The Sewing Place
The Emporia => In the wardrobe => Patterns Discussion => Topic started by: b15erk on January 29, 2020, 09:21:03 AM
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I picked this out last night as I couldn't make a decision on what to make, and this was already traced out, and I'd even toiled it. I cut out view B without further thought.
I should have realised then, that there was a reason it didn't proceed further. :S
Meet my Nemesis, tiny pleats, on an angle. :S
I abandoned the project at 9.30 last night, it was too late to continue the battle, but I read the instructions further, and I'm not thrilled.
No burrito method here for the yoke, it's all binding and other complicated things... :(
Anyone made this and have any advice? I'm thinking I may have to cut another toile, as I can't find the first one. :(
Heeeelp!!
Jessie
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There are 25 reviews of this on Pattern Review - some of those might be helpful Jessie.
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When I made this for DD, I'll admit that I replaced the pleats with gathers :devil: Tiny pleats were going to look like gathers anyway from any distance ( and it's gathered across the back).
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Nice shirt pattern, though. One of the PR reviewers used the sandwich method to attach the yoke, so perhaps there's a way round that.
Good luck!
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Just read some of the reviews - why do I have to be told this? I should know by now - always look at PR...
Not very encouraging really, I'll just have to blast on through it. Maybe make a toile... I really have no memory of making the last one...
It wouldn't matter if I hadn't used a lovely piece of fabric I've had in the stash for donkeys years. It's a lovely burnout lawn that I've been saving for a special project... :'(
Still, if this goes all pear shaped there's enough left for a vest type top. :'(
Jessie
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I've got this pattern and not a lot of will to make it up :\ DD4 made it last year and it was very billowy on the back. She found the pleats to be a nightmare and ended up gathering instead. She ended up binning it :(
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Nice pattern and I agree that it would be best just to do gathers.
All this talk of sandwiches and burritos is making me hungry!
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I've just remembered why the project stalled last year, I started cutting it out, and realised I didn't have enough fabric...
Can't even remember if I binned it or not - I would usually use the fabric for something else.
I've done some rooting around, and although this is a lovely top, it's not without difficulty. There is a definite problem with the pleats, which show on the Vogue picture going towards the sleeve, but the pattern points the pleats to the CF. I wondered why it wasn't working for me... :S I will also be putting a large inverted pleat at the back like I did with the McCalls shirtdress, as I'm not fond of gathers - I'd look like a ship in sail!
I will continue with it because it is cut out in my lovely fabric, but I think I will cut another upper body to try out on - especially the yoke front with the binding. :S
Jessie
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I made both versions of this some years back and they are both very nice.
The front pleats are incorrectly marked on the pattern. They point inwards, but if you fold the pattern you will see that they don't line up and should, in fact, point outwards to form the pleats as shown in the picture. The pleats are a little fiddly, but careful marking and spray starch are your friends here, along with some patience. The latter is always in short supply!
The back is full - as I recall, I took some of this out as I don't like too much fullness there.
The binding bit is the same as the front pleats - spray starch and patience.
My biggest dislike with the pattern is the combination of snaps and delicate fabric. I binned the one I made in the end as the snaps ripped out of the georgette on the button band and I had no way of re-making it for buttonholes.
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@dolcevita , thank you so much for your input. I've read a lot on-line, and most agree that view B is a beautiful blouse, but a difficult make, View A doesn't seem to get very good reviews.
Now that I've figured to direction of the pleats, I think they will go together rather better.
I've been using metal snaps lately instead of buttons, and I've been really happy with them, but I take the point, the fabric is a lot finer than the usual shirts I make, so I'll reinforce them well.
The fullness at the back I will check against the McCalls shirtdress I've just finished - that was very full as well, but behaved better when I did an inverted pleat.
Good to have you posting again DV!
Jessie
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Well, this was all going swimmingly - and then my iron conked out! Just stopped working... All the lights come on, but nothing happens.
So, as we were going out for an eye test, I decided to pick a cheapie up in B&M. £15 seemed reasonable, but I guess you get what you pay for. It's already scorched the ironing board cover because I keep forgetting to stand it on end. :S
Still I managed to finish the fronts, attach the yokes at the back, and start the hem. I've also done the pleats on the sleeves. It's not be as difficult as I expected from the instructions, but I'm a bit disappointed with the back yoke.
I'm using fine burnout fabric, and I didn't notice so much on the front, but on the back, it's quite obvious that the burnout pattern shows through. Maybe I should have used a plain fabric for the yoke facings? The thing is, if I change the back, I'll feel that I have to change the front yokes too...
I think I'm just going to leave well alone, and carry on. For some reason this pattern intimidated me - I think after reading the pattern reviews! I seem to work better in happy ignorance...
Hopefully I'll get a bit further tonight.
Jessie
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Keep going, Jessie, don't let that pesky pattern get the better of you!
I don't think that the pattern is complicated so much as fiddly but you're over the trickiest bit now.
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@dolcevita , you're right, but they seem to make a simple task more difficult with their vague instructions. I'd be interested to know how you went on with the other view - A I think. There was a lot of moaning on PR about gaping and bad design at the front.
Saying that, I'm loving how this one is shaping up, and really glad I went with the pleat at the back, rather than gathers. Collar and placket tonight I think, then on to the sleeves.
I'm going to go with snaps again I think as I've been really pleased with how they look. I'm also not too sure how this fabric will behave on the buttonholer. It has a tendency for the needle to push the fabric down, rather than go through at times, even though I'm using a really fine needle - I think it's the nature of the burnout fabric.
I should have really done a toile for this, and I'm lucky not to have had anything major go wrong. I've already picked out a lovely piece of baby blue fabric out for the next one.
Jessie
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I love the look of this pattern, View B specifically. Love the minimalist collar and the ability to rotate the bust dart I always require into the front yoke. I would have so much fabric there that I would have to use a lightweight, very drapey sort of fabric.
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Jessie - I don't remember too many of the details of the other version of the pattern, other than there was some detail that was a PITA to sew; I seem to recall hand sewing it was the easiest option, which is daft for such a seemingly simple top. I didn't wear it a great deal and I think it was only a year before it headed off to the great wardrobe in the sky.
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@dolcevita , thank you. I've decided against view A as I haven't seen enough 'positives' to really want to make it.
I seem to be making a meal of view B too. :S I thought I was being dead smart doing a clean finish to the yoke by pulling the shoulder seams out, and stitching along the seam, and I was delighted with the lovely finish - until I came to put the collar and placket on...
The yoke facing is hand sewn for a reason - because the placket needs to go under it, but the pattern doesn't make the order of work very clear. I have it straight in my mind now - I think, but having just made a hash of the plackets while waiting for the plasterer, I'll have to wait until later to find out.
I've brought my second fabric in to work with me, and I'll try to cut it out this afternoon. It's a lovely, drapey, baby blue, and I can't think of a better project for it. So, lets hope I manage to iron out the kinks in the pattern before I come to make it up.
I knew there was a reason I should have done a toile... :S
Jessie
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Front plackets are on, and I've figured out how to get them nice and tight at the top. What I haven't figured out is how to finish it off neatly, so I left it over the weekend, and did a repair job on Lilya's Mary Poppins Bag, which needed a handle fixing. Turned into a full re-fit...
I will definitely return to the shirt this week.
Jessie
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This pattern has made life soooo difficult!
Now it's the turn of the shirt plackets to annoy me. I have put loads of shirt sleeve plackets in, but this one is taxing my brain. I usually do a two piece placket, but Vogue want me to do a one piece, no problem.
Don't get me wrong, it's not the application of the placket, that's been straightforward. It's the placement. My brain feels tortured trying to figure it out.
I have done four practise pieces. The first went in nicely, but ended up on the wrong side of the fabric. :( :| Tried a second one, and was pleased that it turned out really well. Before doing the 'proper' plackets, I decided a further practise would be useful, and cut a right and left placket. These both went in nicely, but I just can't get my head round how to place it on the shirt. Call me thick, and I know the short side of the pocket is placed on the narrower side of the shirt sleeve, but I'm not convinced in my head that it's going to turn out right... :S
I know I'm over thinking this, but I don't want to mess this up, as I really like this shirt.
Going away to polish the brain cell... (or scream)
Jessie
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@b15erk I don’t know if this will help. Lots of close up photos.
https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2018/07/05/guide-sewing-professional-sleeve-plackets
Funnily enough shirt placket always tie me in knots too. Good job I don’t make many shirts. :)
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Thank you @Ohsewsimple , it's much appreciated. I just don't know what went on in my head yesterday, I was driving myself nuts trying to figure it out. I didn't do any sewing last night as I didn't feel so good, but hopefully I'll have the pesky thing finished by the weekend.
I decided against sew on snaps which the pattern calls for, and instead I'm going for metal snaps. I've ordered some with a white ring on show, instead of just metal. I've used these on a couple of shirts I made last summer, and I think they look good. They'll be better on this shirt as the fabric is quite sheer.
Jessie
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Well, the pesky thing is finished, and I really don't know that I like it that much.
Problem areas: the placket/collar stand intersection, the back pleating, silly I know, but the sleeve placket.
The placket/collar stand intersection, I finished by hand, before topstitching, and it's turned out OK, but I would change the work order before doing another version.
The back pleating is always a problem to me, so I pleated it, and it's by far the nicest thing about this shirt, although I would take out some fullness if I did it again. I also added the little hanging loop.
Oh dear, the sleeve placket!! I think I was having some kind of senior moment, but I could not get it straight in my head, and did 4 practises before committing myself! Just a note, if I did another version of this shirt, I would not do the sleeve this way. They don't look right, and I may yet change them.
Finally, the snaps. I ordered, and received the white snaps, but despite being careful, they were slightly smaller than the tool I had to fit them. So, I used the silver ones, and really not sure they work. I also fitted at least 4 the wrong way round, and I think the top snap is too high, and pulls the bust.
Now it is going in the shirt competition - only because it's finished in time, but I don't think it's the best shirt I've ever made.
Jessie
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I think it's lovely :loveit: Such pretty fabric.
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Me too! Wear it with pride.
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I agree with @wrenkins . The back looks great too, the back pleat looks lovely and neat to me. Perhaps the difficulties with the make are prejudicing your opinion a bit? That happens to me a lot :S
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I think it can be very hard to like something that's given you a lot of grief - certainly straight away. Like the others I think it's lovely. Maybe you need to put it away for a few weeks and then pretend that someone else made it!
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It looks lovely Jessie, well done on a good job. You won't like it just yet, put it away until a warm sunny day.
I once made a jacket which just looked awful on me and have never worn it. The disappointment was of epic proportions :'(
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i think it looks great Jessie. But I can see there would be a problem with that placket/stand intersection.
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I think it looks lovely, very fresh and summery.
We are always hypercritical of our own work and only notice the flaws, other people just see a beautiful garment.
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It's lovely, Jessie. Don't beat yourself up over it, believe what everyone is saying - it's a terrific blouse.