The fabric in the previous post was acquired in a 2 yard by 60" precut. I used as much as needed to make that shirt, then decided to see if I could squeeze a shirt for me from what was left.
The fabric limitations meant it would more cropped than I usually go for, but once I decided to see if I had any appliqués I might use, I couldn't resist making it anyway
I tried a new-to-me pattern, Stretch & Sew F832
Believe it or not, this pattern is from 2002, shoulder pads and all.
I did not use the shoulder pads.
The pattern is meant to be mix and match between the neck line and sleeve shapes, and I altered them more. The neckline I lowered by about ¼"/6mm in the front, and the sleeves... Well, even though I intended to use ribbing cuffs from the start, I used the straight sleeve option, widening them just a bit toward the cuffs. I just didn't like the fullness promised by the illustration for the ribbing-cuffed sleeves as given.
It was really easy to add the extra width evenly to each side of the sleeves, because this pattern's sleeves are cut on the fold. No, no, not "cut 2 on folded fabric" like most patterns. The pattern pieces given are each a lengthwise half of sleeve. Now, we all know that sleeves shouldn't be that symmetrical, but we also probably all know that symmetrical sleeves are super easy to sew. I did think it was a nice touch that the notch at the top of the cut folded sleeve piece aligns with a notch that's near the shoulder seam, but not on the shoulder seam, instead being on the back piece just behind the shoulder seam. I didn't figure out that's what was going on until I was preparing to sew the second sleeve. I didn't bother to re-sew the first sleeve, where I'd aligned the sleeve notch with the shoulder seam.
The pattern directions might have mentioned something about this, but...didn't read 'em--well, not that part (if it existed.) You do need to read the pattern directions to find out what dimensions to cut the ribbing pieces. That's how the ribbing was approached in the one other Stretch & Sew pattern I've made, too.
I cut this in size 32, because, again, the pattern illustrations promise 1980s/1990s-style Extra Fullness. Like vintage KwikSews, this has ¼/6mm seam allowances and sews up fast, and it should be pretty obvious that the most fiddly bit of this project took the form of the iron-ons.
I got into my appliqué/iron-on stash looking for inspiration, and decided maybe it would be a good project to use some of the many iron-on letters I've acquired (second hand!) over the years.
But...what should it say?
My first thought was a simple Meow, but that very quickly got replaced by good ol' Memento Mori, because the idea of that being spelled out in glitter and flocking was too funny.
I wasn't sure if the differences in word length and letter size would work, so I did a mock up in Inkscape
I knew the white flocked letters were in the typeface Cooper Black, but I just grabbed the first slab serif I found for the blue glittery letters. That typeface is Aachen. The glittery letters are not Aachen.
But they're close enough to give an idea of layout spacing.
I cut the letters out, trimming very close to the vinyl and leaving a tab at the top left of each one so I wouldn't accidentally flip anything. Then I got the tape and some 10-square-per-inch graph paper and laid it out
I cut the paper just below the letters and drew a line at the center on the back, which I aligned with a chalk line drawn on the center of the front piece. I have a long history of applying things like this off-center and angled, and I wanted to avoid that this time.
After I applied the Memento, I did use the ruler to align the Mori, but I spaced things by eye since this style of iron-on could be peeled off of the backing sheet and therefore ironed on without having to deal with only being able to see the back of some trimmed paper. I saved the dots for last...and managed to not only scorch part of the M and the O, but also managed to accidentally transfer some glitter from the Memento onto the flocked bits by not paying attention to the part of the parchment paper I was using to protect the various parts from the iron.
Someone would have to be pretty close to notice those mistakes, so I'm not bothered. Much.
I top stitched around the neckband with the same gray thread I used for the previous two projects. It's a good neutral color.
I was a bit vexed when trying to choose the ribbing. Yes, this color is a very good match for the glittery blue, but I didn't seem to have enough of it. However, the fact that Stretch & Sew ribbing dimensions are given by charts gave me the idea to take liberties with things. I could get everything as wide as the pattern wanted, but they'd need to be narrower.
And it worked!
Now I'm resisting using up the rest of the Ms, Es, Ns, Ts, Os, Rs, and Is to put Memento Mori on everything.
Or maybe finally make something saying Over The Hill like I've been thinking of for years now?
And then, when I run out of appropriate letters, I'll have to resist getting a vinyl cutter...
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