This shirt took me about 2 years to finish. I actually started it during the same Lauren Taylor workshop as this shirt. Basically I’m fast (when I want to be)(at sewing, not taking photos . . . obviously) and don’t really need the full three days. So on the third day I started a new one in a rayon rather than cotton. I figured a tank top I could potentially get done in a day since there are no plackets. Well, I did almost finish. I got everything done except the buttonholes, buttons and armhole bindings. After the workshop, I did the buttons and buttonholes.
And then it just sat there.
For 2 years.
Missing only the armhole bindings.
Sigh.
Here was the issue: when I made the pattern without the sleeves, there was now too much fabric around the armholes. Particularly in the back. Lauren warned me about this and she was right. But I wanted to get it to the point where I could try it on first so I could know how much to adjust.
I was so happy about how the shirt looked so far that I was terribly nervous about messing up all the hard work I had done. I had to unpick the topstitching along the yoke, then take in the excess evenly on both sides.
Fortunately during a virtual sew day with my friend Sonia when I wasn’t working on anything particular while she was doing stuff she got on my case and told me to just do it. Sit there, on the camera with her and take out the stitches.
Once the top stitching was removed, so was my inertial block. Within a day or two I had taken up the excess (about 1/2 inch graded to nothing over ~ 3 inches <— note to self when I make this pattern again and wonder how much I was suppose to cut off), cut the bias strips for the armbands, and attached them . . . and I was done!
It seriously was probably an hour’s work total and in hindsight I have no idea why I was so nervous about it. That’s not entirely true. Fitting is hard, but I’m getting better at it which helps.
Now I have a top that I totally adore. It’s comfortable. I can wear it to work. I love the fun buttons that I got from Stonemountain & Daughter (fabric was also from there). It’s one of my favorite shirts now. I will wear it threadbare. And it totally goes with gray jeans!
But definitely my favorite part is the collar message. The fabric was from the Business Class line by Jessica Jones. This particular rayon print was called Coder which was printed on the selvage. I couldn’t resist taking the Coder word from the selvage and stitching it like a label so you can see it when I pop my collar. Yeah, I know. I’m a dork. I don’t care and I love it. And this is why sewing for yourself is amazing.
(I was actually able to grab 2 Coder chunks from the selvage, so I hid another one elsewhere in the shirt. Maybe if you see me in the shirt, I show you ?)
Why didn’t you buy enough fabric to make sleeves? So this can only be worn by someone who shoot arrows?
I actually bought all that they had left! It was just enough to get this sleeveless top out of it. I ended up with less than 10″ x 10″ of scraps.
The archer is just the name of the pattern. But maybe it’s a good excuse to learn to archery!
I’ve stumbled across your blog looking for a Seamwork Veronica dress review and I now I’m enjoying your great posts. The fabric looks delightful and I love the little CODER detail. My best guess for the other hidden one is inside the pocket flap. I bought a bunch of labels from KATM and keep forgetting to add them to my garments. I’m a fellow STEM girl, I like your idea and will keep my eyes peeled for the selvages.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s not in the pocket flap, but that’s a great spot that I’ll keep in mind for next time! I love the KATM labels. They’re so sassy. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your selvages!