I'll have to sew on a fake placket.

The shirt is long enough to tuck in and actually looks nice tucked in, I don't traditionally tuck shirts in. The grey poplin makes it look smart. I'm in two minds about making a size smaller or not. I think it looks too big on me, but I can't try on a smaller size, can I. Thats the trouble with sewing. I think I'll go smaller next time.

The collar sits really nicely around the neck, even at the back. I am really obsessed with collars at the moment. Whenever I watch a vintage ABC or BBC thing like Miss Fisher or Call the Midwife I admire the collars on the dresses and shirts. Particularly on the working class women. Today, women can mostly choose from a business collar or a Chinese collar. The Peter Pan collar is a recent variation, I'm not sure if it will catch on or it is too babyish. But the old clothes on TV have heaps of variations on collars.