Burda 7767 Archives - Page 5 of 6

Chambray shirt

07/09/2010 4:02 am \ 13 Comments \ Carolyn

After finishing my chambray/denim dress I had a leetle bit of the fabric leftover, too much for scraps, not enough for another garment. I had enough for the fronts of this shirt. So then had to go back for some more fabric to cut out the entire shirt… (and now still have a tad of the fabric leftover, mama mia, a recurring vicious cycle, how to use constructively and efficiently all the leftovers…?!)
I made this shirt using Burda 7767, my go-to menswear shirt that I’ve made up seven times in all now for the men in my family, this is such a great easy pattern… Obviously I sized it to fit me this time… other variations were to add two breast pockets with flaps, sleeve tabs to enable me roll up the sleeves (probably permanently), and to use snap closures throughout in leiu of buttons. I like the more casual “jeans-y” feel the snap closures give to a denim shirt. Although these particular ones from Spotlight were just hell to put in, I strongly suspect the wrong “tool” was enclosed in this particular batch, and unfortunately I couldn’t locate the correct tool which I know I have floating around in my haberdashery collection somewhere… but I was impatient to finish the shirt so just made do with the one provided.
Obviously the other variation I made to the pattern was to have the fronts lapping over the opposite way to a men’s shirt… it would be nice to know the reason behind this strange custom. Does anyone know the reason why mens’ shirts button up in a different way to womens’ shirts???? I’d really like to know…
I made these white linen pants last summer? or the summer before?, I make a new pair every year so they all kinda blend in… to see them properly and in full length go here…
Don’t you just love the clouds? We are expecting some rain soon, woooheee, finally! Everyone here is desperate for rain!

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767 with minor modification, blue chambray
Pants; self drafted, white linen
Shoes; Country Road

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, mens shirt, own design, pants, SSS10

First day of Spring!

01/09/2010 4:15 am \ 6 Comments \ Carolyn

Woke up thrilled at the first day of spring, and the first day of Self-Stitched September! Then looked hopelessly at all my handmade clothes and felt completely uninspired… blah blah blah, all horrible. Resisted the urge to throw on a completely store bought outfit, oh, I’m such a rebel. I wouldn’t last one second in the armed forces. Order me to do something and I’m very likely to do the complete opposite out of sheer obstinacy…
But I’m nothing if not self disciplined, and I have committed myself to do this and I generally do snap-to and obey my own randomly self-imposed crazy rules, so managed to get dressed after all…
This is a linen shirt I made for my husband and plucked surreptitiously from his side of the wardrobe (I know, tragic no?, stealing from one’s husband so early in the month, but it is stitched by me so I figure I can include it… and I have a dearth of self-stitched shirts) It is made using Burda 7767; with collar stand but no collar, a double welt single pocket with loop button closure, see here for the details. I rolled the sleeves up so I can actually use my hands while wearing it today…
My skirt is based on the basic shape of Vogue 7303, my old favourite. The fabric is handwoven by my mother, so a precious garment in my wardrobe indeed… for a close-up of the fabric see here.
This felt like a suitably semi-smart ensemble for my day’s activities of an appointment, some office errands and office work, and a supermarket visit…

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767, custom fit to my husband, fine white linen
Skirt; based on Vogue 7303, fabric handwoven by my mother
Belt; Morrison
Boots; di Sempre, from Zomp shoes
Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, mens shirt, Sienna, skirt, SSS10, Vogue 7303

Menswear: collarless white linen shirt

08/07/2010 4:06 am \ 6 Comments \ Carolyn

I made this new 100% linen shirt for my husband, at his request.
Using Burda 7767 again, with the usual custom fitting modifications.
The design variations this time are in the collar, there isn’t one!! And in the pocket. I made a double welt pocket with a loop button closure. I included a picture of the inside to prove that it is indeed a working pocket! A clothing feature that I loathe is “fake” pocket designs, such as a welt pocket that isn’t actually a pocket at all, but a decorative detail; massive pet hate.
Of course now I’m looking at that picture and thinking I should go back and properly finish the inside pocket edges with Hong Kong seams… might still do that… I’ve never “learnt” how to make a welt pocket, or followed any instructions on how to make one, as I don’t have any patterns that feature this detail. Instead whenever I’ve wanted to put one in I just follow my instincts and make it up as I go along.
Now, on a related note, I occasionally, not frequently, borrow my husband’s clothes. Well, (sheepishly) he goes to work early, they’re hanging in the wardrobe in all their desirable menswear glory just looking perfect for some outfit I have in my head, and I figure they’re fair game… This is a shirt I can see myself appropriating on a regular basis. Well, for one thing, all the fashion style magazines advise on the essential-ness of “the basic crisp white shirt” in a well-dressed woman’s wardrobe, do you think I have one??!! I need a classic crisp white shirt. Until the time comes when I get around to making one for myself (I have about a zillion projects lined up before I get to that one!) I’m nicking Craig’s new shirt.
Expect to see it in future outfit posts!

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, Craig, fabrics-store.com, mens shirt

Winterblue shirt

18/06/2010 8:48 am \ 4 Comments \ Carolyn

You’ve heard of “wintergreen”? Well I’ve decided this is “winterblue”! You know, a sort of arctic colour scheme and with the snowflake-like print ‘n all…?
Today is my son Tim’s birthday, so of course I had to make him a shirt like his brother’s, see here… Tim really feels the cold so I made his out of warm-as-toast plaid cotton flannel, a fabric that caused a few queries about the “pyjamas” I was making but in keeping with my surfwear research of the other week!, and using Burda 7767 (yes, again…) Again I used press studs in lieu of buttons throughout, and added a tab inside the sleeves so he can roll his sleeves up; the preferred mode of wear. Although the cuffs and sleeve plackets are there and finished to perfection (if I say so myself!) they will probably never be seen!
Please note that the checks match up perfectly, and that the pockets are mini symmetrical works of art; patched and with the outer half placed on the diagonal, pocket flaps also on the diagonal and stripes going in the opposite direction on each side. I’m kind of obsessive with my patterns like that! Do you like the little message I put inside the yoke? I ran out of the flannel (it came in a much narrower width than I realised when buying it) and so used some of the leftover cotton from Sam’s shirt to face the pocket flaps and for the inside yoke.
He says he loves it, and is wearing it now. Happy birthday, Tim!
Today’s random picture below, an inadvertent experiment by Tim; what happens when you leave a felt-tip pen uncapped and resting overnight against a roll of absorbent toilet paper? Scroll down to find out…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, mens shirt, Spotlight, Tim

Pacific Blue shirt

07/06/2010 9:14 am \ 12 Comments \ Carolyn

Today is my youngest’s birthday! And as his shirt collection is sparse and he has about as much enthusiasm for clothes shopping as many of us reserve for root canal treatment I decided to surprise him with a new addition to his wardrobe. He does like clothes, just hates the whole choosing and purchasing process; a common condition amongst teenage boys… I was a bit worried about making something that he would be sure to like; so checked out a few surf shops first and immediately noticed that Aussie teenage surf clothing is made out of the most unlikely and bizarre fabrics!! the kinds of fabrics most of us home fashion designers would leave behind in amazement and disgust! So when I went fabric hunting I looked for something “unexpected”. I think I found it in this very bright turquoise stripe, no? Definitely not a print that traditionally whispers “teenage boy”, but in keeping with my research… still I worried that it would be too bright and even trialled staining an off-cut with coffee. I then asked his opinion (sneakily pretending I was making a blouse for myself) but he definitely preferred the bright version! Luckily he loves his shirt and has been wearing it all day.
I made it using Burda 7767 again, tailored to fit his size based on other shirts in his wardrobe… The modifications I made were: substituting press studs for buttons throughout, adding two shaped breast pockets with pocket flaps, shoulder tabs and sleeve tabs on the inside of the sleeves so he can roll his sleeves up. I also shaped the hemline as he likes his shirt to be hanging out…

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, mens shirt, Sam, Spotlight

Menswear; linen shirt no. 3

01/04/2010 1:30 am \ 12 Comments \ Carolyn

Here is my husband’s new shirt. It was made using Burda 7767 (again, such a great pattern!) with the fit variations I perfected making the last shirt. I altered the collar size slightly; the pattern comes with three collar variations and this one is midway between the two smaller options. I also rounded the pocket and added a pointy arrowhead collar flap. The other day I saw a man’s shirt with a single welt pocket and a button with a tiny fabric loop; it looked really cool and I’ve filed it away for a future shirt…
The double topstitching here has a slightly different gap this time. I’m super happy with my topstitching in this version, it’s as close to perfect as I can get it. Topstitching is a real meditative process; you’re hunched over the machine, eyeballing your first row of stitching and just mentally gauging and controlling that second row at an dead even gap…. almost as good as yoga. Except yoga you’re supposed to be concentrating on nothing. And with topstitching you’re full-on concentrating. OK, not quite the same. But it’s still kind of the same outcome, a calm stillness in which all other stimuli is blocked out.
Hmm, sewing as a therapeutic meditative tool; yeah, moving right along…
I used linen, part of the batch that I bought online a few months ago. I chose caramel brown contrasting thread and blotchy brown and cream, tortoise-shelly like buttons as a contrast. I just love brown and blue together. I think he will be able to wear this shirt as a business shirt, because it’s linen and quite classical in its detailing, but it will still look fine as a casual shirt, because of the colour; sort of reminiscent of the classic Levi’s chambray shirts.

Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767 with minor variations, mid-weight “crown blue” linen

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, Craig, fabrics-store.com, mens shirt

Borrowing from husband’s wardrobe, again…

15/03/2010 7:01 am \ 5 Comments \ Carolyn

Woot, for autumn! I think the hot weather has finally settled down after a last scorcher on Friday and I’m in the mood for some of my cooler weather gear and some cooler weather colouring….
This skirt has been a winner; it was wonderful to reach for during the hottest days of summer as its so light and airy, and I’m thinking its cheerful hues will carry me through the cooler months too. When I first bought this floral fabric I was a little afraid it wouldn’t be particularly versatile as it’s such an eye-catching print, but I’ve been proven wrong as I’ve worn it in so many ways; for today I decided to put it with the linen shirt I made recently for my husband (he’s going to get a surprise when he sees it here today!), worn as a kind of light coat unbuttoned and belted at the waist. I love the colour combination of the deep port-wine shirt/coat with the bright reds/pinks of the skirt; feels so autumn-y, vibrant and rich, a fortuitous marriage for sure!
I’ve often expressed how much I love menswear to be worn by women; I think it can be a very sexy and feminine look, especially when paired with overly feminine garments like this blowsy floral skirt….

Details:
Skirt; Vogue 2894, floral cotton
Camisole; Country Road
Shirt/coat; Burda 7767, port wine linen
Belt; had since teenage years
Sandals; Micam by Joanne Mercer, from Hobbs
Nail varnish; Crimson Sparkle, Revlon

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 7767, fabrics-store.com, Fabulous fabrics, mens shirt, skirt, Vogue 2894

Menswear, linen shirt no. 2

17/02/2010 3:05 am \ 8 Comments \ Carolyn

I made my husband another shirt!
The fabric; well I got brave, and in a first for me bought some fabric online. I felt quite strange about this as I have never bought fabric without feeling the weight and thickness of it for myself, but I’m pretty happy about my purchases. In fact I’ve bought quite a bit, post pictures tomorrow…
I used Burda 7767, the same as for his last shirt here, with a few minor adjustments. For fitting considerations I curved the side seams a little for a better fit and increased the body and sleeve width at the underarm. For design considerations I curved the corners of the pocket and cuffs, added a pocket flap, and topstitched with narrow double stitching. I used black thread throughout for a contrasting look, and for the topstitching. What can I say, I really like contrasting topstitching! Maybe next time I’ll make him a shirt with matching topstitching … hmm, maybe not. I don’t think I could resist putting my own little spin on any of the stuff I make..
I was a bit more careful with the topstitching of the sleeve plackets this time and I think the finish is pretty good if I say so myself….;D! I bought little shiny black buttons to finish it off.
I really love this rich port-wine colour on him, I think it really suits him and it goes beautifully with his stone coloured linen pants, with a black belt.
(In case anyone’s curious, he requested that his head be cropped out of the photo! I thought he looked quite handsome and is too sensitive but I can sympathise as I very often contemplate doing same to my photos too…)