Touch of the Orient Shirt

Sometimes you make something that is just going to be a favourite. My 'Touch of the Orient' shirt is one of them.

I bought this piece of fabric for $2 a few months ago with no idea of what I would make from it. I loved the bright pattern which managed to be flowery without being 'flowery', if you get my meaning. I'm not great at fabric ID so I can't say what it is exactly. It's soft and drapey and feels like a fine wool.

To help overcome my deficiencies in the fabric ID department I've just ordered the new edition of Fabric for Fashion, The Swatch Book on Amazon ($100 delivered to Australia, ouch!). I'm hoping it'll be worth it. And thank you Tilly for putting me onto this book.

With the fabric whispering to me of the Orient, I thought something in the way of a stand-up collar might work. Because it's winter here in Australia, I planned to wear it over a light-weight black wool turtle neck jumper and black slacks.

There was not enough fabric in the piece for sleeves of any sort so when I went through my patterns I found a Simplicity shirt pattern 6410 (dated 1985) that I thought might just do the trick.

View 4 had a collar that I liked and a sleeve that wasn't a sleeve.

I planned to leave it open at the front so I used a vilene interfacing to hold it firmly. I also used the interfacing in the collar, which made it stand up nicely, and around the edge of the sleeve/armhole opening.

Still thinking of things Oriental, I wondered about a frog fastening to hold the front closed. I've never made one of those before but after a few internet tutorials I got the drift. I had two pieces of black silky cord in the box that had been the handles on a paper carry bag from some boutique or other: too good to throw away and might come in handy. And so they did. They were just the right length for the two components of the frog. I love it!

This top was so simple to make and at $2 for the fabric and $0 for the frog fastening, I think it was a bargain!