Stripes + Dots = Seasonal Spin On A Classic Shirt
Nothing says spring like dots or stripes or a fresh cotton shirt. The fashion world is having a love affair with stripes this season and so are we! Gwen Spencer combined all three elements using a dotty stripe from our Japanese Wovens Collection paired with Vogue 9174 shirt and added one more stripe-y dotty feature to make it sing.
V9174, a tried and true Marcy pattern is a loose fitting shirt with pieced front and back, double collar with a bias collar band (plus secret pocket)- all elements perfect for stripes. Gwen used the pattern straight from the envelope - but adding her own creative style. The fabric is a silky Japanese cotton with woven in gray and white stripes overprinted in cheery (and on trend), mustard dots.
The secret ‘ingredient’ that makes you want to ask, ‘what IS that?’, is the bias stripe that Gwen meticulously made, and then stitched to form a diagonal row of stripes, strategically placed in rows to highlight the mustard dots. ‘This is why I love my stash,’ says Gwen, the contrasting stripe was on hand. Gwen loves repetitive meditative stitching whether by machine or by hand.
The first thing to know about this shirt is that when I started, I did not know where I was going …and I love that because it provides a design opportunity.
‘I cut bias strips, used my 1/2’ bias maker and made lengths of bias striped strips and sewed them on each garment section AFTER cutting the pattern piece…I did NOT make fabric and then cut the pattern piece!
I asked Gwen how she secured the strips - wondering if she used a spray adhesive, laughing, she shot back to me, ‘You know how I feel about glue!’
Truth out, Gwen says she will sometimes use a spray adhesive on the hem of a wobbly knit.
To sew the strips, she pinned them on and stitched away - no special feet, her wise advise is, just ‘be relaxed’.
Gwen says, ‘this is why we need a stash’ because I had just the right stripe on hand to make things pop.’
The shirt also has a small secret pocket!
Gwen made this shirt for her spouse, Carolyn who plans to wear it to the Oregon State women’s basketball games - after all it has little basketballs all over it!!
V9174, a tried and true Marcy pattern is a loose fitting shirt with pieced front and back, double collar with a bias collar band (plus secret pocket)- all elements perfect for stripes. Gwen used the pattern straight from the envelope - but adding her own creative style. The fabric is a silky Japanese cotton with woven in gray and white stripes overprinted in cheery (and on trend), mustard dots.
The secret ‘ingredient’ that makes you want to ask, ‘what IS that?’, is the bias stripe that Gwen meticulously made, and then stitched to form a diagonal row of stripes, strategically placed in rows to highlight the mustard dots. ‘This is why I love my stash,’ says Gwen, the contrasting stripe was on hand. Gwen loves repetitive meditative stitching whether by machine or by hand.
Gwen's Tips
The first thing to know about this shirt is that when I started, I did not know where I was going …and I love that because it provides a design opportunity.‘I cut bias strips, used my 1/2’ bias maker and made lengths of bias striped strips and sewed them on each garment section AFTER cutting the pattern piece…I did NOT make fabric and then cut the pattern piece!
I asked Gwen how she secured the strips - wondering if she used a spray adhesive, laughing, she shot back to me, ‘You know how I feel about glue!’
Truth out, Gwen says she will sometimes use a spray adhesive on the hem of a wobbly knit.
To sew the strips, she pinned them on and stitched away - no special feet, her wise advise is, just ‘be relaxed’.
Gwen says, ‘this is why we need a stash’ because I had just the right stripe on hand to make things pop.’
The shirt also has a small secret pocket!
A Basketball Shirt for Carolyn
Gwen made this shirt for her spouse, Carolyn who plans to wear it to the Oregon State women’s basketball games - after all it has little basketballs all over it!!
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Posted on May 21 2021