Prints charming

A couple of years ago I designed this shirt with a notion of using up some printed cottons in the stash.

I traced a pattern off a bought shirt and made a new pattern by a haphazard method of adjusting mock-ups on myself. Once I had something I was happy with I found that the fabric I was planning to use was nowhere near enough so I put the pattern away but kept the picture on my phone in case I should happen upon a fabric store.

I eventually selected a couple of prints from Spotlight’s range of cotton duck. The fabric kind of looks like it is not meant for shirts but on the other hand it’s sturdy without being stiff. Since I made my pattern I have been educated in the ways of pattern-making and adjusting, however I decided I couldn’t be bothered redoing my pattern. I just did a square shoulder adjustment and called it good. Well, that and I drafted a stand for the collar. And part way through I remembered that it would need plackets for the sleeves and buttons so I drafted them too.

The peplum is fully lined. First I sewed all the panels together for each layer, stopping the seam where the corner started curving. Then I sewed the two layers together along the lower edge, taking the stitching on each panel up to meet the existing seam. I next sewed the peplum to the shirt body and topstitched a strip of fabric over the join. The panels went together like panels. The front yoke and back peak are lined with poplin and top-stitched over the body panels.

I was pleasantly surprised with how this turned out. Most of the way along I was ‘not sure about this’ because old pattern, weird fabric and prints, and construction techniques made up on the fly but the overall effect is pretty neat. And the inside looks quite good too, I think. I’m struggling to imagine me wearing it though.