3.02.2021

A Little Challenge for 2021

 2021 has been looking suspiciously like 2020.  The main similarity being the inability to plan anything!  I do realize that there are yogis out there who spend their whole lives trying to be present in the moment, but the present moment does not inspire me right now!  I need a heading, something to point my compass at....nothing monumental or earth shaking, just a little something out there in the wilderness to make my way toward.  Since traveling is still a big unknown it can't be an anticipated vacation, or visits with friends and family.  After considering a few options I landed on a sewing challenge.  What and when I sew is pretty much in my control and that is what I need, something that doesn't depend on "acts of God" or the whims of politicians.   I have been having a bit of trouble getting my 'sewjo' going and thought some kind of challenge for myself would get me moving and keep me going.  

I thought about joining in on the "make nine" challenge that many people do, but it requires that you choose nine patterns and nine fabrics that you want to make over the year.  This is just not possible for my brain.  I never really know what I will be sewing until I'm doing it.  The idea of choosing NOW what I want to be sewing in September?...I don't see it.  

I have a sewing buddy who got herself a whole bolt of white linen.  She wants to make a pile of white shirts.  Ever since she mentioned this it has been rolling around in my head.  I decide I would do a 'white shirt' challenge this year.  I made a few last summer and it was fun and challenging to make each one it's own thing.  I love playing with different textures and weights of fabric, the style possibilities go on and on, and choosing white fabric on line is much more doable than trying to match colors!  I am targeting one shirt a month...doable but not strict...I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get 12 in the year.  In fact, since this is March already I only have 10 months left anyway! 

This idea took shape during the last week of February.  If I was going to start in February it was going to have to happen right away.  C'mon sewjo don't fail me now.  Not at the starting line!  I masked up and made a quick trip to my corner (literally on the same street) fabric store and came up with a white canvas duck cloth.  ...I said it was going to be a challenge!  I also found some metal buttons and twill tape, here we go.  Talk about staring at a blank canvas...😏


The weight of the fabric suggested a shirt-jacket of some kind.  I pulled out my Tabula Rasa pattern as a starting point.  I love the sleeve of this pattern and it would work well with my canvas.  Topstitching also came into the plan...back to the corner for heavy duty thread.

One of the things I really like about the Tabula Rasa is the sewing order.  I like getting the collar and front details finished before adding the bulk of sleeves to the mix.  



The metal buttons had little slots that I threaded the twill tape through.  I stitched the tape to the center front between the buttons.  I got all six buttonholes perfect in the first go!!!  Too bad they were all 1/2" to low for the buttons!!!!  Argggggggg.  The sound one makes when ripping out five perfect buttonholes!  

Once the fronts, back and collar are ready, the sleeves and side panels are connected and the seam is done in one pass from the front hem over the shoulder to the back hem.  No fussing around in little confined arm holes.  This construction method is also great for adding topstitching details.



I added some extra topstitching to define the pocket....(hard to see it with all the white!)


So there you have it, the first of my white shirts (I'll have to come up with a catchy name for my challenge, maybe for March.)  A white canvas shirt-jacket.  I think it will be perfect for breezy evening walks to the beach.  




I'm not sure if it will continue the rest of the year, but having this little challenge got me motivated and sewing in the last week of February.  I'm already ruminating about the March shirt.  We'll call it a good start!

17 comments:

  1. what a lovely jacket, and a fun challenge.

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    1. We'll see if it keeps me entertained for the whole year!

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  2. Love, love, love! I also have the TRJ as my base (I am also very tall but more chunky than you)...so please tell me if the collar is from the shirt variations. And, what is the size of the pockets. And, did you top stitch all seams? I now "need" to have a white jacket. You have inspired me to look through my stash and find a white fabric that will work as a shirt jacket (or find one in a couple of days when I head to a local fabric store). TIA. Mary Jackson

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    1. Let me see if I can get all the answers you need....The collar is one that I use on both the Tabula Rasa and the Merchant and Mills Factory dress It's a rectangle folded in half lengthwise with a bit of an angle to get the point in the front. Straight edges the length of the neck opening. The pockets are just the width of the front panel, I think the opening after I added the topstitched detail is about 5 1/2". Recently I have been fairly "free" with my topstitching. I put it where I think it is needed. I know that sounds a bit random, but if you look at old work garments the topstitching has a purpose and the distances between or from the edges has to do with the reason for putting it there in the first place. In this case I did a single edge stitch on the collar, double stitching on the shoulder seams, opened the underarm seams and stitched on either side of the seam....yep, kinda random.

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  3. You look marvelous--as does your shirt jac! My question is how do you make the cotton duck canvas soft enough to sew? When I last bought some, it turned into rock hard wrinkles when I washed it. Do you have hints?

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    1. This one was already washed so I could tell that it had softened up nicely...I still ran it through again when I got it home. Quality in fabrics is so variable, and if it is not 100% cotton it will not change much with washing. If you have the chance to crumple it up in your hand and see if the sizing softens a bit that might give you a little indication that it will wash and rumple well. It is a bit of a pig in a poke situation. In the theater we used to get that Columbo rumbled raincoat look by running over things with a car!

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    2. Thank you! Good thing I have a hybrid now because I am going to be running over a mountain of fabric! BTW, when I give away a computer, I remove the hard drive and run it over with the truck.

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  4. It’s perfect! What a great plan. Barb Emodi did a white shirt challenge a few years ago, but didn’t get as far as she hoped. You will. Especially with such a start. Love the construction and love the look.

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    1. Thanks for the vote of confidence! I hope it will keep my imagination busy as the year goes on.

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  5. Your off and running you will do great.

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    1. Thanks...I've already been trolling the interwweb for white fabric;)

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  6. Love the jacket. You are such a creative and talented seamstress. It will be fun to see what you come up with on your challenge. And to be able to walk to the corner for a fabric store. How wonderful. Jean

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    1. Thank for the kind thoughts and encouragement. Very tempting! I do need to pace myself and turn in the OTHER direction when I go out for my walks!

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  7. Great beginning to the challenge you set for yourself, Becky. It looks perfect - the fit and love the button application. I am going to order that pattern and hope it will be a good basic for me. I think the sleeve/shoulder design will work for my aging (aka slumping) body. 😰 You have made many handsome garments - wide variety of designs with it as the base. Happy walks!

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    1. I keep finding ways to wiggle around in that pattern. It is really a good one for me. Easy to wear and still move and doesn't look oversized or sloppy. Let me know if you want to play with your's when you get it!

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