Button Down Shirts, a Learning Curve

 I have, in my sewing time, made MANY button down shirts. Not usually fancy dress shirts, but more of what qualify as a casual, camp shirt. I followed my mom's footsteps, and mad then for my dad. I made them for myself, and my brother when times were such that it wasn't easy to find clothes in our sizes. I made some for Ron, and Raine, both (with varied success. What do I mean by success? "Did they wear them?" is my measure of success). I have also used various versions of "kid's clothes" projects to make button down shirts as well.

Here's an example of a shirt I made for Carl

Historically, I have struggled with things like getting the collar centered, getting the fronts to lay flat, and pocket placement. I have a tried and true pattern that I have used so often that the newsprint remake of the worn out pattern pieces is wearing out, too. I have learned a lot about pattern adjustment working from that pattern. I have learned the value of using/not using the edges of the fabric in certain places. I've learned that interfacing is your friend, when sewing, and so is your iron. I've also learned, through using a variety of button down shirt patterns, some other lessons. I mean, practice makes a difference. I won't say perfect, because perfect isn't really my aim. Better, however, BETTER is something I DO strive for. 

I like to sew for kids. I don't know that kids like me to sew for them... many of the garments I make for kids have been donated to groups that provide clothes for children who need them, like to go to school in. Often those groups provide space for families to come look at the clothes, find what their child needs and wants, and what fits them, and I never hear comments about my particular garments, or see those clothes being worn. SO, there may be "other sides" to what I donate, and I can only go by my own experiences. When she was young, my niece liked the clothes I made for her. I let her pick fabrics and patterns as I could, depending on the time we had together to do such things. She loved trying them on, and giving me a "fashion show." With kids I didn't know, I tried to make practical garments, that were if not actually "in style" at least pretty commonly considered staples in a kid's wardrobe. Button down shirts work well in this category. 

Kid's sized button down shirt

There are some reasons that I like using kid's clothes as practice for "adult" sewing. One, kids are smaller, so it takes less fabric, and is cheaper. When I'm making things for Charitable Crafting, at Cruces Creatives, I have access to donated fabric, which I can use at no cost. Even a yard of fabric is often enough to make a garment for a child. I also have a rather large collection of patterns in a large range of sizes, so I don't have to spend more money if I have a pattern already in stock. A basic pattern like a casual button down shirt is pretty common, and perfect for school.

Button down shirts can be fun!

I've gotten to experiment with various elements of these shirts, and have discovered some things. When it comes to front facings, it is easier to make a front facing with a separate piece behave, and change fit if needed. Use the curve of the armhole as a guide for placing your pocket, but don't get too close to the front facing. A set in sleeve is more common, but there are some patterns with a cap sleeve (I think that is what it is called) that you cut when you cut the shirt fronts and back. it is usually shorter than a set in sleeve, and a lot quicker to finish. That being said, there will be people (even kid people) who want the set in sleeve, because that is what they commonly see. It is something to think about. I will make either one, but usually leave the cap sleeve for a smaller size shirt (younger kid).

This shirt has the cap sleeve

Getting to make this variety of patterns, helps me when I choose a pattern for Raine, or anyone else. I ask things like how fitted or loose? How fun can we go for fabric? ( I love, love, love a fun fabric!) and I use the tips and hints I have found to help me through the process of creating a nice, casual, button down shirt.

Stacking Ring Toys

 I've got a finish to celebrate. Here is my latest stacking ring toy make:

Cute sheep stacking ring toy

This blog serves me in part as a portfolio. A look back on things I've made. A lot of what I make, I give to family and friends as gifts. I would REALLY be a hoarder if I tried to keep it all. But that means I don't have it around me to remind me what I've done, Or what I've learned from it. The blog also serves me as a record of what I've attempted, successful or not (or somewhere in between) and what I've learned. It flavors choices I make when I'm planning future projects, whether that future is tomorrow, or years from now.

This sheep is the fourth of the stacking ring toys that I have made, and while each toy is different, there are some basic similarities, like making the rings, and the stacking pole. My previous efforts were made from acrylic yarn, which is readily available to me, and reasonably inexpensive. This one is made from cotton yarn. A couple of years ago, I made many, many small birds, and I used cotton yarn for them, so I had quite a selection in my stash, so I didn't have to go buy more yarn. (Hooray for having a stash, and being able to grab something from it and start a project without going shopping!)

I like to share the patterns that I use, to give credit where it is due, and let anyone interested in creating something from that pattern be able to find it, too.

There is a website at the bottom of the page if you like the pattern.

In the pattern, the creator suggests using cotton yarn, and I decided that I would give it a try. I really liked the cotton yarn because it isn't as stretchy as the acrylic, and so the stuffing doesn't show through as much as with the other ring toys I made (and a lot of the other stuffed toys I've crocheted through the years). Although you can't really tell from the black and white print of the pattern that I made, the sheep is in a variety of tans/browns. I didn't use the exact colors that are listed, I used the tans and browns that I had, and I made notes so I would know which color was going where. A lot of the decision about which color went where was determined by how much of that color I had, and how much I would need for that part. I also used a smaller crochet hook than I did with the acrylic yarn, because I wanted the finished toy to be a bit smaller. I decided not to make the Easter Egg this time, as I wasn't making this specifically an Easter toy, and I would need more yarn to make it than I have right now.

Basic ring stack

Having made the ring stack a few times already helped that part to go pretty quickly. I placed the eyes as suggested, but might space them a little further apart if I make it again. Maybe even just one or two stitches further apart. And use bigger eyes, if I have them. What is it about bigger eyes??? They are just cuter, I think.

The facial features are pretty basic on this toy, especially when I compare it to the baby yoda ring toy that was the first one I made. He was quite the challenge for me, when it came to all that face building.

Getting some character!

I made hats for the snowmen ring toys, too, but this little bonnet is going to stay on a lot better than those do. I did change a couple of things, first the last two rows before the edge are in pink thread, making a little hat band. The other thing I changed, was to make the brim from a shell stitch instead of a bobble stitch. I don't know that it changes anything esthetically, but I'm really practiced at making the shells, and not so much the bobbles.

A little spring bonnet

Finally, the legs. The snowman had arms and legs that were similar lengths. This sheep has long "arms" and short "legs". I was expecting the legs to be longer, and it kind of threw me off that they weren't. To be honest, though, I would probably leave the legs as is, next time and maybe shorten the arms a couple of rows. I might also make the choice to make them the same color, which I would have done if I had enough of either of those yarns do that (but I didn't).

All in all, my take-aways are that the cotton yarn did well. The smaller toy is maybe a better size for display than the bigger one, but then it depends one where and why you're displaying it and how much room you have. I think I'm going to look for a couple cute flower buttons to add to the bonnet as well. I have really enjoyed making these toys, and will probably make more, although I'm probably ready to move on to some other crochet project at the moment. There are quite a variety of stacking ring toy patterns available at ICANCROCHET.COM if you are interested!

I won't be surprised if a couple of these end up entered in the fair this year...

My Happy Sewing Place

 I've been organizing my craft/sewing room. I've talked about that in previous posts, and I've gotten a lot done. Organizing and labeling and finding long forgotten projects. Some of those found projects have gone the way of whatever, and I've tossed them in favor of projects that I know what the heck I was trying to achieve. If I go back to one of those projects, it will be because I'm ready to start it fresh. 

It will come to no surprise to anyone that organizing can be a messy process. You have to sort and make piles (at least I do) and find places to put those piles, and then find places to put those piles away. With a label on them this time. So, there was not much sewing getting done in there while there were piles, and boxes, and containers of various sizes, sitting around waiting for their places.

I have had creative outlets, like sewing with my cousin, or at Cruces Creatives. If have been crocheting stacking ring toys, and have one in process ( an Easter sheep, in fact). But there came a point where I really needed to spend some time at my sewing machines. I mean, through the organization process, I looked through all the projects that have been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for my attention.

I got enough stuff put away to clear off my sewing table. It's an old library table that I love. It came from my mom, who also used it for a sewing table, alternating as a desk when she was typing something.

This is my happy sewing place

And I got to sewing. I did some alterations for Ron. I started a kid shirt for donation at some point and place. But wait! I plugged in my iron and the "on" light lit, but it didn't get hot. Bummer! I moved on a bit, but I really do like ironing as I sew. I have learned through trial and error that it makes a big difference. Sigh. So I put that project to the side. Then, I fretted about the iron, and getting a new one, and where, and when and a bunch of other frets. I even have projects that would not need the iron, but still, it just was an anxiety producing issue.

Now here's the place where I was going to go into all the anxieties that I'm worried about currently. There are some. I've rehearsed in my mind what I would say about them. But now, while I'm typing, I feel like I won't. There are anxieties. I feel them. I worry. Like almost everyone. Let me just say that the iron thing was the last straw. It was, however, a straw that I could do something about. Yes, I have a new iron. And I'm not even going to post a picture of it here. It is a very nice iron, as far as I can tell having used it a little now. I hope it will last as long as the other one did (20+ years or so?).

My friend, Lillian, helped me shop for it, and we brought it home and then worked on a jacket for her. One that we had cut out a while back. It is a fleecy, soft fabric, and an iron will do that fabric no good. No good at all. But HAVING the iron helped with the sewing mentality. So we worked on it a bit.

Then, I pulled out the shirt that I started the day the iron failed. 

Cute glitter splash fabric

Cute glitter splash kid's button down

All that is left to do on this shirt, is to attach the sleeves, and do the button holes and buttons. I'll get to look through my button stash cube to find the perfect ones!

Sometimes, I Get Stopped

 Today, I went and sewed with my cousin, Roxanne. We have done this for years, off and on. We've both enjoyed visiting and spending time together while we made things. We've sewn LOTS of things together, but the finish we did today was very important to me.

Back in 2021, around the beginning of the end of the pandemic quarantine, I started sewing Christmas presents for my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law. I had been experimenting making quilt blocks, and I figured I was ready for the next step. Not a full sized quilt, or anything, but festive table runners.

This is part of the table runner I made for Linda

This is part of Carrie's

I'm not going to dwell too much on Linda's in this post. There may well be a post about it from about then, or maybe more like 2023 (if I posted much that year) which is when I think I finished it and gifted it to her. This is the saga of Carrie's table runner.

First, let's start with those snow globes. I love them. I enjoyed making the snow globes very much. So many of the fabrics just made me happy, like those snowmen. They just kill me every time I see them! (Notice they make an appearance in Linda's as well.) We won't dwell on the imperfections of the quilt building. I know the corners don't all match up. I know things are kinda wonky here and there. Those are things that improve with practice, and I am very much a novice quilt builder. I am also more interested in finishing than finishing perfectly. Not that I want to have an imperfect product, but a complete project is important. 

I was able to finish Linda's table runner, even though it wasn't in time for Christmas 2021, but once I got Carrie's top put together, I got stuck. It got put in a tub, and there it sat sadly, and I was frustrated with it. 

How to finish this???

So, once Roxanne and I had been working on a couple of projects, I brought up the subject of this table runner, and how I was stuck on it. One of my problems (but not the only one) was having a machine that I thought would do the quilting. Mine is a workhorse, but while it does well on light weight to medium weight fabrics, it protests if the fabric or the layers are too thick. Roxanne had recently acquired a heavy duty machine, and I thought that would help us. She agreed that we should look at it and see if we could figure it out.

Oh my gosh, it really helped to talk it through with someone! We figured out what to do with the back of the table runner. I put together some blocks out of some of the left over fabrics, and we spread them out across the back, which was mostly made of an ornament design fabric.

Part of the back of Carrie's table runner

Then we had to decide how we were going to bind this piece. We finally decided to put the back and the front together, sew around it, and leave a hole big enough to turn the thing right side out, and then sew the hole closed as we went around the edge one more time. Now, I know there are experiences quilters that would frown on the, or perhaps just look askance. But you know what? It worked for us, and that was one more thing done. we were really getting close to being finished.

I'm sure I could have paid a professional quilt  quilter to finish this table runner, but that really wasn't the point of this learning experience for us. We also happen to be working on creating quilts for each of us and when we are done with them, THOSE will go to someone with a long arm quilting machine to quilt. But not this. We discussed how much quilting this table runner needed, and what we thought the available machines, and the available talent/knowhow could achieve, then we pinned the table runner in preparation.

Sadly, the machine ended up in the shop, and our Christmas fabric box project took over for a bit, but after the holidays, the table runner came back out, and quilting got started. We don't try to hurry things, because that's when mistakes happen, so it took a couple of sessions to quilt it all (it is a LOoong table runner, like my sister-in-law asked for). Today, it got finished! I feel very appreciative of Roxanne's willingness to help me work through my stuck-ness, and to contribute to the building of this quilted table runner, and I feel like together, we accomplished something. It makes me happy.

A finished project may not be a perfect piece of art, but I really would rather have it finished than sitting around waiting for perfection.

Carrie's Christmas Table Runner, Completed!