I would much rather be working on a quilt project but . . . duty calls. My sewing room has been temporarily transported into an alteration station while I convert three long-sleeved shirts with one pocket each into three short-sleeved shirts with two pockets each. All for the Dear Husband. We’re going on a trip later this month and he really is in need of some new duds.
In days of yore I could find shirts for him that had matching pockets. Alas, no more. Shirtmakers seem to have given up on this notion entirely — except for western shirts which often come not only with two pockets but also pocket flaps and pearl buttons. Not the DH’s style at all, though I personally like them.
It’s usually easier to make two matching pockets than to duplicate the single pocket the shirt comes with so I start out each project by picking the stitches out of the single pocket to remove it from the shirt. This is usually accompanied by some minor grumbling on my part. Then I cut off the sleeves at the elbow and make new pockets from the leftovers, using a pattern I made (years ago) from freezer paper:
I must admit I like the end result:
Two shirts down, one to go. Then it’s back to the fun stuff!
Perfection…as always. Beautiful job.
Funny how we hate mending and alterations. I have just mended a whole lot of stuff that piled up on my desk prior to flying to the US from Australia. Hopefully I will get straight back to sewing when I get home.
Yes, his son insists on wearing shirts with a pocket. Sometimes those are hard to find. At least he is content with only one pocket. Woe to me if I buy a shirt with no pocket!
What we don’t do for love, Dawn!
Perfectly done, of course! You are truly a sweetheart.
And, of course the checks on the pockets match up precisely with the checks on the shirt! You do beat all!! Nicely done.
I would do exactly the same. One of my more difficult sewing projects was back in the 70’s….a wool (mohair) 3/4 length wrap coat, with applied pockets, made from an uneven plaid. I had to match the sleeves to the plaid of the body, the wrap part had to match the overlap, the applied pockets, of course, and even the wrap belt matched….Gads, it took hours to figure out! I was about 19 or 20 years old at the time. Lined it with a beautiful blue satin. The plaid was predominantly green, with some blue and a tiny bit of yellow. Mrs. Ledbetter’s Tailoring class at OSU.
Wow! I would love to see a photo of you in that coat, Anna. Any chance you have one?
You’re a good wife, Dawn. I’m sure your hubby appreciates the sacrifice of giving up quilting to help him out! Have a safe trip!
Loved your pictures… The retreat was wonderful. So relaxing and so much fun. The ladies were great. It was so easy to get acquainted with everyone. Loved seeing all the projects, too.