Seamwork Roan oversized shirt
2023-Sep-12, Tuesday 12:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeSeamwork's Roan is an oversized shirt. As basically two sloped (for the shoulders) rectangles, with all the trimmings (collar, collar stand, front plankets, cuffed sleeves with more plankets, and so many buttons), it's a piece you can practice all the details on, while not having to worry about the fit.
(My pattern drafting book says blouses have bust darts, shirts don't, which seems to be the only official difference. Does this mean that all princess seamed buttoned tops are or aren't shirts? We may never know.)
Going by the finished garment sizes I went with a straight size 14. There is no reason for the centre-back seam, except to add a tiny bit of visual interest to a large empty void, (there's not even a yoke,) so I kept it. Though, predictably, I left out the pockets. No toile for this one, went straight to fabric.
I used Rose & Hubble 100% cotton poplin, in Light Grey. From previous experience I know that anything that even vaguely reminds people of a school uniform needs to go out of its way to prove its not. So I opted to use black contrast thread, black buttons (5/8" and 3/8"), and chose a Michael Miller, Hocus Pocus, Batty Grey, 100% quilting cotton for the under collar. To everyone's suprise, I did indeed use interfacing as directed. (I'm picky about my shirts, okay.)
Using such high contrast top-stitching on a pattern I'd never made up before could be viewed as foolish by some, but brave by others. The result is not perfect, but I can live with it. The inner collar stand in particular is a bit messy. I know what happened. The two collar pieces are different heights, but the two collar stands are the same, and as I was stitching to the edge of each respectively, they couldn't have matched nicely in the end. I might have missed the bit in the instructions where it says to compensate for this difference, but I think in future I'll just make the inner collar stand a bit taller. To finish the collar stand (places I missed while top-stitching) I hand herringbone stitched the edges. And in contrast thread, so it's very visible.
I also had difficulty with the hems being so deeply curved, even while pressing. As a result they're a bit twisted. I didn't want to clip while pressing, but perhaps it's needed. The hems were sewn before the side-seams, which is a boss move from the pattern. My favourite features are the sleeve plankets. These are no-shortcuts plankets. They're beautiful. And not only did I machine the button-holes, but I learned how to machine the buttons as well! Or, the 5/8" buttons at least. I need to use a specific wide presser foot (satin stitch) for the operation, but it can't hold smaller buttons in place, so this method works only for 5/8"+ buttons. I hand sewed the 3/8" buttons, and we'll see which type lasts longer.
As for the fit, I find the sleeves a touch short, which is odd, because I know Seamwork drafts for a height several inches taller than I am, yet this is something I often find with their patterns. I could add an extra inch or two to the sleeve length. Might also consider making the cuffs narrower. The shoulder seams are a bit too far forward for my preference, but I can live with them. I see no reason for the gathering at the top of sleeve cap, especially in a dropped shoulder. Otherwise it is indeed a pleasant oversized shirt. The under collar amuses me, I might extend this sneaky detail to the inner collar stand, and maybe even the inner cuffs, in future. Mission accomplished.
(My pattern drafting book says blouses have bust darts, shirts don't, which seems to be the only official difference. Does this mean that all princess seamed buttoned tops are or aren't shirts? We may never know.)
Going by the finished garment sizes I went with a straight size 14. There is no reason for the centre-back seam, except to add a tiny bit of visual interest to a large empty void, (there's not even a yoke,) so I kept it. Though, predictably, I left out the pockets. No toile for this one, went straight to fabric.
I used Rose & Hubble 100% cotton poplin, in Light Grey. From previous experience I know that anything that even vaguely reminds people of a school uniform needs to go out of its way to prove its not. So I opted to use black contrast thread, black buttons (5/8" and 3/8"), and chose a Michael Miller, Hocus Pocus, Batty Grey, 100% quilting cotton for the under collar. To everyone's suprise, I did indeed use interfacing as directed. (I'm picky about my shirts, okay.)
Using such high contrast top-stitching on a pattern I'd never made up before could be viewed as foolish by some, but brave by others. The result is not perfect, but I can live with it. The inner collar stand in particular is a bit messy. I know what happened. The two collar pieces are different heights, but the two collar stands are the same, and as I was stitching to the edge of each respectively, they couldn't have matched nicely in the end. I might have missed the bit in the instructions where it says to compensate for this difference, but I think in future I'll just make the inner collar stand a bit taller. To finish the collar stand (places I missed while top-stitching) I hand herringbone stitched the edges. And in contrast thread, so it's very visible.
I also had difficulty with the hems being so deeply curved, even while pressing. As a result they're a bit twisted. I didn't want to clip while pressing, but perhaps it's needed. The hems were sewn before the side-seams, which is a boss move from the pattern. My favourite features are the sleeve plankets. These are no-shortcuts plankets. They're beautiful. And not only did I machine the button-holes, but I learned how to machine the buttons as well! Or, the 5/8" buttons at least. I need to use a specific wide presser foot (satin stitch) for the operation, but it can't hold smaller buttons in place, so this method works only for 5/8"+ buttons. I hand sewed the 3/8" buttons, and we'll see which type lasts longer.
As for the fit, I find the sleeves a touch short, which is odd, because I know Seamwork drafts for a height several inches taller than I am, yet this is something I often find with their patterns. I could add an extra inch or two to the sleeve length. Might also consider making the cuffs narrower. The shoulder seams are a bit too far forward for my preference, but I can live with them. I see no reason for the gathering at the top of sleeve cap, especially in a dropped shoulder. Otherwise it is indeed a pleasant oversized shirt. The under collar amuses me, I might extend this sneaky detail to the inner collar stand, and maybe even the inner cuffs, in future. Mission accomplished.
Seamwork Roan in grey poplin, collar details
Photo by chebe
Seamwork Roan in grey poplin, finished, back view
Photo by chebe
Seamwork Roan in grey poplin, finished, front view
Photo by chebe
