Hi Sewists!
I was so excited when I heard that the Sewcialists theme for February was menswear related, I think I was one of the first to put my hand up to write a guest post. If you haven’t already, you can follow the Sewcialists HERE and catch up with all the great inspiration posts that arrived through January. And you can read my post HERE.
The main aim of the Sewcialists is to promote inclusivity and provide a safe and encouraging environment where every voice can be heard. Not a bad goal to have, and I can say that Gillian and the team are certainly achieving what they set out to do.
To celebrate menswear, I couldn’t think of a more ‘fitting’ garment than a Western shirt. And I’m SO in love with this one! I got the fabric while I was out shopping with a transatlantic sewing buddy (you know who you are 😉 thank you I had a great time) and couldn’t wait to sew it up… of course, I had to wait, but here it is at last!
The pattern is Simplicity 1327 and it could do with a few tweaks to be honest. I made a size smaller than my measurements dictated, due to the amount of ease included. I also took a wedge out of the sleeve pattern piece – I sliced up the middle and overlapped it by as much as I could without making the cuff too narrow – and they still came out a bit on the voluminous side. I need to make the actual arm hole smaller… I also need the shoulder & top of the chest slightly wider… the collar could be a tad slimmer…
All in all, I’m not really sure whether to make these alterations to this pattern – or simply draft a new yoke to my regular patten…? The first option would be a good learning curve. The second option would be quicker… hm.
But either way, none of this stops me from loving this shirt any less! Please go and check out the Sewcialists post if you want any more details. And check out the rest of their menswear inspiration while you’re there! Until next time,
Happy Sewing!
Notes to self;
- Get a proper fitting shirt pattern.
- Is it time to start drafting my own patterns? … I always thought I’d have to buy a dilapidated farm house in rural France before that happened… or at least I hoped I’d have to!
To produce a shirt pattern that fits you well, try taking the specifications from a shirt you already own and incorporate those specs into a pattern you have used, or will be using. Then, once you have the specs transferred, it’s time for a muslin sample. Cut, sew, and test fit, and make the minor alterations to get the exact fit you want. It does take a little more time this way, but in the end, you will get a much better fitting garment.
Thank you John, sound advice indeed. I probably need a lesson in patience first!
Teach yourself to draft — find a copy of the “Make Your Own Dress Patterns” textbook by Adele Margolis (it’s not limited to women’s wear). Far easier to do than you might imagine … you don’t even have to struggle with maths if you can fold a tape measure. Or paper.
Even if you never use the skill of pattern drafting for anything other than evaluating commercial pattern pieces, it’s worth the time to learn.
Thanks for the advice 🙏 I’ve got ‘pattern cutting for menswear’ by Gareth Kershaw, but have only read the section on jeans! – it’s definitely something I want to dedicate some time to 👍🙏
Nice work and a cute print! I see what you mean about the alterations but it still looks very wearable. You could always transfer the design details from this shirt onto one with a good basic fit. Re pattern drafting: just go for it! Gives you complete control over your design and is very satisfying. It’s a learning curve but you probably know more than you think, and already understanding construction is a huge advantage. I started long before I moved to a dilapidated farm house in rural Australia!
Thank you Liz, you’re right, I should just get on with some proper drafting! I’ve dabbled a bit but I think it’s time to roll the rug up & get down to business! 👍🙏👏😀
Those are indeed good goals. That is quite a cute shirt, and I love the photo too. I hope that you and the Mr. are well–it’s been a while since I have been able to read all the blogs I used to–I’ve been rather caught up in the miracles-for-money biz, and cranking them out quite nicely too!
Hey! Great to hear from you! Glad you’re keeping busy, and glad you like the shirt! I’m living out all my 7yr old child dreams of being a cowboy! 👍🙏
That reminds me of Cowboy Dreams by Prefab Sprout–it might make a good tap routine theme somehow!
Ooh, I’ll look it up, thanks! 🙏