Saturday 12 February 2011

Very Easy Vogue 8476 - The wearable muslin

Some time ago I purchased two Very Easy Vogue shirt patterns but only recently decided to have a go at one of them. I have to say shirts scare me more than trousers. I think it's all the buttons!
The decision to make it now came after one of my attempts at organising my fabric scrap stash. I found some green cotton remnants too narrow to do anything big. I thought I would check pattern pieces size for the shirts and voila, it fitted perfectly well.
Initially I wanted to do view B as I love the puff sleeves but my fabric didn't stretch that much and I went for View A, the sleeveless one. I treated it as a muslin/ toile that if good enough I could wear. If not I would probably learn something new.  I think I managed both things.
Things went a bit wrong with this shirt right from the beginning. And all due to me not reading things properly.
After all cutting and marking I realised that this pattern asks for loops instead of buttonholes. I know I said I'm a bit afraid of the latter but that's exactly why I started the shirt. I decided to try to insert buttonholes instead. When it came to stitching front facings I hit a wall. I couldn't understand how the instructions where asking for front facings when there were no facings pattern pieces! After asking here and there, lovely folk at The Sewing Forum noted that the front piece acts as facing and I should have cut 4 pieces. How embarrassing it that! As I had run out of green I had to improvise with other fabric and went for a red (which you can see peeking out in that first shirt photo). After all this I became a bit careless and the buttons are not perfect. I finished with a narrow hem (with a narrow hem foot I got recently) and boy do I need practice!
I will probably wear this shirt as it is wearable but already plan on try again, this time with Vogue 8557.

How about you? Do you have experience sewing shirts? Have you ever tried? Any tips?

9 comments:

  1. I remember you tweeting about this! I would have gone for view B too initially. I love the cut and it looks fab with your belt. I don't have any shirt experience to share with you I'm afraid. x

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  2. I think the little bit of red peeking out is my favorite part!

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  3. You have made wonderful things! I love this top. How did you finish the armholes? I always find them difficult.

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  4. I thought the cool red facing was a deliberate design before I read your post! Either way it looks very good and the green suits you.

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  5. I think this wearable muslin looks great! I, too, the the red was a deliberate design idea.
    Angela

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  6. You look great!!! You also have the extra bonus because that shirt can function as vest too. I love the home front in red cloth and the way you combined it. Genial!!!

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  7. Have to agree about the red facing, it looks deliberate and adds to the shirt! Both shirt patterns are lovely, those sleeves win me over every time!

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  8. I agree with everyone else, the red facings are such a cool happy accident. The shirt looks great and I love the way you are wearing it with the belt. I really like that pattern. Might have to get that now.
    You look great in your shirt.

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  9. Thank you all!!

    Gabriela: I used bias binding in the armhole and just topstitched.

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