I got the idea to make a rugby style shirt, with a woven collar and placket instead of the usual knit, and boy was that fun! I LOVE how they look! I made one, to try it out, then two more. While I was photographing for this post, William was at school in the first polo!.
First off, I changed sewing patterns. For some reason I have been terrible baffled by how to make the polo placket. I tried a tutorial, read instructions and I made plackets. They were fine, but I wasn't happy with them, and they were way too complicated!! When I was making William a new outfit for dance class, I noticed that my Lalala 3 book had a polo pattern and a long sleeve tee pattern. Viola!
Here are the directions for the polo: check out the instructions for the placket, and (BONUS) neck seam binding! Hurray!! I was so sad I hadn't seen this before, but very glad when I did! Hurray! (did I day that already?)
I want to talk about this book a minute. If you had to have ONE book with which to clothe your toddler/preschooler, it's this one. I LOVE it!!
Here's what the book has in it: pajamas, underwear
dresses, tops, skirts, jackets, shirts, sweat pants, hoodies
More dresses and tops.
Here's the size chart: it's mostly in Japanese, but it's easy enough to figure out. There is also a picture that goes with it.
Here's a pattern sheet. Only slightly maddening.
For the shirt bodies I used a Lacoste pique knit I got from Fashion Fabrics Club. I bought both red and white. It's SO nice! Not rough-textured like cheaper pique knits, at all! Not that this was expensive, ($4/yd) but it's better than cheap ready-to-wear pique polos. Very soft to the touch, and not stiff, either. The collar and placket are cotton poplin I bought a while back at Golden D'or.
My nice collar and placket! I love this placket! I'm so proud (but also slightly embarrassed that it took me so long to figure it out)
My lovely cover stitched hem. The previous polos had double-needled sewing machine hems. bleck.
And, the hanging shirts. Lovely. At least it's natural light this time! Where is my clothes horse Doug made? Hmmmm
I highly recommend that book for it's (very obvious) genius!
6 comments:
So I have some questions about your Lala book.
1) What is the breakdown as far as knits vs. wovens? I feel like I am swimming in knit patterns from Ottobre but I want to find more girls' dresses/tops for wovens.
2) Where did you buy it?
Someday I would like to graduate this book, because I actually had to look up the definition of placket. LOL
Seriously, though, I'm loving the book and think there are options in there for a more novice seamstress like me.
Ditto to Julia, where did you buy it?
Julia: it's mostly knits, and the instructions, in Japanese, are for serging. For which girl do you need better patterns? I know the Vintage Kwik Sew for Toddlers has more woven stuff than the "modern" one.
Bianca & Julia: you can get this book on etsy and yesasia.com
Those look fantastic! You twisted my arm. I bought one off etsy this morning.
Seller was (for those that want to know) Pompadour. But if you just put "lalala 3" in the search box - they come up. She had 2.
Sam
Sorry - it was "Pompadour24" on etsy that was the seller.
Sam
thanks, Sam!
another Japanese sewing book that I've seen and liked (but not bought, because I sew for boys) is Girly Style Wardrobe. There are some beautiful dresses and outfits in it!
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