Ready for Spring! (And Mocking those French Seams)

Stash Busting 2013:  The Angel Shirt, Project #19 

Fabric Used:     2.6 metres of 100% Cotton and 1 metre of fusible interfacing.  

Pattern Used:   Vogue 1274, circa 2011

Thread Used:    I finished off one spool of 100% cotton thread.

Buttons Used:   Nine 1/2" buttons

*****

I purchased this fabric back in 2012 when an Ikea location opened in the city. I thought the print was whimsical and fun, sew in the cart it went! When I picked it up I thought it might make a dress for the summer but as you can see plans change.  

The fabric is softer than quilting cotton found in the fabric store. I'm quite pleased with the weight and drape.  

The pattern has been in my stash a wee bit longer. I love this pattern! It was fun to sew and I like having an item that I likely won't see anyone else wear around town. But you never know, I think Ikea still has this fabric in stock.   

I do question the "easy" rating that Vogue patterns gave the pattern. Vogue 8791 was also rated easy but these two patterns are quite different in the techniques used to construct each top.  

It is not that some of the sewing techniques are difficult, rather they're time consuming. In the end, it is worth all the work. Vogue 1274 is constructed with French seams and in the general sewing information there are French seam instructions that are well-written. 

Sadly, these did not apply to the armhole. The instructions said to construct this as a French seam but I found it didn't quite work as when I did it on a straight seam. 


Easing the sleeve cap to fit the armhole made everything work out smoothly. My next option was then to do a mock french seam (more work) or the much easier option, serge the seam edge. I will admit that I was on the fence with how I would proceed with this step. 

Mock French seams along the armhole was my final decision. Yes, it was more work but considering all the work I put into the shirt with the French seams I didn't want to cut corners now.  

This Vogue shirt did end up feeling a wee bit long for my five-one frame. I cut the front and back two inches and kept the sides the same length. I am quite pleased with this adjusted length. I did not adjust the sleeve length. Instead, the three-quarter length sleeves described on the pattern envelope, they worked out to be long sleeves on my version. 

And the buttons. I purchased them at Courage My Love, one of my favourite Vintage stores in Toronto. The have a crazy (in a wonderfully delightful way) selection of buttons. It would be a good guess that these buttons have been in my stash for about a decade.     

I'm glad these were saved until now for this shirt. I love that the square buttons echo the corners found in the hem of the shirt and sleeve edges. And you can't quite see it but there is specs of green found in half of the button. 

Have you ever held onto buttons until the perfect pattern or fabric came along?  

Happy Sewing!