Yes ma’am! Frontier shirts for Dawn #1

Folkwear ‘Frontier shirts’, #212

I’ve made this up three times before, mostly using stretch poplin of different types, including my rose/zombie attack one, and one piped in navy which has now been passed to Dawn as I expanded again.

Both of those were from the option with a shaped yoke, and front fastening.  This was not the plan this time.

Dawn fancied the pull-on styles, with either laced front or a bib-fastening.  When I got all the pieces out, it transpired that these styles were only sized for men.  how dare you Folkwear!  So I did some thinking, and switched pieces about to check it would all still go together if I used the pieces for the ‘normal’ shirt, and just folded out the CF to make a pull on style.  I also retained the proper shirt sleeves with placket openings from the ladies’ shirts, as they are particularly nicely drafted, and I didn’t like the clunky cuffs on the other style.

So what’s left?  The only pieces I’ve used from the pull-on style are the slightly larger one piece collar, the back yoke, and the front opening/bib pieces. I’ve cut the lace-up opening one in khaki cotton sateen, which is rather thin and not as shiny as most sateens [in fact, I’d call it poplin not sateen, but hey-ho], and the bib-front one in ivory sateen.

As I started to pin it together, I realised that I don’t want messy yoke seams showing on the inside, so I doubled up the yoke pieces, and did the ‘burrito method’ for the first time.  Nice!

All the rest was assembled with french seams.  I did notice this time that the seam allowances are only 1/2″, and I’ve tried to remember if I noticed the first times I used this- probably not, which may explain why mine was a tad snug?

Ah well, on with the show.

It all went together beautifully, my topstitching is acceptable [although I always have trouble with corners on collar and cuffs] and the missus loves it.  Rather snug across her bum though, and although she didn’t care and said she’ll just tuck it in, I wasn’t satisfied, and unpicked a little at eaxh side seam to release the tension and make little slits.  Much better!

Then I got to the final steps and found that I couldn’t get the ruddy eyelets in.  I practised on some scrap, and found that none of the eyelet gizmos would work.  I hammered, poked, tried this and that, no go.  Frustrating, as I had no trouble when I made that corset!  I walked away for a while, and got on with my Edwardian skirt.

Here it is, hanging forlornly waiting for eyelets…