Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Can You See Me In The Back?

We love watching Grand Designs.
The presenter wears a myriad of beautiful shirts which Hugo often admires.
Recently,Kevin wore a pink Liberty version. I do not know the name but I have a snippet in other colour ways.


Hugo really liked it and requested one for his birthday.

Now I will admit I had a few issues about this.

  1. Liberty is jolly dear!
  2. Hugo is growing like a mushroom so it wouldn't fit him long.
  3. I don't have a Liberty shirt so why should he get one?
  4. Its very girly
I don't mind men in pink.
Jed has a pink and white gingham shirt I made him which looks fantastic but he is a mans man!
Hugo is,quite frankly,still a bit pretty for such a feminine shirt.

His birthday was fast approaching and I needed to re-size the Sketchbook shirt to fit this lad-o-mine!

I had a 2 yard piece of Modern WorkShop which the girls didn't fancy. It is a beautiful cloth but I knew I wouldn't be devastated if the resize was not spot on.


Re-drafting patterns is not my strong suit.
I just add a bit here and there and try and make the numbers add up.
I keep sizing up this pattern because it is without doubt the simplest shirt pattern for boys I have ever sewn!
And I have made a lot of boys shirts!

The Results?

I was very pleased.


I added too much depth to the collar so I will reshape that. Hugo really liked the collar buttons.


I used two cuffs pieces to make the cuffs and I cut the placket strip on the bias.


Hugo is big on details so he liked the extra buttons on the cuff.
I think the chest pocket is a bit high?


It is a good fit with growth room.


He likes the print but doesn't love it.


He will definitely wear it but....

After a fish through my stash we found some very nice cotton voile in a navy floral which has a feel very similar to Liberty and I will make that next!


But not until I have made my Melbourne Cup dress!


x N

12 comments:

  1. I will have to watch some Grand Designs episodes online. I love "shelter porn"!!

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  2. I love Grand Designs as well - Kevin Mcleod is a great host. Well done Hugo for loving prints. My husband would not dare wear anything like that, which is a shame.

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  3. He's so dapper!! Well done! The re-size looks really good - that would totally intimidate me!

    (Also, note: Must try the Sketchbook Shirt, having made five million Sketchbook shorts/pants.)

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  4. yes I love grand designs and Kevin too! is it liberty capel that is in the top? looking forward to seeing the next version ;o)

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  5. I think you're very clever to grade a pattern at all! I need to do it for the Puppet show shorts but keep putting it off.
    Nicole I just posted my Playdate dress and linked to your blog and made reference to your very helpful posts on making it.
    Hope that's OK.

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  6. Shelter Porn-Love it!

    Thanks Jen,I am pleased he likes it.
    I think it was just so different from what he had in mind.
    My brothers all wear groovy shirts,it took Jed awhile but now he is the first to grab the Bull Rush catalogue.

    Collette,you are brilliant-thanks so much!

    My absolute pleasure Karen,thank you for the compliment!
    Off to check it out!

    x N

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  7. I really like the shirt! Looks great with the boxers :-)

    The navy floral will make a stunning shirt (worthy of Kevin himself)

    Grand Designs is my all time favourite show (sad, I know! I actually own ALL the DVDs!)

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  8. The shirt looks great on him, Nicole! Kudos to you for grading the pattern up. The pocket could maybe be a smidge lower, an inch or a little less? I love all the details and the multiple buttons on the sleeve plackets!

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  9. Such a great shirt Nicole...I'm glad it looks so nice on him.
    I love Kevin, and Grand Designs. We watched one of them on You-tube the other night. The one where the couple (two climbers) take on an old sand-stone house (in Edinburgh)and do it up by themselves! Mad people!

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  10. I did promise to edit those out Justine....whoops!

    A friend lent me the series 1-8 while the children were all sick,it was great to have on while comforting sickies,I was very grateful!

    I did have a look around after Colette gave me the name of the fabric and found this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400250939135?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648#ht_614wt_1086 so I have purchased it to make him a shirt for Christmas.

    Thanks Cindy,a shirt is mainly straight lines so not that hard to grade up. It is worth it to use this easy pattern.
    The pocket is a bit high,I would love to move it but I can't be arsed,but I will definitely do it lower on the next one.
    I think the added buttons hide the fact that it is not a two piece collar,Hugo is still very happy to wear it.

    Thanks Millie,I am so pleased it fit him!
    I purchased a Vogue pattern for hos next shirt but it is a bit scary! A lot of work for something he will grow out of in a few months!

    I don't think I have seen that episode.....some of them are bonkers,their mortgages must be insane!

    Thank you
    x N

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  11. Well, again I think you are just brilliant. (Not that I ever thought differently!) Hugo is super spiffy...it's lovely to see that kind of confidence in a young man. My one boy is (a very immature) 11 years old, but I hope that one day he will possess that much self-confidence, not to mention style. Right now if Griffin is left to make his own choices, well, ew. Haha. His sisters are only too happy to guide him, fortunately!!

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  12. 'I just love your children's names!
    Thank you! Hugo wore the shirt on the weekend and he did look very smart......but he did keep mentioning the Liberty version.
    As for Griffin,a lot changed between 11 and 14!

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