Simplicity 8543: Short Sleeved Shirt (Part 2)

Interfaced the extended front facing and the collar.

Interfaced collar; next time I interface the
UPPER collar

Comparing the interfaced and stay stitched
piece to the pattern

I forgot how muddled some of the instructions can be and I should really have been making construction notes while making it.











My front shoulder is about 1/8" wider than the back shoulder; I tried to steam shrink it but didn't work so stretched the back to fit. Have to check the pattern to see if I cut the piece wrong or is the piece is too big. . .

Also, instructions on assembling the collar incorrectly shows the collar sewn together even on the notched side. Then it asks you to turn it which is wrong. I have notated the step.  Also have to consider sewing the long outer edge first and then understitching to ensure it rolls to the under-collar.

I tried using the Fashion Incubator's tutorial for assembling collars; she instructs to add 1/8" (or whatever the turn of cloth needs) to the pattern for the outer edge of the upper collar. I did, and after a few tries, I thought I cut too much for lightweight cotton.  But after ironing down the first fold on the edge and then the short ends of the collar, the inner notched edge actually matched up pretty well. And the collar edge pulls under really nicely. The collar points turned out pretty good, too.

HOWEVER, I realized that the instructions on the pattern don't call out whether to interface the upper or lower collar. I interfaced the lower collar since I assumed the upper collar would then have to stretch over the lower one so the collar line would not sure but it turns out that I should have interfaced the UPPER collar.

I'm going to try and use it the way it is now, but if it doesn't work I'm going to have to cut up a new collar and chalk it up to practice.

I had tried the flat felled seam using Sarai's tutorial here.  She indicates trimming the edge being folder to half the other edge but I stitched a line about a quarter inch away from the seam line and then trimmed to that. I think it's neater even though it's an extra step. 

Tomorrow I'll try the collar and decide how to move forward from then.