Kelly watch the stars shirt, and Liberty update

I took another detour this week-end. I decided to make a simple shirt so that I could enter two contests at Pattern Review... because why not? I entered the Copycat contest and the Stash contest, with the same garment! (PS; still a bit camera shy on the internet, so forgive the scribbled out faces!)

I am a bit surprised that I have managed to make it work. The pattern is a free pattern from a French blogger, called Kelly watch the stars. (Here is the link ) I had seen this review and thought that it was very cute, and bonus - it is kind of designed to use up odds and ends. And I was playing around in my fabric piles, and wondered what to do with a remnant of the silk noil left from my jumper... and so that is how the idea started.

The pattern is free (bonus!), so I had downloaded it earlier, and this week I sent it to Gilmore Reproductions to have it printed, hoping I would get some time during business hours to go pick it up before the weekend.  Obviously I did. And becaue this is a long weekend I gtave myself permission to sew it up Saturday.  First to trace it, of course, then I did make the LAZIEST MUSLIN EVER.

I know nothing about this designer, so decided that a quick fitting-muslin would be a good idea. Nothing fancy, mind you... I took old muslins, and cut it directly from those.  Not pretty, BUT a good idea. I saw that the fit was fine, AND I made a mistake with the darts, which I avoided in the final version... So friends - I can't emphasize enough - even a lazy muslin is a good idea!

I had a sense that it would all fit, but it was a bit of pattern tetrus. I had to cut the main back piece in two, and sew the centre seam, instead of on the fold. I managed to get the front on a fold, which was great because a seam in this thickish fabric would have affectd the drape, I think. I had a .25 m length of the Japanese print - a quilting cotton. Instead of folding in the middle, I folded it from the right and from the left, with some overlap, then placed one piece higher than the other - and it worked out. I used one of the remaining squares to make the bias tape in my usual method (continous cutting). I was going to use the dark gray from Marta for the cuffs, but they did not look great, and, in the end, I had enough of the black.

This pattern is wonderful - the drafting is meticulous. When the cuff pieces fit perfectly into the circle of the armhole I was amazed - no easing, or fudging needed. And also the neck-line hugs the body perfectly... It is just a cute pattern.  And the proportions are great - the sleeve cuff is a perfect width, the hem curve is lovely and the yokes are great. A bit late in the season for short sleeves, but I will make it work.

In other projects, I am a bit concerned about the Liberty shirt. the front princess seams are just a bit pouffy (spelling?!). I suspect it is because of the French seams. I don't think I can do much with it without causing major changes. I keep looking at it on the dress form and wondering.... is it okay? I am attaching a photo - I actually had to work hard to get it to show in the photo, so maybe I will just take a deep breath and move on. Actually, I had been hoping to make the bias tape for the bottom hem today, but have a few more things to do for Thanksgiving dinner...