Paisley Shirt: Cuffs and Collar

These were my beautiful-but-upside-down paisley cuffs from yesterday. 

Today I redid them.  Ta-da!



I left the inside cuff upside down so that, if I roll the cuff up, it will still be facing the right way (Thanks, Lynn B., for the idea.)



In last week's Menswear Sewing class, we learned how to put pleats on our sleeve and attach the cuff.  The first pleat is 1" from the edge of the top part of the sleeve placket.  A pin is placed there to mark the spot, then another pin is placed 1" from the first pin.  A pleat is then made (facing toward the placket).





You then attach the cuff to the inside of the sleeve, pinning along the longer edge (which protrudes 1/2").  You pin the opposite end of the cuff to the under-placket, and pin along the entire cuff, shifting any remaining ease in the direction of the first pleat.  You'll use that ease to make a second, shallower pleat, 1/2" from the first pleat.



You now stitch the cuff to the sleeve from the inside.  A trick we learned is to pin the cuff to the sleeve with the placket-side protruding approx. 1/16".   For some reason (feed dog-related) this results in an even edge.  Once the cuff is attached, you flip it to the outside (see below) and edgestitch the right side of the cuff onto the right side of sleeve.









With regard to collars, I decided I wanted a rounded, "club" collar on my shirt.  I like the look.



I used a pattern piece from a vintage McCall's shirt pattern that comes with assorted collars.   I measured to make sure it would fit the band I was using and it did.





I made the inside collar band out of solid gray shirting, for contrast.



I'm trying not to rush (the shirt isn't due for a couple of weeks) but I hope to finish by early next week -- maybe even tomorrow.  I still have to hem and add buttons and buttonholes (which I'll do myself).

And that's it for today -- not much, but it took many hours.

Have a great day, everybody!