Busy hands | Disquiet mind

Colette's Negroni is a men's button-up shirt. But what even is gender. And I wasn't having a huge amount of luck with the women's shirts and blouses I'd tried, so I gave it a go.

Negroni is a casual shirt with a doubled back yoke and front facing. As usual I left off the chest pockets and went for the short-sleeved version. Beyond the two tucks under the yoke there are no shaping seams. Every seam is enclosed or flat felled! It was my first time making a garment with entirely hidden seam finishes, and it does take a little longer, but the result is so wonderfully clean. It also has a cute collar button detail that made my vintage-loving friends very happy.

I made up a Large in an aubergine cotton lawn, which is less translucent than the last cotton lawn I used, but needs to be ironed if you so much as look at it, so there was a lot of pressing during construction. The end result feels amazing, strong but light.

It's when we get to fit that we find out what they meant by men's. It is made to fit a longer body with less hallow back, straighter sides, and hips that don't increase much. So aside from the usual fit issues (too long in the shoulders/sleeves) it actually fit quite well across the chest. No gaping. But there is an excessive amount of fabric across the lower back. And yet that fullness does not help it fit across the hips. I can still wear it happily as an overshirt, and with some changes I can see it making a solid base for future shirts.

Finished Negroni, front view
Photo by chebe

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My second project from Gertie Sews Vintage Casual is the 40s Style Shirt. What I like about this book is that for many of the projects variations are given. For instance, this sleeveless version. You are told to add 3" to the hem front and back, and add a fifth button. There are two tucks on both the front and back. You are instructed to turn them into double-ended darts. I did this for the back, and simply left the front tuck- and dart-less. (Except for the the two front shoulder darts.) The patch pocket is left off. As are the sleeves and cuffs. Instead you finish the arms with bias tape.

My fabric is cream with a yellow, green, and blue floral pattern, in 100% non-stretch cotton. I made bias tape from the same fabric. I again got to play with my overedge stitch/foot and buttonhole stitch/foot. The buttons are of a dark blue/navy. The bottom of the side seams are split.

My favourite part was using the bias tape to finish the sleeves. It's so straight forward and neat. One technique I hope to use again. My least favourite part was the very fiddly way the collar and facings were attached. I mean, there was hand-sewing and a tailoring ham. I suppose vintage techniques are part of vintage clothing, but I found it quite frustrating. And I messed up the collar/lapel on the left-hand side because of it. I'm also not sure about the excess fabric on the back above the darts. Is this a vintage feature? Or do I need to elongate my darts? Other than that it's a lovely little pattern, and I'd like to make one in a drapier fabric.

Finished 40s Style Shirt, sleeveless modification, front view
Photo by chebe

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