I'm blaming Alan H and Sydnee

[plaid preacher]

Here is a photo of my most recent project. As you can see, it's not a kilt; it's a clergy shirt.


Now let me explain. As any of my fellow "union members" can attest, it is hard to maintain one's sartorial elegance when shirts for clergy predominantly come in one colour ... black. I have grumbled and complained about this for years. Because of my complexion, black makes me look like death. Not a good look. I was starting to think about ordering custom shirts from the web ... and maybe I still will someday, but recently I decided to sew my own. ... I blame Alan H and Sydnee for this...and I'll explain that in a minute.

I currently am down to just a couple of shirts, and only one that is not the full celluloid collar variety, because recently I had opportunity to meet a fellow clergy from Malawi who, in the course of our conversations, asked if I had any old shirts that I was not wearing that I could give him for pastors back in Malawi. Well, what's a guy to say? I went home and cleaned out my draws of all my shirts and also solicited shirts from other friends and colleagues. When all was said and done I was able to collect about a dozen shirts for pastors in Malawi.

But now I need new shirts. As I was trying to figure out what to do, I turned to my wife (the traditional sewer in our house) and asked, "Can I sew my own?" You see, she had watched me sew my x-kilt a while back. A project that I received a lot of advise from my new web-buddies Alan H and Sydnee. My wife said yes.

So here I am, sitting amidst the grey fabric trying to read a real sewing pattern (Guys, Alan is right correct when he notes that the x-kilt pattern is not like a sewing pattern a dressmaker would use but is more like wood working instructions; trust me on this!) and stitch this thing together. After a little bit of floundering, however, things are starting to take shape, and hopefully I will soon have my first bespoke clergy shirt made by none other than myself.

And whether it turns out ... or whether it has a sleeve 6 inches shorter than the other .... you guessed it .... I blame Alan H and Sydnee.

[sydnie7]

Glad to hear you have been drawn into the web of garment making!

Here's another tip: if you think you will be making several of the same shirt, try making the first one in muslin (inexpensive, off-white -- but buy a fairly thick version, not the thinnest you find). Wash it first, then lay out your paper pattern. Make your initial adjustments per the pattern instructions -- body length, sleeve length, etc. -- then just baste the muslin version together. Try it on and make any finer adjustments needed.

Now, take it apart and you have a durable pattern to use when cutting out the real materials for multiple copies of that shirt.

If you are already past that point with the grey fabric pictured, no biggie. Make it fit the way you want, then transfer that information to a set of muslin pattern pieces for future use.

It's fun and rewarding work!

[brewerpaul]

Here is a photo of my most recent project. As you can see, it's not a kilt; it's a clergy shirt.



And whether it turns out ... or whether it has a sleeve 6 inches shorter than the other .... you guessed it .... I blame Alan H and Sydnee.

Well my one word of advice to keep from having your shirts not fit well or the arms too short or long, buy cheap muslin from a fabric store and make a quick mock up. I do this with most of my projects, especially the sleeves. I wear a 37 lenght sleeve so have to mix and match my patterns between the large and XL and then adjust the sleeves to fit. Always helps to make a quick muslin mockup first and when you have it fitted you can adjust your pattern permanently.

Good luck on your project, sewing is quite rewarding and fun. I just finished three long sleeve shirts myself and feel they were practice before I cut into my nice tattersall fabric I bought from England. It is nice to make something that fits well and people are always quite surprised when you tell them you are your own tailor.

Maybe times have changed but I seem to remember my dad, retired Lutheran pastor, being able to get cleric shirts in various colors. Like I say maybe it was just the time, though I dont think he ever sported a paisley one. Enjoy the sewing.......

[plaid preacher]

Once again, thank you Sydnie (& BrewerPaul) for the suggestion regarding the muslin. If things turn out well I do indeed intend to make more than one; and I have been making ammendations as I go along. The pattern I have is for a regular men's dress shirt with a pointed collar and exposed buttons, whereas clergy shirts have a tunnel collar and a placket covering the buttons. The ability to produce my own pattern reflecting those variations will be most helpful going forward.

Paul, when clergy shirts first came out in colours (in the 1970s I believe) there were a lot of colours. Indeed stories are told about clergy attending meetings and trying to out-"peacock" each other with the colours. UInfortunately it is a shrinking market. There are not as many clergy as there once were and many don't wear "the collar"; so the shirts have become harder to find. I'm sure the internet also has had an affect on what church supply stores stock .. and how much stock they carry. That being said, it tends to be limited to black, and sometimes blue for long-sleeved shirts and then you can add oxford blue and grey for short sleeve. As for me, I'd like a nice stripe or a little different colour. I really like the shade of grey of the material in the photo - a little darker than what is commercially available... and will be looking for some oxford striped fabric next, I think.

[Dixiecat]

Have you seen these links:

http://www.churchlinens.com/vestment-patterns.html

and

http://www.ehow.com/how_7308732_make...cal-shirt.html

I made numerous dress shirts for my x. He's still wearing them 10 years later. I took a course with David Page Coffin. He has a book and DVD called, appropriately enough, Shirtmaking. Extremely good and very detailed. He includes several collar patterns and gives fitting instructions for various body shapes.

Also, I would recommend that you cut out your paper pattern first before cutting the pattern out in fabric. Unless you own the sharpest scissors in the world, you will distort the pattern while cutting which leads to misshapen fabric pieces. The jury is still out on whether you cut the pieces on the inside, outside or middle of the line, but as long as you are consistent in both your cutting and measuring of the pieces it will not matter.

[plaid preacher]

Thank you Dixie. I have seem the church linens site before. As a lowly Presbyterian, a lot of those vestments are not part of my tradition. There is also a pattern set from one of the commercial pattern companies that I have at the house for many of those items as well. The ehow instructions are for a formal "band collar" which I also wear, but only for worship. I am making a shirt with a slip in tab, that just shows a little white at the front. They are much cooler and more comfortable than the band collars for more "everyday" wear. I liked her tip about putting the shirt on inside out to make little tweaks before finishing. Will have to remember that!The pattern I did pick up includes several variations on a man's dress shirt (including French cuffs) as well as a pattern for a vest and tie. (could there be a collection of brightly coloured kilt vests in my future? ... hmmmm). Unfortunately I cannot remember the pattern number off the top of my head.

[plaid preacher]

mmm...forgot to add ... I have a new pair of scissors; the first pair of left-handed scissors I have own in my life. I thought after making my x-kilt that they might be a good idea. Unfortunately there is a bit of a learning curve. After cutting with right handed scissors all my life I just naturally do it "backwards", as it were. I have to keep reminding myself to look at the right side of the blade.

[Pleater]

Oh the joy of left handed scissors.

They really do make cutting out a lot more accurate - once you get the hang of them.

I iron the pattern pieces once I take them out of the packet and divide them up. Removing all the folds and creases can make quite a difference to the size and shape.

For multisize patterns I usually trace a single sized version before starting - though that might be due to making different sized garments for various people from the same pattern.

Personally I don't like muslins - I prefer a rigid pattern and like the stiff tracing paper patterns I generate, though they do need to be rolled and put into tubes rather than folded - toilet roll centres used to be good for that, but now they have been made smaller they are too small unless slit and put on with the gaps staggered around the roll of pattern.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[piperdbh]

I have the same pattern you're using, Bro. Presbyterian, and and have made several shirts and vests and 1 tie from it. What I did was to make my torso and sleeve length adjustments, cutting the pattern apart and then taping it back together, then used a glue-stick to glue the pattern pieces to poster board. I transferred all the notches and markings to the poster board, then cut it out. It makes a rigid pattern to trace around, and I punched a hole in the corner of each piece through which I passed a twister (from a bread bag) to keep all the pieces together.
How is the collar attached on your store-bought clergy shirts to form the tube for the tab? Is it sewn to the collar band/stand?

edited to add: The pocket placement on that pattern is about 2 inches too low, in my opinion. Compare it to a shirt you already have and see how much you want to raise it.

[plaid preacher]

hey piper. The most common clergy shirts in these parts are Friar Tuck, and they stitch the collar down to the shirt just below the band. (I think that's right...I don't have one at hand at the moment).

I wondered about the pocket placement. It also seemed to me to be a little too far toward the arm. That being said I sewed it up as stated. This first one I am making is long-sleeved and I will likely have it under a sweater or blazer and so a lot of that detail won't matter; but I will pay close attention and amend as necessary before I make a short-sleeved.