Home Ec at Home
Neither of my two teens have been interested in sewing; their creativity has taken other forms, but a chance combination of events has led to my older teen to try a sewing project.
My teen happened to see a checked shirt from the op shop, which was going back to the op shop. Mr H bought it but didn’t try it on, and it was too big (it’s size XXL – what were you thinking, Mr Size L?). I kept it for a while because I thought I could do something with it, but I never did. She took a liking to it and asked to have it. She thought she could shorten the sleeves and body and wear it as sort of a cropped shacket.
The shirt is an RM Williams shirt, which is a heritage brand here in Australia, a little like Levis in America. Core items, notably boots and hats, are still made in Australia, but this shirt was made in China.
My teen read the blog post How to Sew in Bed which I wrote two weeks ago, and she thought she’d like to give it a try. She has long covid and spends a great deal of time resting in bed. I can’t decide which makes me happier: that she wanted to sew or that she reads my blog!
So we made an action plan to minimize her energy usage. She tried the shirt on in front of a mirror.
We decided on a length to shorten the sleeves and body, and I pinned it up.
Then I cut off the excess and pressed up new hems, and gave it to her to re-hem.
I gave her a short sewing lesson on how to hand sew. We discussed hem types and I suggested a double folded hem. She wanted to know the best stitch (I suggested small running stitch in perfectly matching thread), how to start off and how to finish. I gave her a bed sewing kit. She sewed the cuffs on one day, and the body hem on the next day.
But something odd happened when I cut off the length. The shirt is checked and the side seams match, so I cut along a convenient check all the way around. But it ended up a whole check out at the centre front. Luckily we noticed before she hemmed the body.
We couldn’t get our heads around how it happened. The whole shirt has the checks matching beautifully. I looked at the piece I cut off, and then the rest of the shirt.
The shirt tail section is off by a whole check – you can see where I cut evenly around on a single check:
It seemed that the upper back was cut skewed by one whole check at the top, but it wasn’t noticeable because the hemline was shirt tails, not straight across. Crazy. Clearly someone didn’t do their job properly!
I trimmed the longer front so they matched, and then angled the back by one check and re-pressed the hem for her to sew.
When she was done, I gave it a super dooper press and she tried it on.
The back check is really obvious now 🙂
She likes it! A successful sewing project completed, the first of many I hope.
Cheers!
Great job and what a relief that the legnth still fits with a whole check less than planned. This could definitely have ended in a disaster!
Finishing a project in two days when you’re struggling with energy resources is SO gratifying, I hope it was also a success on the energy management level.
I’ve been trying out Alabama Chanin sewing and embellishment and it’s quite sew-in-bed-friendly (especially if someone else can draw the pattern). And the 100% cotton knit used is comfy to sleep in.
Thank you. I was very happy she finished it and liked it, as it’s a good boost for confidence.
Alabama Chanin sewing would be great for doing in bed.
You could have left the wonky hem! Mismatching hems are a ‘thing’ now, even on expensive suit jackets.
That thought did cross my mind, however I didn’t think it was wonky “enough”, if that makes sense.
How unfortunate that her garment had issues you needed to work around, but cheers you got there in the end… without having to unpick. And the original being off the rack with that issue makes me feel better about some of my misses over the years. Hope you have a few more wonderful collaborations in your future! Chris in Florida
It was unexpected, as the rest of the shirt’s checks match so beautifully. Once we got our heads around it, it was fine, and didn’t make the shirt shorter than she wanted. Yes, here’s to more collaborations:)
Woo hoo! Alway a great feeling when our kids take an interest in our interests and vice versa. My oldest son has promised to learn to sew after he graduates from college this spring. Fingers crossed XXX On the flip side, I did take up watching anime because of him, but rock climbing is not on my agenda:)
Agree, it is a good feeling. One doesn’t want to be a parent who pushes things onto children who aren’t interested, but it’s nice when they are. Interestingly, they haven’t been attracted to Mr H’s career or hobbies much either.
This is a wonderful idea for any oversized shirt—something to keep in my memory file.
Thanks Terri. I would not have thought about doing this but my teen had a vision for it!
A shirt tale (tail) with a happy ending!
It is with some trepidation that I will approach the checked fabric for a Christmas shirt, while my Mr H is away next week. I will have wonky check nightmares 😉
Fortunately I have read the Cutting checks section of The Dressmaker’s Companion!
I’m sure you will be absolutely fine with the checked shirt, and you will not have the same issues I did! Thank you for the book plug:)
Great work!
Thanks Fred! I will pass that on to her. Maybe sewing is in her future after all.
My Mr. L has some lovely flannel Mr. M shirts that would be great shackets. Very cozy, and reminds me of old-fashioned bed jackets… which could come in handy when sewing in bed!
Hmmm…that is a really good idea! I will share it with teen.