Leopard Print T-Shirt

It's a total fluke that the purple of these flowers is exactly the same as the Adirondack chairs. I know that they're a perennial otherwise, I have no idea what they are. Hopefully someone knows. I'd like to plant more next year. They look fabulous from the house and the street.




There are so many forest fires in our area that the air looks dark and gloomy, like a storm is pending. It's the smoke, so dense that it's both hard to see the far hills and to breath. The perfect weekend for staying indoors... in the studio... sewing.




This paisley T-shirt is my favourite. It's RTW. I wish I'd sewn it because then I'd know all the answers especially to the shape of the sleeve. It flatters instead of making my arm look like a drumstick. As near as I can figure, it's the higher sleeve cap.

And the fabric. It's 96% rayon and 4% spandex. It could also be the print. Not only do I love paisley, I love the way a print seems to slim and tone... like magic... without exercise... except for that tummy. It looks like I"m going to have to work that one off myself. Darn.




This green muslin is McCall's 6164, view F in yellow, without the flippy thing. NOT flattering especially the sleeve although I'm not sure that's totally the fault of the pattern. I think it's more the fabric factor. It's interesting that this stable knit is less flattering than the stretchier paisley.




I spent a lot of time working on the sleeve, trying different variations. The one above hangs much straighter without elbow groves or drumstick affect. It's partly the rotation and partly the stretch and partly the print. LOL - obviously I'll be buying stretchy prints from now on!




You can see in the images above that my shoulders are curved forward. I tip the cap of the sleeve forward by cutting diagonally from the front and back creating a wedge shape. I then overlap the diagonal at the front by 3/4" which rotates the top of the sleeve cap forward 1 1/2". Because I haven't altered the shoulder seam, I remark the shoulder point and then connect the lines to fill in the back cap. I draw a tight curve merging into the underarm curves. This results in a higher sleeve cap. I've found that's more flattering than a gradual shape. I've tried both.




The leopard print t-shirt is made from my T & T under development. The pattern is a merging of the armhole shape developed in Pattern Master Boutique with the overall shape of New Look 6735 and the side seam of McCall's 6164 which is curved and shapely without the bust easing of the New Look. The easing doesn't work on stable knits and isn't needed with stretchier ones. It's perfect for that medium weight and with a larger cup size. I'm a 34D and without the easing seems fine for my size.

The sleeve pattern is so far from the original that it's completely mine. That's what happens with T & Ts under development. They start somewhere and wander and fine-tune and become original designs. Although I know the patterns I've consulted, I've made so many changes you could lay them over top of each other and not recognize the starting point. So far, I'm pleased with this sleeve although I'm withholding judgement until I see it in a plain fabric.

I'm also pleased with the front... well... except for the tummy. It fits nice through the shoulders, chest, and bust. The hemline is flipping outward slightly. Hopefully the first wash will soften that. If not - oh well.

The back also fits nicely. Again, I'll wait to see it in a plain fabric to pass final judgement however, it should be good with that one adjustment to the high hip and hem.

This morning, I'm going out for breakfast with Howard and then he's away on business for the rest of the week. I'll run around like a maniac and clean house and my friend Barb is coming this afternoon to stay for a few days. We'll spend them in the studio. Sewing. She has several projects to finish up. I want to make three or four t-shirts which is why I spent so much time on this one this weekend. I'm hoping all that fiddling pays off.

Talk soon, Myrna

Grateful - air conditioning so we can keep the windows closed and the smoke out

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Personal Growth - In church yesterday, the speaker told the story of a young bear in Ontario who after eating in the garbage dump ended up with a large plastic container stuck on his head. It had been there for a while and he was becoming dehydrated and malnourished. When the officials tried to help him, he evaded capture. Eventually, a plastic container was found near a stream with a lot of bear hair attached to it. Authorities concluded that the bear was finally able to remove it himself.

The speaker talked about how we are often like that bear. Our vision is not clear and we allow distractions to draws us away from our purpose. We each have a purpose, our task, our reason for being here on earth. The perfect sleeve, how much money I have or don't have, how clean the house is or isn't, employment, illness, children, what to eat today - so many things can draw me away from both my focus on God and on what he has called me to do. I am reminded to maintain perspective and balance.