It must be said. This shirt, which I made the summer before last and which has all sorts of nicely executed details -- covered button placket, pleated pockets with flaps, and contrasting collar stand -- is not a flattering color.
I'll call the color café au lait. I think it makes me look pale and ruddy, if both things are possible simultaneously. I'm much more attuned today to the color choices I make, but I can't undo the past, can I?
Then there's this pleated shirt from just last year. It's so pretty! But this is another garment I don't feel good in because of the color(s). (Orange -- eek!)
I've actually thought about dyeing the first shirt (denim blue, perhaps?). As for the plaid, well, I'm not sure it's really dye-able without losing the plaid entirely.
My main issue with dyeing is that it makes a mess (I've done it before), and watching all that dye go down the drain makes me queasy. Not that the rest of my wardrobe isn't dyed, I just don't have to watch it happen.
In other shirt-related news, I was ironing this white shirt (below) I made years ago and was reminded that a lot of my early projects didn't look so great close up or wore badly due to poor application of interfacing (among other things). Awful.
Since I was in ironing mode, I decided to clean the inside of my iron for the first time in years. It had started to leak now and then, which is something my Black & Decker Digital Advantage never did. I always put filtered water in it but it spat out quite a bit of mineral residue, as you can see below.
Moving on, I picked up this vintage pattern on eBay yesterday (Butterick 6319, another "regulation" men's garment from the 1950's) and I plan to use it to make myself another classic white shirt. I'm in a preppy, Mid-century frame of mind these days!
As far as my Vogue blazer goes, I've gotten as far as trimming all the (26!) pattern pieces and shortening the length of the front and back pieces 2" in preparation for a muslin. I currently use straight pins to adjust pattern pieces, never tape, so I can make changes easily. It's an old-time technique (I can't tell you how often I've found old pins in vintage patterns) I prefer.
And that's it!
In closing, have you ever dyed a completed project because you didn't like the color? If so, is Rit the way to go or is there something better?
Could I dye that plaid shirt and still retain the plaid? Your guidance is much appreciated.
Have a great day, everybody!
PS - I have no relationship with Rit, but I was impressed with their site.
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