How to make the Summer Shirt: tutorial
Instructions:
Cut out all your pattern pieces and snip the notches (facing notch, sleeve notchs and pleat notches)
Pin the pleats on the back panel.
Sandwich the back panel between the inner and outer yoke and stitch together. Then press seam.
Pin the front facing onto the front panel. Starting sewing at the facing notch marked on the pattern.
Snip away the seam allowance at the corner of the collar/facing to reduce bulk and press the seams open.
Pin the shoulder seam of front panel and outer back yoke, stitch together and press.
On the inside yoke shoulder seam, fold and press in the 1cm seam allowance.
Pin the inside yoke over the shoulder seam of the front & back seams and top stitch along the edge to conceal the raw seams.
Overlock or zigzag stitch down raw edge of facing and press in 0.5cm of the raw edge.
Bag out the collar by pinning the pair right sides together, stitching around the outer edge (as marked on pattern). Snip off the corners to reduce the bulk, press the seams open, turn the right way out and press flat.
Attaching the collar to body of shirt: snip 1cm diagonally into the corner of the front facing and front body. This will allow you to slightly stretch the fabric to meet the length of the collar.
With right sides together and the front facing, facing you/up, sandwich the collar between the front panel and the front facing. Pin through all the layers. You want the diagonal snipped corner to match the corner on the collar. The snip will allow you to slightly stretch the front & front facing to match the length of the collar
At the shoulder seam, fold in the raw top edge (approx 1 cm) of the facing towards the front of the shirt
Along the back neck, only pin the inner collar to the back neck, leaving the outer (or top) layer of collar free (this will be top stitched down later). Snip in 1cm at the shoulder seam into the outer/top collar to make it easy for it to be folded up/moved out the way when you sew.
Stitch the collar in place ensuring when you stitch over the back neck, the top layer of collar is not being stitched attached and remember to stitch the folded edges of the facings down.
Turn the lower collar the right way out and press along the collar seam. Press the back neck seam open and fold in 1cm seam allowance on the unattached top collar.
Reduce the bulk at the shoulder seam seam allowance but trimming down the fabric. To do this, snip into the seam allowance at the shoulder seam point, and cut diagonally to reduce the fabric.
Now we need to top stitch down the front facing and back neck collar.
Pin the front facing down along the folded in edge so that it lies flat to the front panel. Pin all the way around the front facing. When you get to the back neck pin down the folded in edge of the collar over the back neck seam bellow to hide it.
Top stitch all the way round edge of the facing and around the back neck (as close to the edge as you can). You will need to pivot and turn the fabric at the facing corners.
Pin and stitch in the sleeve head matching the notches at the front and sleeve head. Overlock or zigzig stitch the seam and press.
Pin and stitch the underarm and side seam. Stop stitching 5cm up from the bottom of the side seam so there is a vent at the bottom. Overlock or zigzig stitch the seam and press.
Double turn the hem of the sleeve and top stitch along the edge.
Double turn along the hem of the front&back of the shirt and top stitch along the edge of the hem.
To create the ties, Press in 0.5cm on either edge of the fabric and fold in half, turn a press in one edge of the tie. Top stitch across one top end of the tie and along the side.
For the ties, try on the shirt and double check the best placement depending on your bust. You may also want to add more ties depending on your preference.
If you’re following the ties placement on the pattern, mark the placement of the ties onto the front of the shirt using pins. Using a snip, unpick 1cm on the front edge seams to create an opening at all the marked places to inset the ties into.
Insert x3 ties into each side of the front of the shirt and topstitch them in place. Stitch as close to the edge as possible and double stitch with a reverse over the ties to make sure they are secure
Using the iron, press the front face/lower collar open to create the cuban style collar.
Finished!