Tailored shirt

(super goofy photo courtesy of Corey) (Ugh!)

I finished my first successful set-in sleeve shirt last night, other than the one I made in the intermediate sewing class at the Austin School of Fashion Design. If you are in Austin, I highly recommend ASFD. I learned SO MUCH in that class. Little tips and tricks that I would have never picked up on my own--how to properly mark, sew and press darts, the right way to sew on a button (with a shank) and how to set in sleeves without puckers. And that edges should be serged after the seams have been sewn. I have been serging the edges off all pattern pieces before I sew a single stitch. Apparently this is a big no-no and stretches out the fabric. It also makes the notches hard to see. Most importantly, I think I learned the importance of CAREFULLY tracing and marking each pattern piece, dart, notch, etc. My haphazard ways were causing me a lot of the issues I was having. Taking the class really helped get me past my plateau.

I have enjoyed classes at Stitch Lab too, but the classes I took there were more towards the casual home sewer. The ASFD taught how to sew the professional, perfectionist way...for models. I say that because the pattern sizes they had available for the tailored shirt were RTW 0, 2, 4, and 6--you know, model sizes. I don't think I've been a 6 since I hit puberty. ;) I can't wear the shirt I made, so I immediately began making a tailored shirt I could wear.

I made a muslin for the first time. I bought the Japanese cotton fabric at Common Thread and it wasn't cheap. I didn't want to end up with something I was embarrassed to wear like I did with my Sencha shirt. The muslin fit pretty well. I had made a 2" full arm adjustment to the pattern before I made the muslin. I ended up taking 1/2" back out when I sewed the fashion fabric.

Here are photos of the back and side:




The pattern review is here.