[WIP?] Complete Tunic Redo

CatwithSevenToes · April 8, 2025, 4:19pm

Ok! As some may have surmised by this point Excursions into Sewing Knit Fabrics had been a complete failure (at least in relation to my own flubs and flaws). So, I’m going to attempt a whole different idea.

Expectations:

By putting buttons along the base of the V-neck, it should allow the tunic to be put on a lot easier for a cotton fabric.

My ideas at the moment.

:Two Button & Extended Neck for Button Allowance:

cons:

The grain would be altered quite a bit.
The button area will be fairly angular, and would look a bit off.

:Cut Front Piece in 3 Pieces:

cons???:

Would I be able to affix the three pieces neatly at where the three pieces meet? (A on the diagram).
Would a pleat spanning the entire width of the shirt look good at all? .

Anyway, just the planning stage at the moment. Will have to search up some shirts to get the hamster to spin that wheel. Plus, have a lot on my todo list…So may get more done today, or may not,

:Full Neck Binding:

It would give me the neck I want. So, I am leaning towards this one.

cons:

It’s not pretty, but it is cotton, so meh.

Tutorials:

5 Easy Steps to Make Perfect Placket Quickly and Easily/ Placket Sewing Tutorial This one I could adapt fairly easily. Plus it has the added benefit that I wouldn’t have to practice getting the placket to go around a 90° bend.

CatwithSevenToes · April 9, 2025, 4:45pm

Ok! Even with a few hiccups, it’s not that bad. The only real problem area I have are the edges at the top of the button plackets. Other than that I should be able to work any kinks out very easily.

Hmm??? I wonder if I can find any videos to help with these as I get the feeling I’m not going to get them any better than this.

Ok! I’ve decided I’ll do away with the sharp point of the V neck. That will take care of that issue. Now, I’m at the position that I could start on it. Wash fabric first, though, .

I wonder if I could use the knit fabric for the neck binding. Though, I wouldn’t want to use it for the button placket. . it’d be nice if I could find a use for it.

CatwithSevenToes · April 12, 2025, 3:30pm

Between tinkering with the server & trying to clean the kitchen, I’m preparing for the next parts for the shirt.

I’ve measured 6 inches down, though, I’m wondering if I should do 7, . Meh, I’ll start with six.

Also, since I’ll be using the same fabric for the button placket, I decided on making them 1+1/4 inch wide. That should look just fine. (Plus, I really don’t have any similar fabric that’d look good with this).

Also, I have no choice about the neck binding. That’s going to have to be cut on the bias of the excess fabric. What I’ll do to keep from using too much is I’ll splice two pieces so all the affixing will be hidden by hair in the back, and the plackets in the front.

Ok! I found it will be cheaper to use bias tape than using the last bit of fabric I have to make bias tape. Though, kind of negated by needing to get a matching fabric to have the button placket match the bias tape. Oh well, that leaves the left over to incorporate into a quilt once I start that project.

I found one more issue while looking at my wife’s shirt. The neck line. Now, I already took off space for the neck binding, but it’s still not enough after all. The shirt’s neck I like best is at 33 inches, where as on this tunic it is, at this moment, between 27.25 to 28.75 minus the seam allowance. It needs to be at least 30". (Woops! I keep forgetting to add the neck binding. That would make the current tunic’s neck about one to two inches smaller. , so 25.25-27.75. )

The blue arrow is pointing to how much I can safely remove.

When I feel up to it, I’ll mark dots or lines around the neck and do my best to measure it out to find a good spot.