A Shirt For J 2.0

Ok, this is version 2.0 of the shirt I made for J.  You can read about my mishap with the first version here.  He actually seems to really like the first version, but I just don't think his perfectionism will allow him to wear it out in a public setting.  He did wear it on vacation.  It was a great beach shirt.  I especially like Bernice's suggestion of making it his dancing shirt :D

 This version is absolutely identical to the teeny baby button down I made earlier this summer.  After I made the little version, J commented on how much he liked the fabric.  I liked the fabric, too.  I would call it a cotton gauze, though it was just labeled as a cotton shirting at the fabric store.  It's two very fine layers of cotton sort of fused together in places.  When you wash and dry it, it puckers up.  Could it be some sort of seersucker?  It's supposed to be wrinkly, but in these photos it's extra wrinkly from traveling.  Neither one of us felt like ironing anything on vacation.  The only downside is that it does need a really good pressing out of the wash or the fit is noticeably smaller.

 

 

 

I used McCalls 6044 again.  This time I cut a L instead of an XL.  I didn't make any changes except sewing the armscye seam in another 1/4".  The shoulder seems to sit very wide on this pattern.   I still think they are a tiny bit wide.   J is happy with the fit on this shirt, but I think there could be just a 1/4" to 1/2" more width through the belly.  Just a teensy, tiny bit more room.  I notice that he pulls it there when he puts it on.  It could also be that the crinkly fabric is clingy.  I kept the original shirttail hem on this version, which I like.  I also swayed J into letting me use pearl snaps again.  I love pearl snaps!  I must make something for myself with them.  It doesn't really pull at the snaps like in the photo below.  I think that must have been an awkward pose.  It's hard to make your husband pose for fifty photos from all different angles.  Although I'm pleased that he even posed at all.

I'm much happier with this second go at making J a shirt.  It was definitely easier the second time around.  I knew what to do and what to look out for.  Matching the stripes was tricky, but I think they match everywhere it counts.  I will definitely continue to make J shirts now that I've got a pattern that he likes.  Of course making J shirts will be spread out between selfish sewing.  Of course.

 

Oh man, take me back to St. John!  I need to hurry up and finish these vacation posts so I can stop pining away for island life ;)
  One more vacation garment to go...