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I fought the Elna and I WON!


I finished my shirt last night. This is how I wore it today, with my jacket. I wasn't sure about it like this but at an appointment I had this morning, I had 3 people go WOW great outfit and then they were super surprised that I made the jacket and shirt.

Thank you for all the suggestions in the comments. I took most of them up. I put a strip of interfacing in between the facing and the front and that seemed to do the trick. I also reset the machine every time too, by turing it on and off. A bit annoying but not very time consuming so it wasn't worth not doing it - just in case ;)!




The cuff and button. I thought the shirt would be just too plain so I decided to put some little details like the pink button holes and sewing the buttons on in pink thread too.


This was inspired by the hanging loop and the feature strip on the the collar. This pattern doesn't have a yoke so changed it to with yoke and also a pleat of fabric in the back so it wouldn't be bigger on my shoulders but fit my derriere! Lucky I did this because if I hadn't there is no way it would have fit.

Changing the yoke wasn't even a matter of drafting the piece. I just put a fold where I wanted the yoke to end, added a seam allowance and then did the same to the bottom piece of the shirt adding the  seam allowance again. Easy peasy. Because I wanted the yoke to be on the bias, I had to cut the outer yoke out of scrap and I had to piece it, but I like the look even though there wasn't enough fabric to actually cut it exactly on the bias hence it doesn't meet up nicely but I tried.

The floral feature fabric was scrap from a dress I made years ago, it was way too small even though I made a 12, and recently I gave it to a friend's daughter. (she loves it). Really there was nothing left of the scraps. I wanted to make the one piece (folded) cuff into a faced one with the floral fabric but I just didn't have anywhere near enough for that.



I did have enough for the inside collar stand. I really like the pink highlights with this shirt and I think it really needs it.


Shirt after wearing so is rumpled, sorry.

I don't know if you can see it (and I wasn't trying) but the buttons have some writing on them. It says "QANTAS" Australia's national airline. Funnily, I did work for QANTAS before having my son, but not with a uniform that had buttons so I didn't harvest these. I must have bought buttons at an op shop somewhere and never noticed! Overall I'm very happy with my shirt even though I feel like a "woman wearing comfortable shoes" in it. Thanks again for your hints in overpowering taming the machine.

What's next? I have many things a zip up merino knit jacket from an Ottobre pattern cut out and I'd like to get this made and a pair of jeans (not cut yet) for a little trip we are taking to the mountains not far away in the future, where it will be much colder than our winter daily of about 21 degrees celsius. 

Comments

Sue said…
Great shirt - I love the use of the contrasting fabric and the pink thread for the buttons.
Summer Flies said…
Thanks Sue. It's quite a well drafted pattern.
Mary said…
Hurray! It looks great.
Sarah Liz said…
Great shirt - and certainly you needed that machine to behave for contrast buttonholes. I like all the colourful details - a comfy shirt needs these as it lifts the garment into the special category.
Unknown said…
I love those little details. Such fun. You are very skilled. Curious about the buttons!
Unknown said…
I love those little details. Such fun. You are very skilled. Curious about the buttons!
Kyle said…
Love love love the gingham shirt--I want to make a gingham shirt soon, after just finishing a gingham tote this weekend. Nothing says summer like gingham! Love your contrasting buttonholes and pink thread with your Quantas buttons and contrasting floral fabric. YAY!
Sewingfunthings said…
Beautiful shirt with nice details.
BeaJay said…
You certainly did win. Great shirt. Love the pop of florals.

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