Showing My True Stripes

What Shirt to Make With Stripes?

It's time to present Shirt #3 that I mentioned here a few weeks ago.

This shirt was planned to use the striped fabrics that are a part of the Patrick Lose "Flower Power" collection.

Engineering The Striped Fabric

When I reviewed shirt inspiration, I chose a shirt from Pinterest that was a play on stripes; this design is printed on the fabric, but I interpreted it by piecing the fabric. I thought it would be a great fit for using all the stripes, and I added the black and white dot print for contrast.

The first step was to create a diagram showing the layout of the striped fabrics. There are two versions with different placement and a varying use of the stripes and dots. The second step was to determine the width of the fabric strips relative to the size of the shirt pattern pieces, while keeping with the proportions of the inspiration shirt.

The fabric strips were cut between 1 1/2" and 3 1/2" wide, with stripes running in alternate directions per the diagram. The strips were the length of the fabric width.

The strips were sewn together in sequence, then run through the serger to finish the raw edges and the seam allowances pressed to one side.

The process was very similar to strip quilting.

For the shirt front, I cut two sets of strips to the appropriate length and stitched them together on a 45-degree angle to miter them and create the angle on the inspiration shirt.

Then I added the horizontal black stripe and also the dotted fabric to finish the length of fabric for the shirt front piece. Next I added the vertical black stripe front band piece to complete the shirt front fabric. After duplicating this piece with a reverse 45-degree angle for the opposite shirt front, I placed the two fabric pieces right sides together, pinned on the shirt front pattern piece and cut out the shirt front.

Lining It All Up

Creating the shirt back and sleeve fabric was similar to the process for the front, and I lined up the fabric with the pattern pieces to ensure the stripes were in horizontal alignment across the shirt. I did make a couple of adjustments in fabric placement for the sleeves along the way. Once the three main garment pieces were created and cut out, I also cut out the yoke, collar, collar band and the sleeve cuffs per the diagram.

The shirt was constructed in the usual way, and it actually took more time to engineer and piece the fabric than it did to sew up the shirt!

I think Shirt #3 will make a great conversation starter in the Patrick Lose Fabrics booth at the next quilt market, where I will wear it while interacting with quilt shop owners who are shopping this fabric line.

Until next time, keep those sewing machine humming; and while you're at it, take a look at some strip quilting techniques that you could convert to an apparel use!

DTFM

dantherfabricman@yahoo.com