Stitcher's Guild

The sides and shoulders are together, the darts are sewn and pressed. I basted in the collar per instructions and then just got completely stumped in trying to sew on the facing.

I put the shirt down a while to think about it. I also looked up making collars in my Claire Shaeffer's Shortcuts book. I now THINK I know what i need to do. Not 100% sure yet.

There's a picture on my blog. It DOES close, I just slung the shirt on the dressform when I was tired of messing with it.

http://www.susinok.com has pictures! My first collar! If only I figure out how to attach it with the facings...

First, here's a great link for how to sew a facing so it lies flat:

http://www3.telus.net/inspiredsewing/

Now, I'm certainly no expert, so hope someone else will hop in. But here's how I sew a collar and facing.

Pin the collar to the blouse. Blouse right side up and collar also right side up. Match center back, shoulder seam to collar notch, and end of collar to notch on front of blouse. Baste, using smaller seam allowance than normal. Depending on the fabric, you may need to clip the blouse after basting to get everything to lie flat, but to be honest I've never had to clip anything.

Now pin the facing on top of the blouse/collar. You'll have blouse rs up, collar rs up, and facing rs down.

Hope this, and tessa's website, help.

Thanks, Judith.

Your short paragraph made a lot more sense than McCalll's step by step instructions! I think the pictures confused me.

My collar is on and looking good! I've done the hand sewing of the top collar layer already, too. Pics on my blog at http://www.susinok.com.

Been there too - where you read the directions over and over and they just don't click - then someone says the same thing a different way and "well, of course". Your blouse is looking great.

Your shirt looks great!  I love your fabric.  I'm a real camp shirt fan, myself.  Haven't made my quota yet this summer, but I always do several.  They're just so handy!  I predict this will be the first of many for you. :)

Susinok,
Your shirt is looking great! I love the colors.

I'm also working on a camp shirt --- for my FIL who is arriving in a couple of days. He seems to love when I make things for him -- or maybe he's just very polite!  ;D -- and I thought this would be a good project for Father's Day. He likes Hawaiian prints so that's what he's getting. I'm using KS 2935, http://www.kwiksew.com/Patterns/P2935_2959/2935.cfm, which has wonderful directions. Silly me tried to outguess the instructions by understitching the front facings ... only to realize that with a convertible collar, it will show *and* interfere with the topstitching to come later. Ooops.  ::)  So, that stitching is now ripped and I'm ready to sew in the sleeves. After that, a pair of knit lounge pants to match. Hey, I never said he was a fashion plate.  ;D ;D 

Debbie,  That looks like a great pattern, and I'm sure your FIL really likes it when you make something for him.  He knows how much you love sewing, and knows how much it means that you have chosen to use your limited time and unlimited talents to create something especially designed to please him.  I'll bet he tells everyone who sees him wear these items that they were custom made for him by his DiL. :)  Besides, how could he fail to be thrilled?

Thank you Liana! I really love that phrase "limited time and unlimited talents" ... what a nice compliment. Now that DH is back up from a catnap to lose a headache, I'm off to my machines to finish this. It's a gray day here with Alberto brushing by so a "nice" day to sit and sew.

Susi, the shirt looks great. 

Debbie, love the pattern and I am sure your FIL will love the shirt.  How sweet you are in the midst of everything to make something for him.  I am sure he appreciates it.

Susi ~ the camp shirt is very cute!  I love the print and can't wait to see pictures of the buttons.

Debbie ~ I am sure that your FIL just appreciates the time you take to make him the camp shirts!  It is a very nice thing to do!

Looking good!!!! We should have lift off soon, Houston.  Love your bright fabric.

The Camp Shirt is done! I'm wearing it to work tomorrow!

It was a fun shirt to make, once I figured out how to do the collar/facing, etc around the neck.

It was McCall pattern 2094, view C. Adjustments were raising the bust point and bust dart one inch, adding 1/2 an inch to the side seam at the hip (though I don't think I need it now), and I took in 3/4" off of the outside shoulder for narrow shoulders. The sleeves hit me just right now.

Picture on my blog at http://www.susinok.com/?p=194.

Time for bed!

It looks great, Susan!  What a happy color!  I have learned (finally)  ::) over many projects that before hemming a blouse or shirt, hold the front edges of the collar stands together and match the front edges of the shirt to make sure the hems will match.  It's much easier before you hem and they're uneven and you have to do it over.  Ask me how I know that! ;)

It looks great, terrific colour. It won't be a problem to redo the buttons, so don't worry about it. We've probably all learned this way to line up the front before doing the buttons.

Bye the way, I don't know what the instructions say, but if you don't mind a tip, I always do button holes first, and I don't follow pattern markings. I do one right at bust, one right at waist, and balance the rest in between and on top - they don't have to be equal distances (anyone looking close enough to know if they are should at least buy you dinner too!). After the buttonholes are done and opened, I line up the blouse on a flat surface, bottom ends aligned (I had to mention that, didn't I?) with button hole side on top, then just use a marker (I use washable coloured pencils) to mark through the button hole onto the button side.  Then draw a line down the button side the distance that you want the buttons from the edge, extend your marks through that line, and you have a nice cross hatch where the buttons should go.

Thanks for sharing your camp shirt - it turned out very nice. Just wait until someone says how nice it is and you say "oh yes, I made this".

Susinok,

Love your new camp shirt!  When you take more pictures, be sure to give us a close-up of your fish buttons you mentioned earlier.  They sound perfect for the shirt!  I've made several of Louise Cutting's  [url][/url] http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Shopper_id=947252537579472&Store_id=516&page_id=23&Item_ID=1190 Town and County camp shirt!  My idea of a "couture" camp shirt.  Lovely, complete instructions lead you step-by-step!

Thanks guys!

In marking for the button holes I had the shirt on the dressform and put one right at the bust. Then I put a button two inches above and two inches below all the way down for six buttons.

When I marked for buttons, I lined up the shirt on top (not the bottom) and marked through the buttonholes to the shirt. I think part of it is that they might not be sewn on exactly 2" apart, and part of it might be that in hemming the shirt, the front sides are not the same length. I"ll check that when I go to fix it.

But first I'll wear it to work today.

I have some batik quilting fabric in a large jungle print in shades of olive green that would make a great camp shirt! I may just make another one. I'm so low on shirts for the summer right now.

something else - you probably already know this - I hem the blouse before putting on buttons. I hem the sleeves before attaching them too - but that's because by the time I get to the hemming I tend to want to get it done and move on to something else, so hemming the sleeves early in the process seems to be one less tedious chore at the end.

I hemmed the sleeves before attaching them. Next time I'll also sew the sleeves in flat, but this time I needed the sides together to check fit.

But yeah I hemmed as the very last thing, after buttons. I will undo the one hem and just re-hem that front piece. That's easier than re-doing the buttons. However, no on notices unless I tell them!

I'm already plotting more camp shirts! Woo hoo sewing is a gas!

There is a little but of extra fabric on the upper chest over by each armscye. How would I reduce that fabric ammount? Narrow the shoulders a bit more? Change the curve of the armscye a bit? It's not a lot extra. Maybe it's just that this fabric is a bit stiff.

Great print!

I've been wanting to make Louise Cutting's Town & Country shirt too - I even have the fabric! But no time  :'(

Louise Cutting's camp shirt is easy, easy.  I can make one in a couple of hours.  I did shorten it by 4" though because it is tunic length.  Use a drapey fabric though.  I made one in stiffer fabric and it isn't as comfy or flattering.  I found some rayon batik that made a wonderful camp shirt.  I've got some hankerchief linen on the cutting table ready to go for another one.