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Opt for a Checkered Future

2024-05-22T15:35:22-07:00

An updated version of the classic ’boyfriend’ shirt, B6995 is fluid with a hint of romance. A double-wide front placket with offset buttons and buttonholes, softly pointed front sides and a longer back enhance this quintessential style.

Classic, cool, and on-trend, a cotton gingham check shirt is always a good warm weather wardrobe idea. Even better than one gingham check is when you can find a similar gingham check in a different scale or color. The base fabrics do not need to be identical but should be similar in weight.

Designed for a light/mid/shirting weight woven fabric it works in weights from hanky linen to flannels depending on the desired drape.

Pockets are included in the pattern and are optional. On the pattern envelope the white version is hanky linen and has no pockets to avoid show through. The sleeveless blue version is a linen/cotton blend with pockets.

You will notice in the photo that the wrong side of the fabric is visible from the longer back side. If this is bothersome visually, choose a solid color, a yarn-dyed plaid, a check or stripe, a light jacquard or a printed fabric without a lot of contrast between the front and back sides.

Note that the buttonholes are sewn off-set in the right front placket before the placket is stitched to the front and enclosed in the collar. The center front of the placket, lines up with the center front of the shirt, providing overlap for the buttons. The stitching line that holds the placket in place is offset on the right front and serves as a balance to the buttons, especially if stitched in a contrast color.

Fabric used: Mimi Japanese Cotton Seersucker for the main body, Right Bank Check for the contrast. French buttons stitched with red thread.

Originally the tunic was cut and stitched together in only the Mimi small checked seersucker. When I put it on the dress form to view I realized that a contrast check in the placket would make it more fun. By seeing a bit of the larger contrast check with the smaller it became clear that this was the way to go.

One cuff and the placket were carefully unstitched (using my favorite seam ripper). A new placket and new cuff were cut from the contrast check, stitched together and added. With red stitches in the buttons the shirt became just right. A few embroidery stitches may be added as well…

Changes I made to B6995:

Cut the placket and one cuff out of the contrasting fabric.
Cut the back center panel on the bias.
Balanced the collar to be the same width on both sides so it ends at the center front (not enclosing the placket as noted in the directions).
Added a simplified facing to both sides of the front. One inch finished width with a light interfacing.
Stitched the shirt together (except for the placket and the hem, which is done at the very end).
Finished the placket. After the long edge of the placket is stitched, pressed and turned right side out, slip-stitch the top and bottom edges closed).
After buttonholes are added, stitched placket to the right front. Center of placket lines up with the center front which is where the two fronts butt together.

For my next version I’m going to eliminate the buttons and placket, straighten the center front at the lower edge, add seam allowances to make it a seam — with a simple facing leaving room for my head — and have a tunic/dress.

B6995 is a shirt/tunic that can be designed and re-designed endlessly. This gingham check version is the first of many iterations that I can imagine.

Happy sewing!

The Hem Band Tunic — Vogue 1846

2021-11-04T12:30:00-07:00

Sculptural swingy tunic features a subtle bell shape defined by a band at the hem that adds a bit of weight and subtle movement. Other details include a small pocket tucked into the asymmetrical front seam, set in sleeves and two neckline variations. The fit skims the bust and drifts and flows over the waist and hips.

Suggested fabrics: knits in light to more substantial weights such as ponte, jersey (wool jersey, cotton/lycra jersey, rayon/lycra jersey), light weight sweater knits, wool double knit, French terry, sweatshirt knits, velvet/velours knits, recycled t-shirts and sweater knits. You could also combine different weight knits. It makes a wonderful basic in a solid color - ideal in black (or brown or navy). The pattern pieces also work well to combine different patterns or stripes or color blocking. In a light weight knit the top will hang closer to the body, in a heavier fabric the sculptural lines are emphasized. I like it both ways!

Pattern Envelope Garments

For the pattern envelope garments I used a stretch velvet knit and double sided dotty sweater knit. The dot fabric top uses both sides of the fabric so the seaming detail is emphasized.

First Prototype Garment

To test out the pattern I used a panel fabric from my stash, a substantial double knit, about the weight of a sweatshirt fabric. The fabric had a striped band at one end of the panel which I used for the stand up collar band. This has become one of my favorite cool weather tops!

Second Prototype Garment

I liked the first prototype so much I tried another version using a sweatshirt weight hemp fleece for the body and some ready made t-shirts I’d been collecting just for a project like this - I got some camera themed t-shirts on sale, so played with the images to see how they would fit into the pattern pieces. This was a trial and error project and I LOVE this kind of sewing/designing. Because the weights were different, I made the right sleeve using a double layer of the t-shirt fabric, used different bits for the neck band and sleeve facing. Because I had already made the garment I assumed I did not have to fit as I sewed….WRONG move. When the garment was finished it ended up being too big because of the stretch and drape of the fabric…so now it lives in Katherine’s closet, but I enjoy it whenever she wears it!

Sewing Tips:

I sewed the entire garment with a walking foot.

NECKBAND version #1: stand up band.

This version is a 1 to 1 relation to the body of the garment.
The band should measure the same as the neck opening along the seam line. Double check and adjust as knits respond differently,

Neckband version #2: rolled band. If the collar has a tendency to ‘collapse’ or wrinkle, a nice alternative is to simply fold the already sewn band in half to the inside and hand sew in place. This makes a soft rolled band.

Here are my notes for the Hem Band - might be a new technique, so do read the pattern directions and use these for reference.

Hem Bands: I’ve included process shots here.

The right and left hem bands are constructed separately, sewn as described below, and stitched to the garment separately

Stitch both of the side seams of left and right hem band. Trim seams, press open.
On left band, fold in half lengthwise wrong sides together and press fold in place and baste raw edges together.
Stitch the short straight ends of right hem band together.
Angled short edge on left band is a raw edge.

Trim seams, press open. Fold in half lengthwise wrong sides together and press fold in place and baste raw edges.
Stitch bands to garment:
On left hem band, match at side seam, right sides together, pin long band to the right side of the garment front and back, matching dots C & D. Stitch with band on top, easing as needed - the band is slightly smaller than the body seam. Press flat as sewn, press seam up toward body. Serge.
On right hem band, right sides together, match at side seam, right sides together, pin band to left side of the garment front and back.
Stitch both bands to the garment, matching side seams, notches and dot markings.
Stitch left band first:
On the long/left hem band, stitch band to lower edge of garment to the lower edge of triangle extension (edges are raw at this point).

On the short/right hem band, stitch to left front and back side, matching at side seams and position finished edges of band at dot A.

Stitch between dots A on front and back, stitching with band on top.

This is the tricky bit! Position the short band so the right side of the band rests on the right side of the side front.

Wrap the unfinished long edge of the long band around the seam on the short band, matching reference points. Baste. Stitch. Press flat as sewn.

Press band seams up toward garment.
Serge raw edge of band seam through all thicknesses to finish
Hand stitch short angled edge in place.

Tongue in Chic T-Shirt

2021-05-28T12:00:00-07:00

When I want to make something fast and reliable, I make a t-shirt using a tried and true pattern, and, as my friend Mary says, 'a little sewing makes any day just that much better.'

This digital print, (viscose/elastine jersey from a French mill),a photo montage of toothy smiles makes me smile. A dramatic print like this can beg the question of 'what to do with it?' As part of my Paris plan to play with more dramatic prints, I took a look around the ArtBarn to see what fabrics we have on hand to work with it and found the 4 that are incorporated into the tunic shown here. Love that it will work with all my basic blacks and add a sense of American humor, and will be fun to wear.

The pattern is Vogue 1733. I used View D/E, eliminating the angled dip in the front hem; simply re-drew the hem line from center front to the side seam so the front hem line replicates the back one. The sewing techniques are straight from our Tilton sisters' Craftsy Class, The Artful T-Shirt. I've made all the necessary alterations so it fits and I can usually stitch a top like this in a few sessions. In this case, my reward at the beginning or end of the day to slip in a bit of sewing. The neckband is a black sheer/opaque mesh knit and the sleeves are the same fabric in 2 color ways with the colors reversed at the faced sleeve.

We had enough of each of the fabrics to put together a limited edition Cool Combo, named Smiling Through, shown below.

12 available, using the same fabrics. We have to move fast to make our combos as the fabrics sell out quickly, so we need to reserve enough of each one. Included are: 1 yard Enter Laughing French Digital rayon/lycra knit, 1 yard Black Cotton/Lycra knit from St. John, fat 1/2 hard of each of the following, for sleeves/neckband: Graphite Knit, Fine Line Knit, Pizzaz Mesh Knit. A Fat Half is a half yard of fabric cut in half the length....so you have enough to cut a sleeve and neckband of each. Shown in the photo below. I love how this shot turned out to look like an old school photo contact sheet.

Here are a few guidelines for putting together your own combinations of fabrics that work in one garment. First of all, it helps to have a stash. We have hundreds of fabrics to choose from and are very particular about what works. The colors, the right combo of light/dark, cool/warm and the scale of the print, pattern and stripe/dot all need to click and harmonize in a good way. It is for this reason that I recommend that you collect certain kinds of fabrics to have on hand to choose from. This process is like putting together a bouquet or cooking so there are the right ingredients to work with.

In the combo above, the main fabric has tones of black and gray, and the white is a creamy warm white/ivory, so the stripes need to be in the same tone of warmth. The scale of the two stripes used in the sleeves and the scale of the opaque/sheer black stripe all harmonized well. Stripes and dots work well as 'blenders', bringing together colors, shapes and scale. Shades and hues come into the equation too. In mixing pigment colors, shades are made with black and tend to be darker, while hues are mixed with white and are lighter and more pale in tone. In the ArtBarn when we make our combos we need to have a selection of fabrics to choose from and have spirited discussions of what works with what. In buying for the online store I seek out stripes and dots that will blend and unify other colors and patterns, and in my own personal stash I not only collect stripes and dots, but save scraps to use as accent pieces.

The Godet Swing Tunic — Vogue 9272

2021-04-05T11:30:00-07:00

I'm excited to share this Vogue Pattern for fall, a fun flattering top/tunic. The studio working title for this pattern is, 'The Godet Swing Tunic'. Designed for knits - you could use almost any weight from a light jersey to ponte. In the garments for the pattern envelope I used a light sweater knit, a poly/lycra ITY and a ponte.

Details

Lightly fitted in the upper chest and bust, skims the waist and hips.
Comes in 2 lengths.
Has a pleated godet inserted at the hem, a flattering detail.
You could use a woven for the godet, probably not for the neck band, though I did not try it.
Fitted neck band is faced with stitched down tucks that frames the face. The tucks are stitched in at the very end.
Make the neck band and godet in a contrasting or matching fabric.
The sleeves have a faced vent (a '40's detail I use in many of my patterns), or a faced hem roll up or not.

Version 1

Shown here in the shorter version, made in a French digital print on a light weight viscose/lycra French terry sweater knit, accented with a light weight knit stripe at the neck and godets.

Version 2

In a double faced wool blend ponte in the longer version. A solid color shows the seaming and design details.

Version 3

is a poly/lycra ITY knit print with a border along each edge which we incorporated into the design. Shown in the longer version.

Marcy's Version

In a viscose/elastine jersey from my stash, made in the longer version.

Sewing and Cutting Notes

If you cut your fabric on the crossgrain in knit which does not have much stretch, use a 1” seam allowance at the side seams and adjust the garment to fit as you sew.The garment is designed with plenty of easy in the bust, but a generous seam allowance will permit adjustments during construction.
Optional: Interface the neck bands with a light weight fusible interfacing. Test first, some fabrics might not need interfacing. Test to determine which direction to run the interfacing, whether to have a bit of stretch or better if it is stable.
When sewing knits, I use a walking foot, makes everything much easier!

Godet Tips

Hem both the garment and godet before attaching the godet to the side seam - see video below for hemming tips.
The godet is stitched to the open side seam, then the seam is stitched from the top of the godet to the underarm.
Once the godet and side seam are sewn and pressed, a pleat is formed in the godet as shown in the photos below. The fold is pressed, then the pleat is secured by stitching in the ditch.

Hemming Tips

Use a spray adhesive like 505 Spray to hold the hem in place as you machine stitch, either with a single or double needle
I find it is often better to use the raw edge on a knit since serging can sometimes cause stretching. test test test...
Protect the table surface from overspray with a layer of paper.
Apply a light layer of adhesive spray to the hem width.
Use Paper to mask off the hem area.
Carefully stick the hem in place and it is ready for machine or hand stitching.
OK to give the hem a touch up press after applying the adhesive.
In the studio with Gwen Spencer and Marcy

Give Me Liberty — Tana Lawn Tunic

2021-03-31T11:30:00-07:00

After coming across an eye-popping $1100 Liberty Tana Lawn tunic while snoop-shopping noodle stories, I decided to make my own version.

Here is my adaptation of the $1100 Tunic

Used Vogue 1750, eliminating the lower tier of the dress.
I’ve made this many times and have adjusted the fit.
Cut a bit bigger by adding a bit to all seam allowances as the crinkling takes up some of the ease. You might simply cut one size bigger, but DO tissue fit to be sure.
Adjusted the length so the front is about 3” shorter than the back. I did this during construction.
Changed the neck opening from a facing to a continuous lap (as used traditionally as a sleeve vent opening. If you don’t know how to do this, google in “what is a continuous lap in sewing’.
Make a sample in scraps if this a new technique and/or to get the right width.
I used one button and buttonhole at the lower edge of the placket.
Eliminated the collar and bound the neck with double bias binding.
For a soft finish, I hand stitched the final ‘stitch in the ditch’ stitching line on both the placket and neck binding
Used single layer in seam side pockets which are topstitched in place.
Adjusted the shoulder width after the neck binding was complete.
Used a facing on the sleeve hem (as used on the pattern).

Hem

Made a ⅜” narrow finished hem.
I allow for a 1” hem, stitch around the hem edge at ⅞”, then use the stitching as an easy guide to pressing up the hem at 1” all the way around.
Then, turn the hem under on itself - this will result in a ⅜” hem allowing for the turn of the cloth. If this is a new concept, google in, ‘what is turn of the cloth in sewing’.
Miter the corners for a neat finish. INSERT: See my video on making a mitered corner.
Give the pressed under hem a good press, then stitch from the wrong side using a short 2.0 stitch, catching just the edge of the fold.

Create the crinkles

Wet the finished tunic or toss it in the washing machine on gentle with a low spin. You want the tunic to be damp wet not sopping wet.
Twist the sleeves separately, then twist the body. Lay the garment flat and start pleating from top and bottom, working across the garment, then twist the whole thing.
Place in a sunny window or outside on a towel in a sunny spot. Allow to dry then shake out and hang and wear. The wrinkles will loosen over time.
Repeat when laundering. You could also crush the tunic into a ball, put in a laundry bag and let dry.
The beauty of Liberty is that the fabric will always feel delicious whether crinkled or smooth.

Split Funnel Neck Tunic — Vogue 1637

2019-07-29T11:00:00-07:00

It was cold when this pattern was being developed, and I longed for an easy, cozy tunic to wear over leggings or jeans (as well as layered over a camisole or thin t-shirt, or under a vest or jacket).

Designed for fluid drapey knits, Vogue 1637 is a loose fitting straight lined tunic/top in two lengths with an asymmetrical split funnel neck which can be faced or cut all in one, has an asymmetrical hem and faced roll up sleeve. The sleeve facing is optional, you could eliminate it and use a hem instead. The neck can be left draped and as-is, or made narrow by rolling and stitching it in place. You can make this tunic/top in one color or contrast the facing, sleeves and side panels with 2 or more fabrics. Finished lengths in size 12: 26” short version, 30” long version. Easy to sew and fit too.

Choose your best length - it is easy to make longer or shorter at the hem. The style is a modern update on a turtle or cowl neck. Fitting is simple, though you want the sleeve seam to hit just at the shoulder line or slightly in (toward the neck), from there. If you are large busted, you may need a FBA (full bust adjustment), as the style is lightly fitted in the bust, then skims over the stomach and hips.

Suggested fabrics: knits only, such as fluid drapey light weight knits like rayon/lycra jersey, poly microfiber jersey, wool jersey, cotton/lycra jersey, lightweight ponte. You could use a slightly heavier knit for the front and back and sleeves and lighter more drapey knits for the side panels.

On the pattern envelope we used a Parisian microfiber for the blue solid color longer version. The weight and drape are perfect for this style, and this is a fabric we stock in black and colors in fall and winter. We combined 3 different viscose/elastine prints for the shorter version, a panel print for the front/back, a co-ordinating printed plaid and black and white dot for the contrasting pieces. The panel and print shown on the pattern envelope are sold out - but any of our Cool Combos make a good candidate for combining fabrics.

Sewing Tips

Collar facing

Mark dots.
Break stitching at the dots - back stitching at the dot.
HINT: stitch just up to the the notch. JUST up to, but not beyond. Ideally there is a one stitch opening (approx ⅛”), on either end of the dot. This makes a tiny hole which acts as a hinge so once the seams are trimmed and pressed, the fabric will turn without any pulling or tugging.

Neck Options

Leave as-is, the cowl neck will lie softly front and back.
Secure at the left shoulder seam (on the back side) by stitching a short (½”) length, stitching through the folds along the shoulder line.
Secure at the right shoulder (on the back side), by placing the layers at a slight angle to the shoulder seam, stitching through all layers along the edge in a short, ½” length.
Or secure by hand or invent your own!

Mitered corners on the vent hems: Take a look at this short video showing Gwen Spencer’s fast and easy miter technique which, once you do it, you will use for the rest of your life!

Marcy’s Version

For the first prototype to test the pattern, I dove into my stash and used a selection of black and gray rayon/lycra jersey stripes in harmonizing shades and weights. I cut the longer length, and inadvertently put the collar opening on the opposite side - which makes little difference. I grab this top on cool mornings, find that the pocket vest, Vogue 9322 layers nicely over it.

I plan to make this in black for fall - make it in your favorite neutral and you’ll reach for it again and again!