Hey, everyone. This is Lomi, working on more of this outfit for Arrios, my SID Omar. Last week,
I shared the pants, but I didn't mention the idea for the outfit, which is pretty simple.
This week, I'll be making him a shirt, and sharing a bit about my ideas.
Like with the pants, I'll be starting his shirt by
looking at my existing pattern for a poet shirt and then making revisions.
I want this to be more of an undershirt, a layer without bulk under his coat, so it's going to be
sleeveless. I want the shoulders to be more square and wider, and for the pattern to be simplified.
So I grab some paper and start by copying... just the neckline. I'll be making this shirt
the same width, but removing the slope from the shoulder, as well as the shoulder seam.
I'd originally thought about making this more of a wrap shirt, but I thought it would be too bulky.
Instead, I'll just make this a bit longer in the back so I can add side slits so it's not
too plain. I lengthen the back and the front just a little, making it longer in the back,
then add these little flares to the side so the slits can be nicely finished.
I'm also going to change the neckline. It was really wide originally, and had a squared front
opening. I sketch where my seam will be and feel like that's too big, so I take it in considerably,
then grab a second piece of paper to create a facing to fit the new opening.
I decided to go with an open V on the front,
which I'll line with eyelets for lacing once I find some good string for it.
The facing is just a piece of fabric that's the same shape as the opening,
and a bit more than an inch wide. This allows me to have a finished edge around the neck.
I don't want there to be any gapping under the arm, so I decide to make the arm holes
just big enough for the ball joint at the doll's shoulder. I add a couple triangles
to mark where the join point will be. Now all I have to do is cut this out and get started.
I begin by finishing the raw edges all the way around with a zigzag stitch, both on the
shirt and the facing. I cut the back on the selvage and I'm lazy, so I won't finish that.
As a character, Arrios is a vagrant, an adventurer, and I thought it would make
sense for his outfit to be a mishmash of ideas and aesthetics from a bunch of different cultures,
given a fantasy flair. I feel like in his travels, he'd pick up pieces here and there and just wear
what was comfortable that also suits his tastes. So while this shirt is just a super generic
sleeveless undershirt that could come from almost anywhere, his pants are actually a Viking design.
After the edges are finished, I pin the facing to the shirt with right sides together
and sew around the neck opening. While doing research for his outfit, I found it really
interesting to see how many cultures develop their clothing based on things they saw elsewhere.
Even though the pants I made are best known as a Viking style,
the Vikings created them after they got the design from the Rus. It kind of makes me feel
better about just mashing together elements I like when designing fantasy clothes,
because the real world has a very long history of doing exactly that to create new fashions.
Before turning the facing to the inside of the shirt, I snip into the curve of
the neck hole to help it turn and lay more evenly. I still don't have my new iron yet,
so for now, I just turn the facing, pin it, and finger press.
Closing the sides comes next. I pin the sides closed, and while I'm at it, I fold the bottom
edge of the front up by about a quarter inch. I don't have to do anything to the back, since
it's on the selvage, which is the tight-woven natural edge of the fabric that won't fray.
I sew the bottom hem, then close the sides by sewing from the top of the
side slits to the little triangles where I marked the arm opening.
I backstitch at the beginning and end of the side seams so they won't come undone.
The next step is creating the slits in the side. The little flared out pieces let me make a rolled
hem by folding each flap over once, then over again. I fold them all and pin them in place.
I also go ahead and fold back the edge of the arm hole and pin that,
so I can finish it easily a little later.
To sew the side slits, I start at the bottom edge and sew up one side,
across the top, and down the other side. Nice and easy.
While I considered trying to sew the arm holes by machine, I decided it would be easier to do it
by hand. It doesn't have to be perfect, just has to hold this edge back. Once I get an iron, just
pressing it would probably eliminate the need for stitching, but I don't think it looks bad stitched
this way. Once the hand stitching is done, the sewing is finished, and all that's left is adding
the eyelets to the neck. I use a leather punch to make holes for the eyelets. Sometimes I use an
awl so the fabric isn't cut, which makes eyelets a little sturdier, but I couldn't find my awl today.
I'm often asked where I get my tiny eyelets, and I purchase them from the scrapbooking section
of local craft supply stores like Michaels. That's where my eyelet setter came from, too.
Once the last eyelet is in, his shirt is done.
I'm really happy with how the changes to the pattern worked out,
because I feel the fit through the shoulders is exactly what I hoped for.
I think I might get some jute cording to lace the neck with, but we'll see what I can find.
That's all for today, though. Thanks for watching! Bye.