Heading into Fall, it only makes sense to explore more tailoring techniques and shirt-making. This series highlights two of our long tailored tunic designs- Tiny Bubbles Tunic and Dot Tunic. Both designs are demi-couture. Only the main seams stitched by machine, all other stitching completed by hand.
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This tunic design was drafted using a bodice block and a straight sleeve block. The concept was an interchangeable pattern in which you could customize the collar, the front button placket, the sleeves, the front pocket, back details and even the length.
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Fabric
Both fabrics purchased from Nippoori Textile Town in Tokyo, Japan. Our dot tunic was made from a beautiful double gauze linen purchased from textile shop Tomato.
Design Elements
Given the interchangeable nature of this design, we will go through the elements featured in these two longer tunic editions.
In-seam Button Holes
See ya later traditional button holes. Creating in-seam button holes is the easiest way to get around creating 'real' button holes. Drafting is the most challenging part of this type of button hole. The sewing is easy! Let us know in the comments if you have used this type of button hole in the past.
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Mandarin vs. Convertible Collar
Depending on your mood you could pick a mandarin stand collar or a traditional convertible collar. Which one do you like best? We could not decide, so we drafted both!
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Side Seam Slits with an Asymmetrical Hem
A curved hem and side slits make this piece a little less traditional. Slits provide ease of movement but still a flared look. In both of these designs, we hand basted small gathering stitches around the curve to pull the hem into place. The edges where folded in twice and slip-stitched closed.
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Patch Pocket
We know patch pockets are all about the pressing. Here's a useful tip- Use pins to help hold the fabric flat as you are pressing the edges. We think of them as tiny soldiers doing their sewing duty.
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Did you know, most pressing tables have holes in them or extra padding, hence why the pins can stand tall!
Box Pleat
To provide ease along the upper back, quite often a box pleat is placed at the center back of tailored shirts. We favor inverted box pleats, less boxy! The pleat also provides a slight flare to the shirt.
Cuffed Sleeves
We like to call this our reverse cuffed sleeve. Most rolled-up or cuffed sleeves display the interior or wrong side of the fabric. In these tunics are reverse rolled up, so the right or outside of the fabric is showing.
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Final Design
Long tunic's finito! From drafting to final stitch, both designs took our team approximately 35 hours to complete. How would you style this shirt? Let us know in the comments.
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PS- What do you think of this interchangeable element pattern? Would you be interested in purchasing this pattern? Let us know below.
Happy Sewing!
Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios
Happy Sewing!
Designed, photographed and written by Sheila Wong Studios
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