National Pie Day + MPB Turns FIVE!

OMG, you guys: It's NATIONAL PIE DAY once again!

But wait -- that's not all.  Today MPB turns five -- five.

I can hardly believe it, because with the exception of a small solar lentigo on the side of my nose (always wear sunscreen, kids), I look exactly the same; I'm like the male Jennifer Aniston.  When will I ever look forty?





As most of you know, I started sewing in June 2009 and launched this blog roughly seven months later when Michael burst in on me in the bathtub and said, "I've got a great name for a men's sewing blog!" (I'm not kidding).  The following day MPB was born.

While I've taken short breaks here and there, I haven't really stopped sewing or blogging since that time.  It's only when I remind myself what I've sewn (much of it archived here) that I realize how much time has gone by.



Naturally, the celebrity greetings have been pouring in, including a brief (but heartfelt) telegram from Tippi Hedrin, a luscious Whitman sampler from dear Ann-Margret and, from my good friend, actress Gladys Cooper, an autographed photo I will treasure always.







So what will the next five years bring?  I can only say that I have big plans for pants in the coming months, then we'll take it from there.  As you know, I prefer to go where my energy takes me.

I won't be blogging for the rest of the month (a little winter vacation), but I'll be back the first week of February.  If you like pants, you won't want to miss a thing!

Have a great week, everybody, thanks for all your support over the years, and don't forget to eat some pie!!

My Latest Dress Shirt: LIVE TODAY!

It's finished!  You can see my latest dress shirt right this very minute by simply clicking here. 

This is the second version of my recently-acquired 1950's Butterick dress shirt pattern, 6319.  I opted for the spread collar rather than the button down and I think it works just as well -- maybe better!

I left out the back center pleat this time, which automatically narrowed the back by two inches.  Otherwise it's the exact same pattern, though the shirt has a very different look.  Not quite so preppy.



With all these shirts behind me, I think it's time to make some pants, don't you?

Have a great day, everybody!

Authentic NYC squirrel captured by Michael on our photo shoot!

Vintage Men's Pattern-Palooza!

You guys: I just received THE BEST GIFT EVER.

MPB reader Veronica recently emailed me to ask if she might pass along some men's patterns left to her by an old friend, an artist and costumer.  Naturally, I said yes as I am a very generous person and always eager to help others downsize and declutter (!).

Yesterday a box arrived containing approximately two dozen men's patterns dating from the mid-Thirties through the Seventies.  And they're ALL my size.  Some highlights below.

In 2015, I must make myself a robe and I think I've found the perfect pattern for it.



I adore vintage-style camp shirts -- so very Tyrone Power.  PS - Why are the men on pattern envelopes so often looking through binoculars?  (The smoking thing I get.)

















How about these gorgeous Western shirts.  Giddy-up!





The cabana set below is dreamy -- so Ken & Barbie!





More beauties:







(I think I need an Apache shirt and I need it now.)

In other news, I've begun my next sewing project. Can you guess what it is?





And that's it!

Can you believe it's nearly February?  Spring is just around the corner and I'm ready to start sewing for it.  Anybody else feeling Spring sewing fever?

Have a great day, everybody!

Completed Preppy Shirt REVEAL!

Ta da!

I finished my herringbone cotton shirt today and I love it.

Just to review, I made this shirt using Butterick 6319 (below), a mid-Fifties men's dress shirt pattern I found on eBay.  My beautiful cotton shirting was sent to me by MPB reader Josh a few years ago.  Initially I thought this fabric was too heavy, but I adore it now.  The color is also perfect.





My favorite elements of this pattern are the shaped hems and the long collar -- 3 1/2" from top edge to point, in case you're wondering.  This was approximately the collar length of most Oxford cloth button down shirts made during the height of Ivy style (arguably the mid-Fifties through the early Seventies).  While Ivy style is hot again, most Oxford cloth button down shirts have considerably shorter collars.



Surprisingly, I also love the roomy fit -- so different from the shirts I usually make.







Here's what an actual classic-fit Brooks Brothers shirt looks like on me (below): considerably fuller than mine.



My new shirt looks great with a tie, as well as with a navy jacket.  (Note to self: shave.)





I made my shirt on my Kenmore 158.141 zigzagger, using a straight stitch foot borrowed from my Singer 15-91, and with a straight-stitch needle plate.  I made the buttonholes with the aid with my vintage Singer buttonhole attachment.  The only adjustments I made to the pattern were to shorten sleeves and torso 2", and to put my flat-felled seams on the inside, rather than the outside of the garment.



I toyed with the idea of French cuffs (included with the pattern), but the folded layers, which I'd already interfaced, felt too thick, so I opted for standard cuffs.



As I mentioned in my previous post, I changed the gathers in the back to a center pleat (below).



My buttons are simple white plastic shirt buttons from Steinauf & Stoller. 



Somehow in the course of making this shirt, I melted one of my rulers with my iron.  How did I manage to avoid this up until now?



And that's it!

You may not realize that there's an online community of Ivy-look aficionados who obsess over the fit and quality of their Oxford cloth button down shirts.  You can witness the compulsion here, here, and here.

Have a great day, everybody!

Preppy Shirt Progress

I am cautiously optimistic about this shirt, readers!

Normally, I never wear shirts from cotton fabric this thick.  But as the shirt takes shape, I am loving the result.  The cotton is heavy, yes, but not stiff or cheap feeling.  It's heavy like silk satin -- very luxurious.

The herringbone stripe, while subtle, is unforgiving: if the stripes don't match it's obvious (to me at least).  It's also a bit hard on the eyes; after a few hours at the sewing machine, my eyes start to cross.

A few construction notes:

1.  Despite being unfamiliar with this pattern's method of attaching the front placket (discussed in my last post), I was able to get a good result.  I wasn't going to interface the placket given the thickness of the fabric, but I'm glad I did.  It adds just enough extra crispness to be valuable.



2.  For the first time ever, I attached a shirt pocket before attaching sleeves and collar!





3.  The pattern is drafted with two balanced gathers in the back (below the yoke).  I substituted a central pleat.  Gathers are hard to press and end up looking shmushed -- is that a word?





4.  The pattern calls for flat-felled seams formed on the outside of the shirt (see below), as opposed to the inside.  I use this method only when I make jeans.  I made my seams on the inside.



5. The instructions for the sleeve plackets used a method that was new to me.  I did as directed and the results were fine.





I am hoping to finish my shirt tomorrow; cross your fingers.



In other news, I purchased some Calvin Klein T-shirts online last week and you would not believe the amount of packaging they came with.  Do three T-shirts really need to come in a zippered plastic pouch?  Am I supposed to store them in there between wearings?





Why is each shirt folded around a core of cardboard and taped closed?  There were about ten pieces of tape per shirt.





So.  Much.  Waste.





I hope to find a storage-related use for that pouch.  Any suggestions?

And that's it!  I hope your projects are all going well and you're staying warm.

Have a great day, everybody!