Great White Shirt, the Beginning

A few posts back, I had started to work on a white shirt for the PR Great White Shirt Sew-Along. I got side-tracked, and just now getting back to it. Of course the sew-along is over now, but I still want a couple of white shirts for fall.

I had decided to make Mexican tucks down the fronts of the shirt. This post shows how I tucked a piece of fabric, and sewed horizontally across them, making them turn in one direction, then another, down the length of the tucks .http://allmyseams.blogspot.com/2009/07/tucking.html

I decided on 5, 1/4" tucks with 1/2" space in between each one. I decided the tucks would begin 2" from the CF, and cut the pattern along that line. Adding the amount of fabric needed for the tucks and spaces in between, I spread the pattern that far apart, inserting paper underneath. And, tada--that was my pattern.

This is one front of the shirt, all tucked and ready to go. The other is finished also. I had marked those tuck lines with pencil, so after I finished the stitching, I decided to wash the pieces to make sure the pencil lines came out in the wash before proceeding. They did come out, and I ironed the pieces. And then--uh oh--those little tucks and spaces needed ironing. Knowing the iron is not going to fit in those little spaces, I was thinking what to do, when I remembered this little iron.

This was the perfect tool. The little iron went between the those tucks like magic, and ironed them beautifully, separating them and making them stand up.

I probably won't get back to sewing until the weekend. But, I have a good start now on this shirt, and since I'm using an old TNT for my base, it's a no-brainer the rest of the way. (Famous last words)!