Mission Accomplished! I LOVE how this shirt turned out! I participated in The Classic Shirt Sew Along this week over on the Oliver and S Blog making The Classic Shirt pattern by Liesl and Co. So this post is both a review of the pattern and some additional thoughts on working with Double Gauze.
First up: the pattern. There are a lot of shirt patterns out there but this one is fantastic! Why? Because thoughtful details in both the drafting of the pattern and the instructions are included. In the drafting, separate pieces are included for the collar and collar facing, as well as the cuff and cuff facing, with the facings being slightly smaller to give that special tailored touch. In addition to the excellent drafting, then instructions include tips so you get professional results. For example, when sewing the collar, you are instructed to start in the middle and sew out to each end stretching the facing as you stitch. Liesl said she researched the best construction methods and provides those details in the pattern and it shows!
I am especially pleased with how the collar turned out!
Yes, those are mother of pearl buttons from my sewing sister Wanda - thank you Wanda! And the fabric is Coral Daisies Double Gauze from Pink Hollybush. So is there anything I would do differently? Well, yes, and that brings us to our next topic: sewing The Classic Shirt with Double Gauze. I recently did a post on sewing and smocking with Double Gauze that you can find here. Double Gauze worked fantastic for this pattern, and I definitely recommend it. My shirt is soft, and comfortable, and something I will really enjoy wearing. However, as I made my shirt, I was surprised how bulky the Double Gauze could be. As I was researching Double Gauze, i didn't find anywhere that mentioned that it can actually be quite bulky. The fabric is so light and airy, that it doesn't seem bulky, Yet, if you look at the top of the pocket below, you can see the bulk. The combination of the pleat and the folded over hem of the pocket are a lot of layers. I love the pleated pocket, but if I were making this again, I would use the View A pocket, that doesn't include a pleat to reduce the layers, and thus the bulk.
I had no problem due to bulk with the collar and the cuffs, but I did use German cotton interfacing. If you do any kind of heirloom sewing, you are probably familiar with it. It is very light weight, made of 100% cotton, and is fantastic to work with. It also is quite expensive, but I didn't need much and I find that it makes a tremendous difference. The one other difficulty I did have due to bulk was sewing the narrow hem of the shirt. The hem is 1/4 inch double folded. Getting the Double Gauze to cooperate and turn upon itself in that small of an area was difficult. The solution was glue basting. Making the hem slightly wider would have worked as well. So when choosing a pattern for Double Gauze, keep in mind the need to reduce bulk. Consider avoiding narrow hems, and anything with a lot of layers. So in conclusion, I am in love with my new shirt, the Classic Shirt sewing pattern, and Double Gauze!