Purl and Seam

handmade in Lancashire

The almost shirt and some future t-shirts

February 14, 2013

Such a creative post title!  One day soon I’ll actually have a finished project to show you…but not today!

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The Husband’s Christmas shirt is slowly coming together….I’ve just front plackets, collar and stand, buttonholes and buttons to do.

Just!

I swear this is testing my abilities to the max and is full of creative “design features”! 😉

His birthday is in March and I’m determined to have it finished by then.

I’m even more motivated at the moment as I learned this week that I’ve won a copy of Sewaholic’s much loved, and much coveted, Renfrew from Miranda at One Little Minute, as part of her Stretch Yourself blog series.   It’s a really cool series of posts all about working with knit fabrics, and it’s really informative and user friendly.

I’m ridiculously excited at the prospect of finally having my own copy of Renfrew.  I’ probably the last sewist on the planet to actually make this, but I’m hoping it will be worth the wait.

renfrew

Much as I’m keen to start on the 13 dresses…my wardrobe is particularly sparse at the moment and I need some everyday, school run basics.  Renfrew will fit that bill perfectly with jeans and I already have 3 pieces of fabric in the stash that will be fantastic!

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Ok…this is an odd photo because it’s heavily cropped, but it does show the three fabrics.  The one on the left is a heavy navy I bought from The Cloth House during my last visit to London…the green and brown prints are from my lovely friend Liz’s stash.

I think by the time I’ve made these three I’ll have ironed out any fitting issues with the pattern and will have a TNT t-shirt pattern that I can pretty much cut and sew.

I’m very excited about that prospect.  It’ll be my second TNT pattern…having already got a pretty well-fitting trouser pattern.  I’ve wanted to created a portfolio of TNT patterns for so long, I’m pinching myself that I’m finally making a start.

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Comments

  1. Jane G says

    February 14, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    Like one of my boys would say, the shirt looks like one a real person would make! It looks fabulous

    • PendleStitches says

      February 14, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      Thank you….that’s possibly the best thing that has ever been said about my sewing. I salute your boy…he’s smart!

  2. Andrea says

    February 14, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    Yay for shirts for hubbies! It is looking really good Evie. As or he Renfrew, I wish you luck. This pattern was not my friend but there are so many cute versions that you are bound to make a lovely one.

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:02 pm

      Thank you! This shirt is a real learning curve, for sure! I’ve been very cautious of the Renfrew because I’m not the body type that Sewaholic designs for…and I’m not great with knits. But I’m hopeful that with some careful fitting I can make this work, as RTW t-shirts are a nightmare for me….always too short, and invariably either too high necked or showing waaaaaaaay to much cleavage for my liking.

  3. Fiona says

    February 14, 2013 at 6:42 pm

    Well done for getting so far along with the shirt! I promised my boyfriend one for Christmas but haven’t even got the fabric yet! His birthday is April so maybe I should set that as my deadline like you have!

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:03 pm

      I always work better to a deadline…self imposed or otherwise. It’s half term next week so very little is going to get done then! We shall see.

      • Fiona says

        February 17, 2013 at 1:13 pm

        Good luck! Enjoy half term anyway!
        I really enjoy every single one of your blog posts Evie and have nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award, there’s a post about it on my blog http://chainstitcher.blogspot.co.uk/

  4. Chica Andaluza says

    February 14, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    That short looks amazing. Maybe I should think about making one for Big Man….

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:05 pm

      Thank you…it’s a challenge, but, like the jeans, not as hard as you’d think. And I’ve enjoyed being able to get a fit in the chest, but adjust for his shoulders (he’s like a Silverback Gorilla across them…in the nicest way…and without all the hair, I hasten to add!).

  5. clairelwebster says

    February 14, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    A true altruist! I’m simply too selfish to make t’other half something. Keep at it!

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:05 pm

      Don’t be fooled….I’m not remotely gracious about it! 😉

  6. Susan says

    February 15, 2013 at 6:39 am

    The shirt is looking great! Probably best to get it finished before getting the Renfrew in your hot little hands, ’cause you may not want to make anything but that for a while! 🙂

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:06 pm

      I am desperate to ‘crack’ t-shirts as RTW just doesn’t cut the mustard. I need to get cracking this weekend and get some more shirt done before half-term kicks in.

  7. Jane says

    February 15, 2013 at 10:22 am

    You’re not the last person on the planet to get a Renfrew pattern – that will probably be me. I’m looking forward to seeing how you get on with it though and I would love to make up my own tee shirts, but am a bit scared about using knits.

    Your husband’s shirt looks lovely though, I’m sure he will be delighted with it.

    • PendleStitches says

      February 15, 2013 at 2:07 pm

      Knits scare the bejesus out of me…they’re so unpredictable! Hopefully, though, Renfrew is the start of a new love affair…and some t-shirts that actually fit properly.

  8. Michelle says

    February 15, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    Oh, your fabric choices are wonderful! I bought a pattern to make my husband a shirt, but I’m too scared to try. 😀

    • PendleStitches says

      February 16, 2013 at 7:14 pm

      Thank you.
      I was terrified…I don’t mind admitting. But today I did the plackets and the collar. Much easier than I’d thought…I’d been dreading it. I’d say…go for it!

  9. Calico Stretch says

    February 18, 2013 at 5:36 am

    Oh how lovely to have Renfrew to try out. I too haven’t sewn it nor do I have a copy of it as yet. I look forward to seeing how you get on. Knits aren’t hard once you get a few versions sorted. You’ll breeze through it.

    The shirt does look very cool and you’ll be sewing like the wind too I can see 🙂

    • PendleStitches says

      February 18, 2013 at 8:25 am

      I’m really looking forward to the Renfrews. The shirt is coming along. I’ll be glad to get it finished, although I’m now wanting to make another with some improvements. Sigh…I must be mad!

Evie

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