Updating a TNT shirt pattern

it will probably never see an iron again

One of my most used patterns has been the shirt that appeared in the 5/2012 issue of Ottobre Woman, style #7 called "Gardener".  I made it back in 2012 and with a few modifications it was my TNT shirt for years. Even though I can still wear the shirts from years gone by, it was time to do a little refinement for my current body so that it can be my TNT again. In my TNT file there is a Knip Mode pattern that's a good basic for a very oversized shirt, and a Burda that is a little oversized. This one is even a little less oversized; call it merely relaxed. A chill fit.

I started from the beginning with a fresh tracing of my size based on the full bust measurement. Then began the customization to include the features I like to have in my shirts. Last, I did a wearable test to be sure that all my slicing and dicing worked.

schematic from the magazine

Here's the starting point.

And here's the preliminary pattern work that needed testing. This work was a lot easier to do on a pattern without seam allowances - one of the reasons I like the magazine patterns.

1. Chopped off the top of the back to create a yoke and rotated the shoulder dart into the yoke seam.
2. Replaced the separate front band a cut on one, adding extra width for cut on interfacing. Handling long skinny pieces of interfacing is a pain, and most of the time I don't want to do it.
3. Lowered the dart
4. Small rounded back adjustment
5. Forward shoulder adjustment, including pivoting the sleeve head for the forward pitch of the shoulders
6. I need extra width at the hips. Part of this was provided by adding to the side seams. The remainder comes from a box pleat added at center back.
7. A minor change - the pocket in the pattern is too dainty for me, so I drafted one a bit larger.
8. Another minor change - shortened the length. I am fairly tall, but Ottobre designs are often long on me.

To prove out all the alterations, I made up my tester without a lot of the details. Just the collar band, no actual collar. No cuffs or sleeve placket. The fabric is a heavy weight linen from deep stash that I'd begun to wonder if I would ever use. 

I'm pretty pleased with the results. The sleeves hang nicely and I don't need any FBA or any more room at the sides. My test is very wearable and lets me know that a bit more forward shoulder adjustment and just a little narrow shoulder alteration would get this pattern all nice and finessed to where I like it. 

A shirt TNT is a great start to the new year. I really enjoy making and wearing them!

Ottobre Woman Trench from 5/2007

Ottobre Woman was a favorite pattern source and I miss them. Maybe they'll come back some day. Here is a version of their short trench coat that was number 20 in the 5/2007 issue.

I've made this before, ten years ago in fact! The idea was to replicate the trench coat Miss Fisher wears in the TV mystery series. It was one of my most fun sewing projects ever, doing the detective work of uncovering the original's details in closeups, sleuthing out an appropriate pattern, sourcing the right fabric and all. Unfortunately, although I love the look of a duster, I hardly ever wore my trench and eventually repurposed the fabric for something else. The original write-up can be read on this blog's old location here: Miss Fisher Coat.

This coat came about because I ordered the cotton/linen canvas to copy a bomber jacket seen in a store window. When the fabric came, it was very nice but heavier than anticipated and would have made a bulky bomber. It seemed like a longer coat would be the answer, and the Ottobre pattern the way I had simplified it would work. I had eliminated all the straps and made the pattern single breasted. 

A little flat-pattern measuring insured that my old tracing would still fit. The coat is underlined with bemberg, the same stuff that used to be sold under the name Ambiance. I used the old line/underline technique learned from Shannon Gifford back in the day, so the inside is all clean finished. I have used that technique so much! It makes lining seem like less of a chore. Seams all edge stitched and topstitched so they look like flat fells.

The edges of the facings and hem were bound using a rayon tape. Doing a narrow fold on the edges would have been too bulky, not to mention difficult with heavy ravelly canvas. Horn buttons came from Wawak.

Unlike my previous version of this pattern, I anticipate wearing this one a lot. It is surprisingly warm and will fit over a sweater, just right for most of the cooler days. Where I live, it sometimes gets really cold, but most of the time this coat will be the perfect weight.

Looking at these photos I can see that the bottom button is pulling. That doesn't seem so obvious in real life but I bet a longer shank on that button will give it a bit more play and solve the problem. Easy fix.

Another jacket is nearly finished and will probably be completed in 2025. I do love jackets! 

Ottobre 5.2015 #8 "Solid and Striped"

Don't let that moiré pattern make you dizzy!

This dress began with a micro-striped jersey that just seemed to be meant for a raglan or a style with a somewhat similar sleeve. This top in my Ottobre library was the easy winner. The saddle shoulder avoids the dart from neck to shoulder that raglans generally have. 

Although the top could have just been lengthened and the width at the hip adjusted to fit fairly easily, there was a variation of this basic pattern in the same magazine that was a long cardigan with a shaped center back seam. Ottobre collections are often like this, which makes it easy to mix and match the features of related garments to make exactly what you want. 

Combining the two views made my design changes even easier with the added benefit that my dress has the refinement of a little shaping in the back. It makes the dress just a tad less tent-like than what it would have been without the seam. I also shortened the sleeves so they would be elbow length.

Since the stripe in this fabric was so tiny, I didn't make any effort to match across the center back seam.

showing the basic sleeve shape

Here are some views of the shoulder seams. I thought that years ago these saddle shoulders were also called "magyar", but when I google that term now, I don't see this style at all. 

The fabric has two layers to it, giving it a bit more heft and making it better for this simple dress than thin jersey.

I like this a lot! Soft, cozy, comfortable to wear. It pairs well with the Burda jean jacket I made last month. The two understated and neutral patterns look kind of playful together. 

Ottobre Woman 2.2019 #10 Crispy Texture

This pattern is for a sporty outerwear-type jacket. Made in a heavy weight linen as suggested it would be a nice spring layer.

It makes a nice basic for changing details and I've used the pattern 3 times before, but never as it was intended.

Here's one that got written up on the old blog: turquoise ikat 

It's an unfitted shape with a center back seam and shoulder darts.  I added bust darts for this version which is intended to be worn as a top.

The fabric is a cotton with a bit of a crinkly texture. It has a bit of body to it which I am liking more these days than flowy/drapey/clingy. It will also still work well as a light jacket in the summer when air conditioners everywhere are competing for champion air conditioner of the world. 

Here's the glamor shot. 

For this version, I added bust darts and eased the back shoulders to the front rather than make the shoulder darts.

The front button band is cut on and self interfaced.

The collar was made narrowed. I also narrowed the sleeve at the wrist since it wasn't meant to be a jacket.

I made a nice deep hem that incorporates little side vents.

Lately I've wanted clean finished insides as much as possible, so the hem edges are all turned under and stitched rather than serged. The shoulder, sleeve, and center back seams are all flat felled. The armscyes and the side seams are the only ones that are serged.

Buttons are getting harder and harder to source! I didn't have any in my button stash that were perfect, but at least had some that were the right size. I am going to have to get more intentional about building up a button stock in the future.

Bloggers who take full length photos in beautiful locations with perfect lighting have my sincere admiration. It takes a lot of dedication to set up tripods and remote clickers and wait for decent light. Here's my lovely bathroom selfie with the sleeves turned up.

Selfie critique: I am not sure if I am standing crooked because of the way I'm nolding the camera, some temporary hip issues or if my body is just crooked now. I need to start paying attention to my posture, and if my stance is not temporary, well, there are alterations for that.

The bust darts need to be a bit deeper.

And next time I make this as a top, I'd like to make the shoulders a bit narrower.

The fabric is really everything when the pattern is as simple as this. Here are a couple of other versions.

Here's an earlier one in a natural homespun kind of cotton. You can tell that this one is so useful that it just stays in the back seat and is always there when I need another layer. Heavy cell phone has bagged out the pocket.This one is probably the closest to the original pattern. 

This last one was made in a heavy cotton flannel with wide asymmetrical stripes. The center front has a facing. So does the hem - it doesn't show in the photo, but there is a curve to the side vents and the facing makes a nice flat hem.

This version was underlined with power mesh to improve the hang of it and to keep it from clinging in the rear. That stuff also works nicely as far as slipping the jacket on and off goes, so it's worth remembering.

Yes I like jackets, both making them and wearing them.