Saturday 24 September 2011

Loud boy's shirt BWOF 09-2008-143

My son likes shirts made in loud prints, which are rather fun, and I usually make him 2 or 3 each year. He selected the fabric for this one last summer, (local quilting shop) but sadly, his mother has been rather neglectful of his wardrobe lately in favour of fun teenage girl's clothes. I enjoyed the print challenge, especially as I have a sneaking suspicion that there are only a few years left of it.
SAM_0993

The shirt is BWOF 09-2008-143, in the largest size 134, which is appropriate to his height.(I will have to look for a new pattern for next year, very sad) His girth is closest to size 122, but having made this shirt previously in a straight 110, 122 and also in a height 128, girth 122, I felt that the shirt is cut rather slim for Australian boy styles, where the shirts tend to be loose, so left it 2 sizes too wide. Men's shirts described here as European cut are more slim through the body, so I guess this would hold for boy's shirts. As in my previous versions, I reduced the height of the collar and the collar stand by 1cm, although this may not have been necessary this time in the largest size - there is no height variation between size 110 and size 134, and I am sure the neck length increases over this height range!
Because I am proud of my pattern matching, here is a close up of the front buttoned.
SAM_1004There may be a little skewifidness of the button placement to assist in the pattern matching, but only a seamstress would notice ;). I would probably have done a better job of this had I considered the lap direction when I was cutting out.

I lengthened the shirt by 7cm, finding it rather short in the body, although the sleeve length is fine. This is the first time I have made a version with long sleeves, but it was a particular request from my son. I think he fancied the plackets on his Dad's shirt, as he asked for a contrast fabric, and selected this one himself. It is not what I would have chosen, but I think it works quite well.

SAM_1000

SAM_1002

I drew up the placket taking David Page Coffin's placket from Shirtmaking as a guide.My calculator got quite the workout scaling it down, but I did not think the Burda bias strip would have been nearly so satisfying.

SAM_1001

The contrast fabric is also used for the inner collar stand.
I used David Page Coffin's method of folding over the fabric x2 for the front buttonbands, and flat felled the side and sleeve seams (dastardly difficult on the skinny sleeves of a boy's shirt, but otherwise left his methods well alone. This made the shirt much quicker than his father's. I used the lined yoke by machine method for the lined yoke, described here.

I made the back lower piece a little wider, planning to pleat it as needed to ensure reasonable pattern matching.
The pleats are very small, but allowed me to line everything up satisfactorarily. I used the walking foot to help with this, and only unpicked once, which might be a record.
SAM_0999

SAM_1003
Despite his determination not to smile for photographs, my son is quite happy with his shirt.

SAM_0998

22 comments:

Janine said...

You should be justifiably proud of that pattern matching and I love his choice of fabric . This will be one to keep forever .

Sue said...

Your pattern matching is superb! Enjoy sewing for your son while you can! Mine wouldn't let me in the teenage years, but now they are broke Uni students allow me to make them pieces again (not that I make anyhting this clever!) Love a good placket.

SewRuthie said...

Oh what a CUTE little boy (don't tell him I said so). And that pattern matching is fabulous, fabulous! I am hugely impressed.

Julie Culshaw said...

Ditto, unbelievable that you did the pattern matching. I don't know anyone else who would go to such lengths! especially for a boy's shirt.

Jane M said...

Wow, what a hip young man and what a talented mom. His fabric selection is wonderful and your pattern matching is inspiring.

Sharon said...

Your son chose some great fabric and you have achieved such perfect pattern matching, he will be the envy of all his mates.

Mary Beth said...

I love this shirt. It's a perfect fabric choice for him. Is he as mischievous and full of humor as he looks? What a gorgeous dude!

liza jane said...

Ah, I love his style! I, for one, happen to love loud shirts, too :) You're such an awesome mom. I bet picking out fabrics for clothes and having them made by your mom is so much fun.

shams said...

Wow, SUCH attention to detail! I first saw this on SG and immediately noticed the perfectly matched dinosaurs!

Your workmanship is so impressive! I hope he enjoys his dinosaur shirt. :)

Debbie Cook said...

Oh man!! *I* want a shirt with a kangaroo on the pocket. I love this!! Your son is adorable, both in his new shirt and in his determination not to smile, although I think I see a slight curling up of his mouth in that last pic. ;-)

Mary said...

This is such an inspiration to me to step up my planning when sewing. I love the fabrics used, and the placket. Very nice and your son is so handsome!

Mary Nanna said...

wow - that is a great effort. super duper impressed with your pattern matching I have to confess I would not have bothered (what! for a a boy! he won't notice/care and it will be on the floor in a jiffy). Still, by making it nicely you save him from pointed questions like, "hmm, did you mother make that..?"

kbenco said...

He, he, Debbie, he could not keep a completely straight face, solemnity being foreign to him, which is why I had to put the last one in!
I thought it was turtle fabric until he picked out the kangaroo for the pocket, but now it is known as the kangaroo shirt. It is funny what draws the eye, I think it must be the lizard that shams has picked out as the feature creature.

kbenco said...

Mary Nanna, you are wicked ;)! A RTW shirt would be just a little bit off set, so that it really irked me every time I saw it.

Gail said...

Your pattern matching is amazing! He looks like a little patriot in this shirt.

Allison said...

What a great shirt! I like your son's choice and fabric and you did an incredible job matching the print. That must have taken quite a bit of finegalling but it looks great!

Carolyn said...

That is one awesome shirt, coolness itself.
My boys would say, "sweeeet!" which of course said by a teenage boy is a completely different ball game from the same adjective said by a forty-something woman... so it would be OK to pass that particular compliment on!

Audrey said...

Cool boy shirt. Fantastic matching but I am in agreement with Mary Nana as to the likelihood a male would notice it. This post brings back memories of sewing similar shirts featuring trucks, heavy construction equipment and video game characters. I enjoyed making them, and my boys do remember the shirts.

Joy said...

Wow, impressive matching. And a very cute shirt.

Gabrielle said...

Great shirt! Even if your handsome son doesn't now notice the heroic pattern matching, you can point to it if the sibling 'fairness' debate ever comes up with respect to daughterly sewing!

Big in Japan said...

Well done and your son is quite the stylin' young man!

Miss Smith said...

Wow, that has to be one of the coolest shirts Ive ever seen- I love that loud australiana print.