Wow, it's really amazing going back and doing another one of the same shirt I did before. This one came out SO much better than the last one, or at least I sure felt like I've come a long way since the last one!
So, this time I was using up some more remnants I picked up at JoAnn's. I had some mottled lavender fabric, and I still had some lavender polka dot fabric left from another set of play clothes I'd made. I also had some white rick rack that I didn't use for a different project. I still had the paper pattern pieces I'd made, so I was able to save time on that step. :)
I decided to try my rotary cutter and mat on this project. My verdict: I don't really know that I prefer them for this type of job. I expect they're great for quilting pieces and things like that. I'm not sure I like them for cutting out garment pieces. I'll give them another try or two and then decide whether/how to use them.
Okay so, some improvements I was able to do this time around:
First, I remembered to make a tag in advance and sew it into the shirt. Yea, me! Sometimes it's the little things that seem like a huge accomplishment!)
Next, I understood and I think properly did the understitching and the slip stitching on the yoke this time around. I understitched the facing neck edge of the yoke to the trimmed seam of the yoke. And this time around I really "got" slipstitching the yoke facing just at the sewn edge of the gathered seam of the bodice. It all came out nice and clean and finished looking! I won't say it looks "professional" yet, because it doesn't, but I "get" it now! And I will improve my technique with time and practice.
Setting in the sleeves is still the most annoying part, but this time around I'm confident that I actually had the back of the sleeves attached at the back of the bodice and the front of the sleeves at the front of the bodice. On the ladybug shirt, I'm really not sure that I had that right. I really don't know which side of that shirt is even the front! But on this shirt I marked the back with a pin, and then with the tag, and then then paid attention to front/back when setting the sleeves. Fundamentals matter!
Lastly, after slipstitching the yoke, I understood how to slipstitch the ends of the rick rack together where they met at the seams. I'm MUCH happier with my rick rack job this time around compared to the first rick rack I sewed on the jammies or even the ladybug shirt.
It's so encouraging to see progress and learning, and to have some cute finished projects! I'm totally still just a beginning, but it's fascinating how it builds and builds and builds. I stand in awe of the truly great seamstresses and tailors!
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