|
The Hive Project Series
Constructing
a Man's Shirt |
Fabric Preparation...
To begin your shirt the linen, or other fabrics in later projects, should be laundered and well ironed. Pulling a thread at one end to even the grain is worth the effort as all of the pieces are cut on the grain in squares and rectangles.
The Body is cut along the length of the fabric taking advantage of a salvage. If the selvage is fine it can be worked into the detail of the shirt. If not, cut off the salvage and measure your first piece approximately 30" x 80". This allows for the warp threads to run the length of the shirt. This is not the case in all extant shirts as there are examples where the warp runs around the body.
Sleeves are cut from 16" to 20" wide and about 20" long.
Cuffs vary in width and are then cut 2" longer than the wrist measurement.
Collar should be cut 2-1/2" longer than the neck measurement and about 10" wide.
Neck and Underarm Gussets are 3-1/2" square and 6"-9" square respectively.
To begin sewing...
1.
Neck Opening
Fold the shirt body in half to determine the shoulder seam and mark the
center.
Fold in half again and finger press the center front and back
and then open this fold.
2. From where
the center was marked on the shoulder seam cut 6" to the right and the
6" to the left. Next cut
7 to 15 inches* from this shoulder cut straight down the
center front. Be sure to cut only one layer!
*The center front opening varies in length, the choice is
yours to make.
3.
Neck Gussets
Fold each of the
two 3 1/2" neck gussets in half diagonally and cut along the fold. Press
under
1/4" in the straight edges. At the end of each shoulder
slash lay the one neck gusset with the wrong side of
the gusset to the right side of the body. The diagonal
cut faces toward the neck.
Stitch the gusset in place with topstitching
(or with a blind stitch). Next
lay the second gusset on the underside
and blind stitch in place. Repeat on the other side of the neck opening.
Diagram.
4. Next lower
the neck opening by cutting a wedge 1/2" deep (at the center
opening)
angling up to the gusset where the diagram says "trim
here". This will shape the neck.
Diagram
Stitch this center front opening by turning under twice 1/8" or as narrow
as you can to make the opening edges.
This will angle away to nothing at the lower edge of the slit
opening. At the bottom of the slit use a
buttonhole
stitch for about a 1/2 inch.
See
Picture
5.
Reinforcement Pieces
Cut two strips 2
1/4' x 12'' and two strips 2" x 6". These are approximant sizes
to be adjusted and needed. Fold under 1/4" on the 12"
length edges. Lay the 12" piece on the right side of
the shirt along the center of the shoulder fold.
Pin/baste in place and then stitch in place with topstitching.
See
Picture
6. Sleeves
Fold the sleeve
piece in half lengthwise. Set in the underarm gusset on a diagonal
using a 1/2"
seam allowance. Where the two seams meet end your
stitching 1/2" from the edge. From this point begin stitching
the sleeve seam ending 5 to 6" inches from the cuff edge. Flat
fell the seams for the gusset and the sleeve. Since we
haven't adjusted for sleeve length yet, stop stitching
the flat felled steams about @" from the sleeve opening on
the cuff edge. See
Picture
These instructions
will take us through Session One of The Hive workshop.