Stripping, Piecing

So the colorwash shirt is pretty much finished! The only snag is, because of the fact that the button placket in the front is so pieces, I don't really want to try and do button holes through it. So I'm waiting on ordering some pearl snaps to use instead. I think it'll give the shirt a neat western look. 

Cutting the dark strips now for the braid jacket. I really need to get a move-on with this, I knew it would be a long term project, but it's starting to get ridiculous. Hoping to get a few more middle shades dyed this weekend and then, finallllly start putting the braids together. 

Four more Dear Jane blocks! C-8 to C-11. Nothing too tricky with this group, thankfully.

And because I was having trouble picking the colors for each block as I go, I jury-rigged a design wall so I could see the whole thing. It's just a wonderfully obnoxious as I had hoped! Also a good motivator to keep working on them. 

Colorwashed

Recently I've been sort of entranced by colorwash or watercolor quilting. It seems to have largely fallen out of favor, and definitely has a very 90's vibe to it--it's almost cheesy? It walks the line, that's for sure, but that's what I like about it.

Anyway, it takes a lot of different bits of floral fabrics in different values and colors to work, something I didn't have. I put out a request for scraps on a quilting group, and some lovely ladies sent/are sending boxes of scraps and squares for very reasonable prices. And so I'm playing around.

One lady sent me what was originally a quilt kit--it was all 2" squares. So I got them organized from light to dark. 

And I wanted to work small, so I cut them in four, giving me 1" squares. Let me tell you, 1" squares are difficult to work with, very fiddly. But I finally got the hang of chain piecing them together, and started making a gradient. Well the strip I made was just about the right size for a shirt collar...and is all spiraled out from there. 

From top to bottom: collar, button placket, two cuffs, and a braid trim for a pocket. 

The collar that started it off. The blue-and-white stripe on the backside will  be the body of the shirt. I'm going to keep the rest of the shirt very simple, no piping or detail or anything. 

Tried out a little bit of braid-piecing to trim the collar. The pieces were 3/4" I quite like the effect, I might try to make a tie this way. 

Western Wear

My new shirt is finished! And I even did the buttons and buttonholes on the cuffs (one of my last shirts, still, a year later, no sleeve buttons...I just roll them up anyway.) I'm pretty pleased with it, the collar in particular came out well, although looking at it in the photo, the pockets look a little lopsided. 

And here's me wearing it! I look a little stumpier than normal because Seamus was kind enough to take the picture for me, but he's about a foot taller than I am. Anyway, I'm happy with the fit, it's always nice to have sleeves that aren't way too long.

 

The back, still toying with embroidering or appliqueing something on the yoke, not sure what I'd do though. 

Collar, looking nice and sharp! And some piping on my yoke. 

And I did a little bit of a shaped cuff. Finally getting the hang of sleeve plackets, this on went together no problem. Still doing my buttonhole by hand, just like it better that way. 

Two more Dear Jane blocks down, here's C-7 (left) and C-6 (right) C-6 went pretty smoothly , no big issues with the curves. C-7 was a pain though. Those tiny little side triangles were almost unmanageable. I can see why people paper-piece them but I just can't bring myself to, I like hand stitching all these little guys. 

I'm also doing a little "quick challenge" for myself. I found these three fabrics at the thrift store the other day, and just thought they worked so nicely together (maybe only in my head? I like obnoxious color combinations) So I challenged myself to whip up a shirt using all three. 

Getting some pieces cut.

I'm going for a blobby western shirt sort of look? Digging the curvy yoke so far. Should be able to finish it in a day or two.