11.12.2012

the bow-ie shirt


the first installment in my sewing with a semi half assed plan is finished! accordingly, it did not go according to plan.

the perp: mccalls, 8348.  you see, the bow tie, she was too big.  or rather, too weighty.  that keyhole neck opening did not exist until well into sewing.  when this shirt had a collar and two-inch wide ties, the neck looked like it was trying to do me bodily harm.  so i snipped out a keyhole opening and enclosed the raw edges with self made bias tape.  et voila! 

(yes, it still drags.  but it's no longer choking me.)  


the cuffs weren't much more pleasing.  they were also trying to kill me.  and doing a piss poor job of it, as strangulation around the mid arm is a hairbrained way to do anyone in.  judge and jury, i sentenced the ill willed cuffs to death and hacked them off.  guillotine.  old school in kalkatroona, baby.  after evening up the slice, i blind stitched a nice wide one inch hem at cuff, and told the sleeve it was better off without that bad influence.

oh, why yes, that is a horse of a different color.  while i was playing around with photoshop to coax the silk shirt into the right shade of IRL purple, i found i wished it were another hue altogether.  i can't have my way in my closet, but i can haz it here...


wouldn't it be so great in this colorway?!  i love how the blue plays with those ikat shapes.  are they ikat?  eyes? navajo thingies?  

the sleeve cap had about 5 inches of ease, which i mostly took out.  in hindsight i was probably overzealous.  the shirt wins that decision, it lawyered up.  


OH I WISH IT WAS WHITE.  it's so clean and chic and it matches the glass beads i chose for fun!  and, you know, no one ever finds a white shirt guilty.

but no, it is purple.  for you peeps who just look at pictures, let me reiterate, it is indeed purple, i did not make four colorways of a botched vintage bow tie shirt.  and although i still like it, i'm gonna have to let it do a little time in solitary confinement.  i blame it on photoshop, but the shirt is taking the fall.

48 comments:

  1. The color changing going on here just makes me remember how much I wanted one of those techicolor-changing hats that Marty wore in the future (aaand it's almost 2015! Forget the Hoverboard, where is my color-changing hat? GOD.)

    I love how you modified that keyhole neck opening - now it looks like a heart :) D'AWW :3

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    1. i forgot about that! i was too fixated on the hoverboard!!!

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    2. Well, the makers were clearly fixated on it, too, because they carried it over to the next one.

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  2. Ditto! I love how it's a heart too! :-)

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  3. i like the purple.. in imaginary world, i like the blue one best.. would also like to see pre guillotine version.. is this too many 'likes' in one comment?

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    1. the offending bits are gone! GONE I TELL YOU! you know, i worry the same thing when i comment at your joint. i almost always end up taking a love out!

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  4. Triple love the heart neck opening! And the purple. I've always thought you are ravishing in purple.

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    1. teehee. you know, i'm beginning to realize i have two tons of purple in my closet. guess my crush on prince never really went away.

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  5. This totally reminds me of Clueless where Cher swaps her clothing on the computer to see what she likes best. Love it! And the keyhole is super cute- nice save!

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    1. oh, is that in the original?! i don't remember that, just the polaroids, i must see it!

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  6. Okay, I just (unsuccessfully) tried to look up the pattern and the verdict is in: we must see the perp in its original form.

    Love that fabric and your Oona-hacks.

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    1. erm.... that's because i gave you the wrong pattern company. NICE.

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  7. I think it looks so much better without the tie! Great job!

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  8. I have that fabric from paron too!! I made a peplum top with mine. When I saw all the different color variations I agreed with you on all points! I love the ties better slimmer than bulky.

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  9. You know what I like about the keyhole with the bow? It looks like a heart because the knot pulls it down. Cute without being cutesy. Kind of like the Mickey Mouse stuff that is just three circles so it only looks Disney-like if you are thinking about it.

    I like your version much more than neck/arm choking version. Who wants to be constricted like that?

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    1. yes, pretty grievance's mod mickey pin made me look twice :). i kinda dig the heart too!

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    2. I zoomed in on that picture to look at the print in her dress, her rings... only to realize she said "accessorize" and it clicked about the pin.

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  10. So cute!
    The changing colors are tripping me out :)

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  11. The dragging makes it look like a heart shaped keyhole...pretty cute! LOL at the solitary confinement. And yay for you making a blouse, a practical item you can wear in your day to day wardrobe.

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    1. i'm trying... that said, there's a feathered skirt on my ironing board...

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  12. As always you had me giggling reading your very animated description of the process you went through (neck and cuffs) on your journey to finishing this top! It's lovely in all colours but the real purple is my favourite on you, I'd go with saying it was a navajo detail but to each their own!

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  13. Aw, I lurve it, its so boho-y and cute. I like the key-hole-into heart effect too.
    Your photoshop skills are mad! But the purple is great. Your color changes made me think of those 90s generra hypercolor t-shirts. They should bring that stuff back, but in a woven, and we could make dresses and stuff.

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    1. were those heat sensitive or something? i have a dim recollection of something like that... didn't swatch do it too?

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    2. Yes, they were heat sensitive so your arm pits usually ended up the "other" colour...

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  14. I totally sewed with a sorta plan this weekend. WOO! Also, I love this shirt, its really awesome.

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  15. I love the purple, but I really like the other colorways too! This doesn't look botched to me; the key-hold neckline and the sleeve-length speak to my heart. :)

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  16. Maybe this pattern is not to be found in its original form because everybody has found out what you have found out... In my experience, and the experience of someone else I consulted but don't remember anymore whom, most vintage garments tend to sit closer to the neck than we are used to nowadays... Pair that with a big bow - BAM. I should have thought of that and warn you beforehand. :-/

    But I think the finished result is very, very lovely; I'd love several of those in less Oona-like prints myself. :D

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    1. or also because i botched the name! HA.

      the envelope touts NEW sizing (and the bust measurement is 2 inches small for me) so that could be it as well. and i did away with the facings.

      but i like to blame the pattern.

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  17. Well, you know me- the gaudier the better- I like the pop of the purple and the heart shape is a soft contrast to the angular medallions, hell I just think its ducky. Ikat ducky.

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    1. my donnie ducky top & your mickey mousey animal blouse should go out and drink.

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  18. I agree with one of the above commenters. Show us the pattern cover!

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    1. GIRL! how you been? you prompted me to snap a pic, and yeah, i got the name wrong! i think this may have been from your glorious box of patterns :). are y'all doing that again?

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  19. Love your colour play! As for the shirt, well, this is pretty much EXACTLY the process I would probably be going through if I had made it. I am both intrigued by those 70s blouses and terrified. I hope the rest of the half-ass-wardrobe treats you better, though---I think you made a good save, here's hoping the style will work once you've forgiven it for its trespasses.

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  20. You've got mad photoshop skillz!! I wish I could figure out how to do that!
    I think that the purple really is my favorite, glad that is the real one. Happy you saved yourself from a slow death by strangulation!

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  21. Hahaha I LOVE this post, I can't believe you changed the shirt into that many colors. I started reading and got so distracted by trying to figure out what was going on with the colorway that I had to re-read the post three times. Haha, anyway, it looks cute with the skinny ties, nothing is worse than a shirt that is trying to choke you. NOTHING!

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  22. Funny cuz at first I thought the purple was the photoshopped 'fake' color but then I read on... and actually it's my favorite! But purple is always my favorite. But it looks great on you! Purple goes with red jeans. I love how those 70s patterns have those slightly winged sleeves but seriously dislike all that sleeve cap ease. Love what you did!

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  23. This totally works! Purple is a great color for you! Way to make a dud Oona-riffic!

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  24. Super cute, in every colour, but the purple is purfect. Love the heart keyhole opening too.

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!