Thursday, November 6, 2014

The Sentimental Brown Gingham Western Shirt

Oops. I was certain I was standing completely in the shade when I took these pictures. Oh well, this one isn't too bad. (Stop explaining and apologizing for bad photos, Lynn)

This might seem a bit strange and contradictory, given that I am highly attracted to bright colors and I often lament the fact that so many people are "afraid of color," but I actually do like brown. It might be at least partly because my mother said I look good in brown. It's not like she always dressed me in brown when I was little though. I have been picking out my own fabric since I was old enough to point. But anyway, I don't want to be always surrounded by it like in my dull brown living room but for clothes I like brown as well as all those crazy bright colors and sweet girly colors that I wear so much of the time.

I was in the little quilt shop in a nearby town and saw that they had some really nice quilting weight gingham in about a dozen or so colors, including this brown and I got an Idea! I don't usually wear anything western styled, not because I dislike it exactly, but more because I don't want to be mistaken for someone who is into the whole country and western sub-culture. Not that there's anything wrong with it; it's just not me. However, in developing one's own personal style it's useful to dip into various different cultures and styles... Oh screw it. I don't have a "personal style". I just get lots of different ideas and I make them and wear them.

To make this shirt I used the body of New Look 6078 because it fits really nicely (except for one part which I'll get to in a minute) and I like the curve of the hem - not too much, just right - and I used the sleeves, front band and collar from McCall's 4922 and I drafted the front and back yoke from scratch. (very simple, actually) I was a little worried that I would have a lot of trouble making the collar fit because it's a very different kind of collar from the one in the New Look pattern but it went together perfectly. In fact everything about it worked out beautifully. I'm really, extremely happy with the way it turned out. The only thing that is not quite perfect is that it's a wee bit snug around the hips. I could probably get an extra half inch if I picked apart the side seams and darts and re-sewed them but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. It's not like the buttons are about to pop off or anything like that.

Here's the back view.

And a close-up of the buttons. I suppose an "authentic" western shirt would have snaps but I love these buttons and I wasn't trying to be authentic. I just now noticed, looking at the picture, that they are a little off center on the band. Dammit! I guess I should have made vertical buttonholes but horizontal ones are less likely to come unbuttoned if you accidentally make them slightly too big.