Western Shirt, Pilot
Note, February 2012: All current proceeds from my craft go to Project “Help Us Get To The ‘Life Is Good Unschooling Conference’!”; I have until May to raise the funds. Thank you to any and all who purchase, tweet, share, FB, email, or take a body shot in my honor.
Yeah so. The ADORABLEZ? We can haz them.
I have long-enjoyed Western-style shirts and made one before. But I first observed the most striking part of this particular enterprise, a specific cuff detail, in an old MST3K short as worn by “Tommy” in “Appreciating Our Parents”. This kind of cuff – I don’t know the name for it – is relatively common in Western-style shirts (here’s another example, and while you’re there, reflect on how much softer and cuter and well-made my version is).
So I am not going to lie, the cuff was a BITCH to sew. I am raring to go on another try, which will involve a pattern re-design. Yes, like a sick little monkey I have the impulse to keep messing with the pattern until it is perfect. I have everything down except for those cuffs (and, I must confess, I need to practice my piping-making, but I learned a bit about what not to do).
By the way, hit Etsy and look about for a homesewn Western shirt (most Etsy is “upcycled”, not sewn-from scratch, these days). Homesewn Western shirts, probably not as common today as back in yesteryear. And those other shirts, do they boast a completely smooth finish on the inside? 100% flat-felled seams, not a serged edge to be seen? Cozier than the best pajamas you’ve ever had? Yeah, I’ll bet they don’t.
Other details: bias pockets and bias back-yoke. One-piece sleeves with double-tucks at cuff. A lovely soft collar, and vintage slimness and collar sharpness. Yup, this is some hot-on-50s collar action.
This item is on sale as it is a prototype. You can see more photos and read more about construction in the Flickr tagset – I also blogged a bit about my sewing projects of late.
Materials used: 1 1/2 yards soft cotton yarn-dyed plaid, 1/2 yard white quilting cotton with plaid stripe, ~64 inches red bias made into piping, 1/4 yard interfacing (I love Pam Erny’s products, NAYY), eleven pearl snaps, thread.
Time to completion of sewing and knitting (not including time gathering, shopping for, or organizing supplies): 6 hours.
Size: 8
Price (sale!): $50 * sold *
