My First "Real" Shirt

May-June 2015

I call this my first "real" shirt because it was more complicated than the tank tops or simple shirts I had sewn.  This one is also sewn from a commercial pattern and called for sleeves, interfacing, and a button.

I don't remember if this was from the pattern, but I decided to make these slits on the sides.  I find them more comfy.  I'm not sure if I secured them well enough, as I only learned about backstitching recently.  I guess fixing all these early projects will be future projects.

In all honesty, Mom had to help me with my first sleeve.  Some of these commercial pattern instructions are ridiculous.  She basted the sleeve on for me, and I did the second all by myself!  This sleeve looks a little Imelda Marcos-ey (I'm not a big fan of poofiness), but I'm still happy with it.  At least it looks like a normal sleeve.  I have pretty low standards at this point.

This is the interfacing and seams of the shirt.  I learned about understitching through a tutorial online.  How did people do anything before the Internet?!  I don't have pinking shears yet, though they're on the way.  I forgot to finish these raw seams, so after I threw this shirt in the wash, they got pretty frayed.

I think I misunderstood those darn instructions for this back interfacing.  If you can tell, they're not attached to the outside fabric at the same seam.  Looks messy, but again, I have low standards.  I can't tell from the outside.