Saturday, December 29, 2018

2018 ~ The Year of the Shirt

For 2018 I really wanted more shirts that button down the front.  I wanted a standard collar that meant undercollar and collar.  I wanted a buttoned cuff but I didn't necessarily need a menswear tower placket to accomplish that look.  

After I made my first series of successful shirts, I went on a fabric buying tear and bought enough fabric to make 30 more shirts. A little overboard, I know...but I kept seeing shirts in a wide variety of fabrics. I even wrote an inspiration post to share some of my ideas.

I ended up making 16 shirts this year...and all but four are solid colored. Making solid colored shirts will be a priority in 2019. Cause I love having all of these shirts in my wardrobe. LOVE! I made shirts almost every season of the year except summer. I didn't make any then because there were dresses and other things to sew. It's also probably the only time of the year that I don't wear them.  Though one of my friends said that they thought my Katies qualified as shirts. However, I think of them as tunics and/or dresses and didn't include them in my shirt count.

The last two shirts are finished just not photographed on me yet. These shirts will show up on the blog sooner or later. It rained alot here lately and then it was Christmas, so no photos. But since my daughters graced me with a new dressform for Christmas, here are some Sewing Cave photos of the lastest shirts.


To Recap the 16 ~
The first shirt I made in January was to celebrate my partnership with Elliott Berman Textiles ~


The next eight were featured in April and highlighted in this post Links to blog posts about each shirt are included ~


These were the next shirts~


After I sewed the sleeveless shirt in June, I took a break. It was October before I started sewing more of my basic button front shirt. The "Zooks Shirt" was my first fall make. Thank goodness for solid colored cardigans because I got this idea to turn a bunch of my border print fabrics into shirts. I called it The Border Print Series.




When I started making shirts in January, I wanted to make several shirts. I was thinking like 10...so I'm thrilled that I've made 16.

Another thing is that of the 16, one will be donated. The Hurrying Spring Along shirt has really tight arms. I love the idea of the shirt and it hurts that it no longer works for me.  Hopefully someone else will love it as much as I do.

This is the garment I made the most of in 2018. I've been wearing the shirts almost every week. They work well with a cardigan and jeans.  It's also the garment that fits best with my lifestyle. I also like the challenge of sewing shirts. I like how fabric and embellishments can change the flavor of the garment and will be making more in 2019.

This is the last retrospective post of my sewing for 2018. I am sewing and can't wait to share what I'm working on.

...as always more later!

13 comments:

  1. I love all your shirts! Very inspiring. Happy New Year!

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  2. Your output is simply amazing! I love that you set a goal and always seem to achieve it, with time out to share your knowledge and creativity along the way. The shirts are simply fabulous and I'm so sad that "Hurrying Spring Along" will be donated as I think it is my favorite -- I'm crazy about the way you used the border print so effectively. So generous of you to donate -- and so generous of you to post so regularly.
    Happy New Year -- looking forward to reading of your latest sewing achievements throughout 2019.

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  3. Just this year I learned to make men's shirts. At first I was very impatient and frustrated but after making a few I now feel that shirt making is very relaxing and rewarding. I love ALL your shirts and you have inspired me to make myself shirts. Great job & You look lovely. Happy New Year!

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  4. Love all your shirts and love the re-cap. So much inspiration there.

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  5. That's a lot of shirts! I'd say you have it down!

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  6. Lovely! A tailored shirt always looks so classy to me, and yours are beautiful. This coming year I need to make some for myself. I’ve made several for my husband but never myself, though I have some gorgeous fabrics stashed. I think because I am pickier about the fit than he is I am afraid to try.

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    Replies
    1. Annie - my first ones the fit was just okay. I kept making them until I got the fit and techniques that I wanted down. So my advice to you is to just do it. Maybe not use your good fabric for the first one but otherwise go for it. You will be happy that you did!

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  7. As always you are an inspiration to me. I keep saying I want to make shirts and since I have a new machine that actually makes fabulous buttonholes I no longer have any excuses. These are an incredible collection of shirts that really work for you. You look good in them and they look great. Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  8. Wow! The Year of the Shirt is going to go down in history as a fabulous display of your sewing skills and your great style!! Happy New Year!!!

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  9. I love this post just like I love your blog. As usual your ability to make one look or one pattern in so many ways just amazes and inspires me. For instance a few years ago I shelved sewing shirts and got real knit focused and now I am thinking time to rethink that - I love your shirt collection! Every time I read your blog I get excited about sewing again. Thanks for that!

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  10. I can see why you would love wearing button up shirts! I have two, and always long for more once I have worn them. All of your shirts are fabulous! I think I will try some embellishments for 2019 too, lol!

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  11. I love all your shirts! I have two underway right now...a lovely white one with pintucks and a blue print one with white collar and cuffs. There is something immensely satisfying about sewing a shirt.

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  12. These are just amazing! You've inspired me to have a go at shirts.

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