Shirt for friend's son

A good friend who's very supportive asked about me making a few shirts for her younger son. I am thrilled to be able to give back to her and I'm using this Simplicity pattern 8543. 

She stays in another part of the country and I made a muslin to send to her son to try. She said it fit fine so it's now time to make up the shirts. Children grow so fast I can't wait too much longer!

Muslin of shirt

Simplicity 8543

The muslin helped me to try out the techniques. The collar was fine, trimming it down before I installed it made it smooth. Also the David Coffin Page technique on installing sleeves with 1 pin was much easier than trying to pin it all down. 

So I've got blue cotton fabric to make the shirt and also a forest green one. I got some better interfacing as well and soaked it in hot water to preshrink.  

Cut out the fabric in blue. Collar made using the method in Fashion Incubator here. Also using the interfacing tips she suggested but not sure how to apply her comment: Skip the stay-stitching on necklines and use interfacing instead. Stay stitching only stabilizes a very thin line -that which contains the stitching itself and fusible will stabilize the neckline area, greatly reducing creep when attaching collars and the like.

Need to research more.

This comment I understand and also will use: When you’re fusing a line that will be folded -say a hem, or a vent- your fusible should cross the fold line. Do not -I repeat- do not have the interfacing end right at the fold line (which is what’s done in home sewing patterns). Extending the fusible one half inch beyond the fold line will extend the life of a garment. If you don’t extend the fusible and you fail to line up the fusible with the fold line exactly, it can throw off your fold line as I’m sure you’ve noticed. A fold in fabric is a stressed region, cushion it for longer life.

And also this comment: When making your fusible pattern pieces (required for production patterns), they should not be the exact dimensions of the pattern piece upon which they’re placed. Trace the shape exactly, then trim off 1/8 of an inch all the way around. This will help to stagger the seams allowing them to lie flatter. Plus, any off-set fusible pieces having become askew will not obscure the actual seam depth.

Will post pictures on the WIP.