Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista--playing with plaid shirting

Do you have fabrics that simply make you happy?  For me, it depends on the season and the colors.  In the fall and winter, I simply love plaid.  To me they speak of giving warmth, are cozy, and the colors are fun.  And, if you have seen some of my makes before, I gravitate towards red, black and white.  This plaid was the perfect choice.  Plus that turquoise blue is awesome!


It takes a little bit of practice to match plaids at critical points such as the center front, center back, shoulders, arms, etc.  Here are some tips I have found from trial and error. 


Depending on the style of your garment, it is super important the center front matches.  I always purchase extra fabric for matching plaids.  You just never know when you might have a mishap...


When working with plaids, find out whether your plaid is even or uneven.  If you fold back a corner to make a 45 degree angle, you will know.  If the pattern matches, it is even, if it looks like mine, it is uneven.  


I just love using vintage sewing books for reference on sewing fabrics that aren't on my sewing table daily.  This one is great for an explanation on how to sew plaid fabrics.  You must match the pattern within the seam lines, not the pattern edges.  It will make a difference, trust me. :)  


What you can see here is that I cut my plaids in a single layer.  I draw pencil lines on the pattern pieces where the designs need to match. In this case, I drew where the bold white lines intersected with a pencil so it is super hard to see in this photo.  


You'll want to make sure your seam lines match a critical points such as the shoulder seams, center front and back, down the sleeves, etc.  Sometimes I sort of 'cheat' and cut pieces on the bias to add a bit of drama and so that I don't have to have everything match.


My collar and center of the back yoke match, along with the shoulder seams, side seams, and center front.


Is that little loop a fun detail?  I had to add it.  I just had to.


My chosen fabric is a cotton shirting and since it is rather lightweight, to give the hem line just a bit of heft to help it hang properly, I cut bias strips to add to the hemline.  I turned it to the inside and top-stitched on the outside.  


On the inside cuff, I trimmed away the sleeve seam allowance, turned in the cuff allowance and top-stitched to finish off that seam.  I like how nice can clean the finish is.


Here is an area where I 'cheated' on matching the plaid.  I very simply cut the pocket on the bias.  I like the visual interest it gives.




Down the center sleeve, when I first laid out the pattern and decided which seam was dominate, this theme resonated throughout the garment.  That dominate part of the pattern became the center of the sleeve as well.  See my bias cut cuffs?  They go with the bias cut pocket.


Since this has a back yoke and a pleat, it isn't possible to have the pattern match everywhere.  I made sure my centers matched and went from there.  I did however make sure my side seams matched along with the sleeve pattern.  




I decided to highlight the red in the fabric with little red buttons.  


I really, really love this top.  I had a lot of fun putting it together.


It is always a challenge taking photos outdoors in South Dakota.  The wind just blows and blows.

Thanks for reading!
Sue from Ilove2sew!

Comments

  1. Love your plaid shirt!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great job Sue! I love that color combination on you, and your plaid placement is perfect. And thanks for the tip on matching the plaid on the seamline, not the edges!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, congratulations on your happy, well-made garment sewn from a fabric of style and colors that shows you in an outstanding way! I've seen you in your self-sewn garments for years online, admired your work always and this is the one I personally like the best on you! Thanks so much for all the tips ... I look forward to sewing my own plaid garment, greatly appreciate your sharing and anticipate warmly seeing your sewing again! Lynda from Toronto, Canada

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the great tips and reminders for sewing with plaids! I mark lines on the pattern, too, even for matching large prints. This color is especially pretty on you, and I love the idea of the bias-faced hem. Keep on sewing!

    Kathy in Arkansas

    ReplyDelete
  5. Is it best to sew plaid shirts with patterns that don't have darts or princess seams? I want to make some plaid shirts, but am stumped at how to match the plaid with shaping detail.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! For the first few plaid garments you make, I would use a simple, straight silhouette, like the one that I used. You can get the plaid to match at princess seams, but it is a lot of work and not something that you want to try if you aren't familiar working with plaids. Good luck!!!

      Delete
  6. Wow ! Thank you for giving me a little push to get back into sewing .Thanks for all your tips also .I'll have to give this a try after the holidays . Thanks again Bev

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Vacation Vibes

We will be traveling to the Caribbean for Spring Break this year, so I started thinking about what I wanted to take with me that would be easy to wear, but also light and breezy.  Personally, I love wearing linen because it looks so luxe while still being really comfortable. Since coordinated sets are still on trend this year, I thought it would be fun to create some pieces that I could mix and match for a relaxed vacation mini-wardrobe.  (I just need to remember to pack my travel iron!)   I went through all of my patterns and came up with five different patterns that I knew would would coordinate well with each other, and that would work well with linen.  I wasn’t surprised when all the patterns I chose came from Pattern Emporium.  Their whole aesthetic is clothing that is on trend, easy to wear and comfortable.  For my first set, I used the Lightweight Yarn-Dyed Chambray Linen in Soft Oat.  This fabric is so incredibly soft and airy. ...

Made By A Fabricista: I Love A Bomber Jacket

Hello friends,  I’m Byrd, and today I’m excited to share my latest Fabricista project with you.  There’s something timeless about a bomber jacket that makes it a staple in my wardrobe. It’s effortlessly cool, versatile, and perfect for layering through the seasons. But what makes this particular bomber jacket even more special is its thoughtfully designed pattern. Not only is it a standard pattern, but it’s also adaptive—meaning the length and closures can be customized to suit your needs, whether you’re standing, sitting, or using a wheelchair. This level of inclusivity in design is something I truly appreciate, and that’s why I’m especially excited about this make! The Fabric: Cotton Poly Poplin For the bomber jacket, I chose a Salamander White cotton-poly poplin , and it couldn’t be a more perfect match. Poplin is a fantastic choice for outerwear because it’s lightweight yet durable, with just the right amount of structure to hold the classic bomber shape. The cotton-poly b...

Made By A Fabricista: Pleated High Waisted Pants And How To Style Them

Hi sewing friends! Today I’m excited to share some awesome trousers that I discovered last year when I was a tester on this pattern. These pants are seriously amazing and magical because they are pretty beginner friendly but you get a real ready to wear and higher end look due to a few clever features. I also think they are flattering on a variety of body shapes and sizes so all in all, this pattern is a winner for me. I’m also going to share three top patterns of different styles that work well with this trouser style. Have I peaked your interest? Let’s go! These magical trousers are the Padget Pants from Petite Stitchery & Co (PSCo). This pattern is size inclusive and goes up to a 5X or 62 inch hip. It also includes a great projector file with mirrored full pattern pieces (yay for good projector files!). Here are a few action shots of these awesome pants: The instructions specify a knit fabric, but many of the testers on the team made them in stretch or even non-stretch w...