Project: Style Print 1421 { Notes Pt II }

Firstly, apologies for my absence. I started a new job and combined with my current Merlin obsession I'm having trouble fitting in anything else at the moment.

I wore my Style Print 1421 shirt in white polycotton, my first ever homemade item of clothing from a vintage pattern. You can't really see it in this photo (sorry, the only full length mirror I currently have access to is in the work bathrooms) as my little cardi covers it up (due mostly to the fact that I've yet to sew buttons on the cuffs and it was the only way to stop the sleeves from flailing about like mad things) but I promise you it's the same shirt.

Problems that have come to light after wearing this shirt for the day is that 1950's shirts were short. Seriously, how did anyone not flash their bellies whilst wearing these? Every time I reached up I'd pop out the front, every time I bent down I'd pop out the back. I'll definitely be adding a couple of inches to the bottom of this pattern the next time I make it because I can't be going around with bits of me hanging out, it's just not dignified!

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Project: Style Print 1421 { Notes }

Well, I finally finished my shirt (for a sane explanation on the pose please see previous post).

First Impressions of Sewing With A Vintage Pattern/ Sewing My First Piece of Clothing:

1) You are expected to have some modicum of common sense. Unfortunately, when it comes to sewing I seem to lose all mine. I had to recut the tie collar because I thought it would be best to sew the two pieces together after I'd stitched around the outsides. I know, I know, don't ask me what I was thinking, I obviously wasn't. Thankfully, the recut version went together perfectly.

2) Do not put anything with TV boyfriend David (Tennant) in it on the box to keep you company whilst sewing. This Does Not Help with concentration. Nor does anything to do with the Twilight Universe. Or Callum (Keith Rennie). In fact, steer clear of anything to do with brooding vampires or TV boyfriends (especially TV boyfriends with exciting clavicles and tantalising glimpses of chest hair*) whilst sewing. This should mean that you'll remember to sew the two collar pieces together before having to turn in the right way.

3) Follow the gorram instructions! That way maybe you won't have to recut the collar. Oh, and learn the difference between interfacing and facing please.

4) Listen to your Mother. She's usually right, you know this, why do you constantly fail to remember this?

5) Strangely, despite having made clothes before (albeit a long time ago) I think I was expecting to just go whizz whizz whizz, hey presto a piece of clothing that looks like something you could buy in a store but more to my taste. What I've got is a shirt that looks okay, I don't think you can tell it's handmade - which, frankly, is a miracle! - but to me it's obviously not store bought not because it's badly put together but because the size of the facing in the front that's clearly visible through the thin polycotton I used. Either I wasn't supposed to use such a thin material or the 50's had different ideas over facing sizes in comparison to today's cheapskate clothing companies.

6) Shirt's from the 50's appear to be a lot shorter than contemporary shirts, probably because they were more often than not going to be tucked into a higher waistband than today's bottoms. If I'm going to make any shirts that may not be tucked in on every wear then I'll have to remember to lengthen the pattern to accomodate that.

All in all I count this one as a win, despite the bad hemming, help from Mum, the too ripped top buttonhole (I got a little rip happy) and the neck facing I can't sew down. I don't think any of those things are really visible and I'm chalking this one up as a yay to me as a result.

* Mmmmmmmmmm

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Project: Style Print 1421

Finally. Finally! This is finished. Due to my procrastination this has taken me far longer than it should have but I am no longer scared of button holes thanks to my fabulous sewing machine that does it all for me! Literally. All I do is put the pedal to the metal. I lurves button holes! These were my first button holes ever and have come out fabulously, I'm so pleased! 

Mum was right, sewing the sleeve and side seam all in one long swoop is infinitely easier. After making some tiny pleat/ gathers along the arm scythe to make the extra fabric fit I just whizzed along the sleeve seam, down the side seam and voila! one side done. Gorffen*. Finis. 

I'm not happy with the hem, I just rolled and rolled again and then straight stitched down as I wasn't sure what else to do and the instructions for the blind hem stitch on my machine were a little off putting. It's resulted in the two puckers you can see at the bottom front where I hit the facing and interfacing but as the shirt is designed to be tucked in I don't care! 

I still don't have a clue about gussets. Mum did those for me whilst I was ... well, I was rummaging in the fridge for more coke and making marmite on toast if I'm honest but that's what Mum's are for ;)  I think if I ever make anything that requires gussets I'll have to investigate a better way to do it than the method laid out in this pattern.

And finally, a note on my pose; I thought I'd copy the pose of the view that I sewed to make it easier to figure out which one is the right one. I'm desperately trying not to laugh in the picture so please excuse me and my glasses (I forgot to take them off first like usual).

This is the first completed item for my Sewing With A Plan. Woo and indeed hoo!

Notes to Remember

1) Attach the neck facing to the shoulder seams so the collar sits properly, but allow enough fabric at the back of the neck to ensure it sits flat. I didn't on this project and so I couldn't sew the facing down.

2) Don't bother with interfacing the front pieces next time, just stick with facing.

3) Get Mum to sew all your gussets as you still don't have a clue.

* I should probably mention my off and on habit of writing the odd word in other languages. I tend to write just like I speak and as I'm saying the sentances in my head as I write them, occasionally I'll pop out with foreign words. I don't know why, I just like it. The languages are Welsh and French. French I speak a little, Welsh I don't really know other than the odd word (hence why it's only bits and pieces here!). I'd love to learn Welsh but can't afford a course. My favourite words are probably pobty ping meaning microwave (bakery/ oven and ping for the noise it makes, this is slang not the proper Welsh name) and gwdihw which means owl and is pronounced much like the noise it makes (goid i hoi is as close as I can come to writing it down). Oh and the number 5: pimp (pronounced more like pump but I'm easily amused)

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Project: Style Print 1421

Do you remember this pattern? I bought it at the Cardiff Vintage Fashion Fair.

Style Print 1421 was the pattern I thought I'd start my sewing career with. At least my sewing-without-any-help-from-Mum career anyway.

Ha! Was I wrong.

I spent all day today, some of yesterday and a few hours from earlier in the month cutting and making this shirt.

I have successfully (ish) sewn the collar to the front and back pieces, added the interfacing and facing and stitched the shoulder seams closed.

But I can not for the life of me figure out what the hell the pattern's talking about when it comes to the sleeves and cuffs. Not a sodding clue! Okay that's a lie, I have an idea but given that I've had to recut the collar already (more on that later, but shame on you David Tennant) I don't have enough fabric to recut anything else that I screw up and I'm at the stage now where I'm losing patience, the will to live, and the ability not to throw it in the bin/ ignore it/ mess it all up by doing it myself (delete as applicable).

This is where I'm currently at. The deformed left side is actually the left sleeve where I've attempted to follow Mum's advice; sew the sleeve to the bodice when flat and before side seams of bodice are sewn closed because it's easier and then you can sew one long seam from cuff to bodice hem (it's pinned and not stitched so there's hope yet).

A good idea in principle I feel, particularly given the trouble I usually have easing in sleeves as directed by patterns (i.e. with all seams sewn). And you may think this is what's causing me the trouble this time. Unfortunately, that brief hope was extinguished once I realised just how much ease had to be stuffed in to a hole a good two inches too small. This is not a sleeve that's going to go quietly into the breach, but rather put up a long and frustrating fight as it kicks and screams it's way either into a wadder or a shirt I'll never make again. Time, and Mum's help, will tell!

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