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Sewing the Perkins shirt (Ensemble Patterns): look at me in the eyes!

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I present you today the Perkins shirt (and dress) from Ensemble Patterns, while I rarely wear shirts … but I think I was shamefully influenced and lured into shirt making by Mzel Coco and the girlz from @mixandsew.

And then, the Perkins is the ideal shirt to let the air flows during our more and more hot summers …

I feel the 90s vibe and Parker Lewis go through me … brrrrr!

ITEM SHOP QUANTITY PRICE
Chemise Perkins Ensemble Patterns 1 8,60 €
Poplin Eyes Mamzelle Fourmi 1,5 m 22,20 €
Buttons Market haberdashery 5 2 €
Thread Stock 0 0 €
Total     32,80 €

Perkins shirt and dress pattern

In fact, I knew this pattern by Ensemble Patterns since its release last year but I was not really interested at the time. Shirts are not really part of my dress vocabulary … And then, finally, I had the urgent need to sew it 2-3 weeks ago.

So I bought and downloaded the pattern, and ordered 2 cotton coupons – taking advantage of the sales – at Mamzelle Fourmi. Yeah, because as long as I was sewing it, I wanted two.

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

The Perkins shirt is a loose shirt, with short raglan sleeves with lots and lots of different options. It’s so nice to be able to pick and choose and make several different versions.

  • 4 lengths: cropped, normal, tunic or dress
  • with or without gathers in the front and back,
  • visible button placket or invisible,
  • 2 types of collar: shirt collar or officer
  • back collar with or without slit + bow

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

Before I began to sew, I hesitated to death between all the lengths believing wrongly that I had enough fabric to choose any length I please. But I’ll detail that further on. In the end, I made the normal shirt length that I shortened to the cropped length.

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

The back is longer than the front and has a yoke.

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

A big plus of this pattern too are the inside’s perfect finishes. Not a visible seam thanks to the famous “burrito” method for the back yoke and sleeves, and the French seams for the sides and sleeves.

But the down side is precisely that the sleeves are doubled because of the no-visible-seam construction … for the summer, it’s not so nice.

In addition, having to cut 4 times the sleeves can be misleading. On my picture, you can see my cutting layout at the beginning when I thought I had enough fabric for the dress. But when you cut 4 times the sleeves, 1.5 m is just enough for the shirt or possibly the bit short tunic. Be careful!

And finally, I find also that the sleeves get a bit stiffer with that double layering.

Well, I’m fine, I can still move my arms o/ and the shirt is still airy!

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

Otherwise, I sewed one of the proposed patch pockets. The pattern also offers seam pockets for the tunic & dress versions.

Sewing the Perkins shirt

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

The sewing of my very first shirt (very first time) went well. In truth, the button placket is easy. The real difficulty lies in the collar but with very clear overall and well illustrated explanations (even for the “burrito” steps), it went like clockwork.

The burrito method is pushed quite far … until you end up with a big triangular cushion … but don’t panic, it’s normal;)

And I beg you to notice how the buttons are exactly at the level of the pupils of the eyes and the same color! There are no pattern matching, but there is that at least …

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

Well, in fact, by avoiding the fitted sleeves (“classic” sleeves sewn on the shoulder) and the cuff plackets that are usually found on the long shirt sleeves cuffs, this pattern manages to avoid at least 2 of the main complexities in shirt sewing. A good pattern to get started!

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

I still had some problems while making my Eyes shirt.

First of all, sewing the French seams in some places was a bit hairy because of the 4 layers and the unique 1 centimeter of seam value.

Also, I didn’t understand the steps for the hem with a 1st fold at 3 mm (arg!) then a seam in the middle of the seam value (1.5 mm? Uh … (? _?) ) then 2nd fold at 0.5 mm (re-arg) … almost infeasible on the thicknesses of the button plackets and the English seams on the sides … well, if I correctly understood the explanation anyway. ¯ _ (-_-) _ / ¯

Finally, I ended up doing it my way!

Chemise Perkins (Ensemble Patterns)

Last words on my Perkins shirt

Oh well, I really like my shirt! The fabric is great, it slams I think. I had seen him at an fellow instagramer (but who?) several months ago. She was in love. I was doubtful. She was right !

I have my 2nd version waiting nicely on my ironing board. The fabric will be a thin cotton this time, which should allow me to do the version with the gathers. By cons, I’m still looking for ways to have beautiful interior finishes without double layered sleeves. And maybe also shorter sleeves.

You can tell me what you think, leave me your comments, I love it

* a title that people under 30 can not understand ^ _ ^

 

Jean Parasol (patron de Ensemble Patterns)
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3 commentaires

  • 29 July 2019 à 16:22
    Morgane

    Bravo pour le choix du tissu et le détail qui tue : les boutons bleus à la place des pupilles. Perso, je me suis mise aux chemises sur le tard alors que je pensais détester ça. J’en ai maintenant au moins une vingtaine, essentiellement des imprimées mais pas que. Par contre, je les aime très fluides. Celle-ci me paraît un peu rigide à mon goût, et peut être un peu large. Portée rentrée dans la ceinture, c’est plus joli. J’aime aussi les modèles avec fentes aux côtés qui permettent de rentrer devant mais de laisser long derrière.

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  • 30 July 2019 à 07:07
    Fanfreluche

    Hello Solène. Voilà une chemise drôlement originale. Tu la portes très bien. En revanche elle ne m’irait pas. Je fais partie du team gros lolos et du coup ça ferait montgolfière !

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  • […] Ensemble Patterns (Canada) : excellents patrons. Explications très détaillées, beaucoup de variations proposées et détaillées, possibilité de n’imprimer que sa taille ET patron qui tombe nickel ! → testé avec le pantalon Robinson (en noir, en flanelle écossaise et en chino kaki – 3 fois ! -), le short Parasol et le pantalon Parasol, la chemise Perkins […]

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