When Your Hobby Feels Heavy

 I don't even know how to start this post.  I'm not really whining about being able to afford a fabric collection. Nor am I whining about owning my own business which is finally doing really well. I guess what I am doing is mourning the loss of days of uninterrupted sewing time.

 As we all know, 2020 was a weird year.  It was the year that the world changed and we're still reeling from it.  I became a mask maker and used up a lot of small cotton scraps and some larger pieces too.  I mailed fabric to friends who couldn't find any.  And I bought fabric that I didn't have time to sew.

 I've gotten in the habit of taking fabric straight to the laundry room and washing it before it heads to the fabric closet.

 This is the stack of washed fabric sitting on my dryer because there's no room for it elsewhere in my house.  Most of it is cotton, although there's a couple of linens in there and with the exception of 3 pieces - they are all florals!!  At least I'm true to myself.

 With very few exceptions, each piece of fabric was bought with a specific garment in mind.  Because, honestly, that's how I've always bought fabric.  That doesn't mean that garment always gets made, in fact, that often isn't the case.  But I do try to start with a plan.

 On top of the fabric in the laundry room, there's a basket under my ironing board filled with shirts cut and ready to go for JB.  The interfacing is cut and the buttons are folded with the pattern pieces.  So there's no reason they aren't getting made - except time.

And then there's the washed fabric that I found stacked on top of the sewing machine cover.  I piece mostly cut, and several others matched to patterns with the notions already gathered. 

McCalls 7969 with a pretty floral from JoAnn Fabrics.  Top cut, hesitating to sew because shapeless sack.  Also predominately white.

Vogue 9299 Inspired by Carolyn in lightweight polka dot chambray

SBCC Stinger Dress - Green on the left is from deep stash (what is deep stash? How old?) for a wearable muslin and then the purple floral is for the final dress

Cute cotton ditzy print Fringe dress with snap closure.  Might have to get snap pliers to put the snaps closer together than I can get them with the snap source setter.

 So - all of that to say that this all feels heavy lately.  Like the dreams of new garments are mocking me and I'm feeling a bit guilty for not sewing up it fast enough.

 And in the next moment, I'm looking at FabricMart for a piece of fabric to make another Hope Woven Dress or the Vali.

 How do you handle having an excess?  Does it feel heavy?  Does it block your creativity?  

Cinco de Mayo

When you've created a monster by making your husband a wardrobe of bowling shirts.  I kid you not, the other day, he actually opened his closet and said "I don't have anything to wear!"

JB now has 32 bowling shirts in his closet.  All but 4 of them have been made with my hands.  And when I recently did the fabric closet re-org (look for a future post on that) I put a stack of fabrics for just JBs shirts.  There's enough for at least 4 more. 

Also, now if he goes to the fabric store with me.  The first thing he does is head to the novelty prints and ask if I can make a shirt out of X?

But - I will say - he does wear his shirts.  And he shows anyone who comments on them that they match across the buttonholes and asks if they can find his pocket!  So - it's worth it.  

Flying His Flags

So, you've recently read the post on the shirt inspo and now we're ready for the next part - the actual flag shirts.

For JB's shirt, I cut the under collar, front facings, inner yoke, pocket and a little strip of fabric from the navy blue pin dot.  All shirts were sewn with red thread.  The little strip was folded into a 'hanging loop' and added at the back yoke over the pleat.  It's a fun little detail and I like it.  He's not ever going to use that little loop to hang his shirt up, but I can tell you it's handy for grabbing him to get him back in the kitchen. 

Back of the shirt with the collar turned up.  

I did not try to match anything on this shirt - just sewed it up!  

It was a horribly cold day in October when I managed to get these two together and take some pictures.  We were at Liberty Park in New Jersey.  Eleanor was a trouper, Gramps wined - just a bit :D

Gramps shirt is New Look 6197 with no alterations at all.  I haven't asked him how the fit is compared to the other shirts, but I will say he hasn't worn it a lot.  That could be because he has 21 other shirts in his closet and we are headed into the themed shirt portion of the year.  He's been wearing Christmas shirts since Thanksgiving - he has 4 of those.  

This is probably my favorite shirt of the whole bunch.  You can see just how long Eleanor's shirt is - tunic length.  

Next up:  More info on Eleanor's flag shirt.  

Shirt Inspo

Many of you know that I make JB shirts.  I started making them years ago using the now out of print McCall's 4399.  A quick search shows a very similar current McCall's pattern.

I just want to say - I'm bored.  I'm bored with this pattern.  The only way to really jazz it up is with fabric - and using a contrast pocket and under collar.  A quick count in his closet shows that I have now sewn this pattern up twenty-one (21!!) times!  And all but 3 of those have been made in the last 15 months or so.  I've gotten pretty good at matching the pattern across the placket - I guess the next thing to do is match the pattern all the way around?  And the sleeves?  I would say 95% of the time you can't find the pocket, I've gotten pretty good at that matching.

But, what I really want to sew is shirts like these jazzy little numbers:

Look at those fun details!  Contrasting fabric on the cuffs, button bands, collar stands and under collars.  

But you might have noticed one thing.  Those are all tailored button down shirts.  JB is NOT a buttoned down guy and while I could make shirts like for him - it would be a waste of my time and fabric.  I'm better off leaving those fun details for me.  So - what do I do?  I find a new shirt pattern that has a few places to play.  

For the flag shirt, I started with New Look D0966 (6197)

This was a great jumping off point for adding a little of interest to my sewing projects.  The New Look pattern has a back faced yoke and separate front facing piece, but it's still only a one piece collar.  I am still on the lookout for a men's pattern with a collar stand.  

Also, while cutting this one out, I decided to make E a matching tunic.  More on both shirts coming in a future post - I need more photos and want to get this one posted.  

But - while we wait talk to me.  Do you sew for anyone else?  Do you do it because you like it or because they do?  Do you ever get bored with the garments you are making?  How do you keep it interesting and exciting?

Just Another Bowling Shirt

I really have to come up with some way to spice up these shirts for JB.  Honestly - I'm getting bored with sewing them and I'm sure you're tired of reading about them.  Honestly, there is nothing new to say.  I'm still using McCalls 4399 and just changing up the fabrics, buttons and how I sew the hems and button bands - as in accents with the thread. 

This fabric was a quilting cotton that I purchased at the craft store probably 5 years ago.  I liked the print.  I bought 4 yards - which is honestly about 1/2 yard too much, but I like knowing I can match the print across the button bands.  Once I got fussy about matching the pattern across the button bands, I started cutting the shirt out from a single layer of fabric.  I have a full back pattern piece and only 1 front pattern, 1 sleeve and 1 collar.  Oh and the pocket pattern which I trace off several.  I did a blog post back in October about how I match the pattern - you can read it here.  So far, I haven't been too worried about matching the print up across the side seams, but I imagine that's coming next.  

In this photo - JB is showing you the barn door he installed over the panty opening in the B&B.  He did a great job.  That door gets so many comments.  

Nobody know what's he's doing here.  But he was ready for me to snap the photo so he could breathe!  Doesn't this fabric scream tropical vacation?  

In this photo, you can see I nailed the print matching!  Also - can you spot the pocket?  This shirt has one.  In fact, all of his recent shirts have a pocket - he needs someplace to keep his glasses!  The buttons were in a baggie of shirt buttons I either added from a FabricMart purchase or from Fashion Sewing Supply - I can't remember which.  They were perfect for this shirt.  I always add 7 buttons, so they are spaced a little closer than the pattern indicates.  I use my simflex for positioning the buttons evenly up the placket and start the first one at the bottom, the same distance as the side slits.  

 

Fall Back

The Halloween shirt (seen on Instagram) was the first of the 10 bowling style shirts that I made JB.  Since I haven't been sewing a bunch for myself lately - I cannot promise you that I won't drag all 10 shirts out into posts of their own.  

Along the lines of  "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It" I'm still using McCalls 4399 - it is long since out of print, but M6972 would work or M7206 if you wanted to do some print mixing - in fact, I might need to add this pattern to my stash during the next sale.  

We had friends vising from Seattle and I asked them to take his shirt photos.  There were 2 reasons behind this - 1.  JB thinks one photo from each angle is enough - figure out how to make it work and 2 - he always changes into his outside working clothes while I'm still working.  

Back view - you can see there is plenty of room here to go around his slim hips.  I feel like the sleeves are a wee bit too long - but he says their fine.  I might put a deeper hem in the next batch I sew up.  

Apparently - Anna was making him laugh.  While JB's first comment when he saw this shirt was - it's bright, it's got quite a bit of kitchen time this Fall.  Guests always comment on how seasonally appropriate his shirt is and then there's Snoopy.  I mean, who doesn't love Snoopy?  

Just look at that pattern matching - across the pocket and the button placket - WIN!!

Print Matching

While my wardrobe has become decidedly more casual - JB's has become a bit more dressy - if you will.  See - he helps in the kitchen in the morning, preparing the first course, helping plate & serve the main course and doing the dishes.  So, he's started wearing his bowling shirts with jeans.  Now he had quite a few that we've purchased over the years in Hawaii, Key West and at Disney and I've made him a few.  But he wanted more.  

The more I've made, the more I've wanted to get better at pattern matching over the button placket.  I still haven't figure out how to match the pattern at the side seams as well - but I figure the side seams aren't as noticeable as the button placket.  

So, I have no idea if this is right - but it's what I do and it works for me.  I thought maybe it would help some one else.  So - here goes nothing.  


I use McCalls 4399 mens shirt pattern which is long out of print.  My envelope has a date of 2004 on it.  Also I use view A, short sleeves with the side seams left open for a bit at the bottom.  

I trace 90% of my patterns onto exam table paper and keep the original pattern intact.  No real reason, it's just what I do. And in this case, I'm glad I've done that - I've made other changes to the pattern to add contrast fabrics.  

Anyway - once the fabric has been washed and ironed - I cut the shirt out single layer.  Cutting the left front shirt piece first.  I have to remind myself often that girls are always right and boys are left out.  So, the left front has the buttonholes and goes on top of the right front.  Once the front has been cut out - I then go over to the ironing board and fold the facing back on the center front line.  I know that this is not where the facing will ultimately be folded, but I figure if I can match the pattern at the center front - then it should match coming out of the placket - so far this has worked for me in actual practice.  

folded back on center front

Then, I take the left front back to the yardage and line the print up as close to an exact match as I can get.  Smoothing the left front over the yardage and making sure everything stays matched.   

Lining up the pattern at the center front

Next, I grab my pattern piece with the facing folded back and butt it right up against the left front - making sure I have my pattern piece the right way up.  I carefully lift up the folded facing and start pinning the tissue to the fabric, being careful not to shift anything.  Once the exposed part of the pattern is pinned in place, I remove the left front, fold the facing flat, finish pining and then cut the right front out.  

Tissue being placed next to left front - red line added to show pattern piece on top of yardage

For the pocket - before removing the tissue from the left front, I slip the pocket piece under the left front piece, matching the top of the pocket with the markings on the pattern piece.  Actually - I've found for JB, that the pocket is almost under his armpit when I put it where the pattern has it, so I move it a bit toward the center front.  

Once I have everything lined up the way I want it, I remove the shirt tissue and trace some large identifying designs onto the pocket pattern.  As I was cutting a bunch of shirts - I cut a bunch of pocket blanks.  I then match my really horrible drawings to the fabric, pin & cut.  

Once you've done all this, stack all the pieces together neatly.   Fold and put in a stack on the corner of your sewing table until you feel like assembling a bunch of shirts.  

I hope this helps someone else who's struggling with pattern matching.  As I said, it might not be proper way - but it works for me.