Project by Lucy Picksley
Fabric: Kawaii Characters – Star Wars
There’s so many character fabrics out there on the market now so it can get a little confusing and somewhat daunting to make a final pick when you have a particular project in mind.
The pattern is sat in front of me and I know that it’s ‘the one’, but reimagining the pattern in your fabric selection can be a little tricky. My husband is a huge Star Wars fan as are my other two boys so I knew that if the make didn’t go quite as planned then I could always rip the top up and start again making something else. I’m not gonna lie, the Back to the Future print on offer had huge appeal to me but with a new series of Star Wars - Andor soon to be released I knew that it was more timely to get this make made asap if my husband was to be one of the cool kids!
The Liberty Como Collar Shirt had been selected by me as an awesome pattern, ideal because it was designed as a unisex make so if all went well then I would be making myself one too! I loved the relaxed collar on the shirt and that it looked easy to wear and comfy. I felt that the pattern could take a bit of a statement print so settled on the kawaii characters cotton, a cute print of lego look characters all lined up.
I measured hubby up and we agreed that I should make the size down to that recommended and that was a good decision. It is a relaxed oversized fit but there’s nothing worse than a garment drowning you rather than you really wearing and showing off your clothing. The pattern was simple in construction. A yolk back with a little tuck, chest pockets to the front panels and inset sleeves.
So let’s talk about the sleeves, the actual bane of my life. I don’t know what happened, but I had such a hard time getting those sleeves in. So much so that the shirt was actually completed a few weeks ago but I was so unhappy with the sleeves that I didn’t hand it over until I had meticulously unpicked the overlocked edge and reset them back in. Are they perfect? Are the heck! Are they better? Yes, they are. They are passable and that will just have to do this time around.
I’m really pleased with the button stand but again that wasn’t without a traumatic experience. I followed the instructions and sewed the buttonholes as instructed but I really didn’t feel it looked very good, so I carefully unpicked each one and resewed them for an overall better finish.
The fabric was so easy to work with and pattern matching was a dream. As I always do, I prewashed the fabric as soon as I received it and ironed it nice and flat. It behaved itself in the most impeccable way, pressed well at each stage and looks fabulous as an overall make. I spent ages carefully pattern matching up each and every element and I’m so pleased that I did.
Hubby loves his shirt – here he is modelling off the top which he matched up with a pair of black jeans. He’s working away in his own craft space where he paints miniature models from the Napoleonic era whilst I busy myself away in my sewing studio.
As for the pattern itself, I don’t think I will bother using it again. I’ve definitely made other shirts before that had more detail and impact without the unnecessary sleeve dramas to navigate around although there always seems to be something I’m a little unhappy with….Watch what happens when your fabric choice becomes a big fat no no here.
To see more from Lucy, follow her on Instagram @sewprettysewmindful, and check out her Youtube channel.
Made by Lucy Picksley for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.