Get shirty

Are you sitting down? Because you might need to. Because… I finished making something!

This shirt for Mr Robot has taken me ages, partly because it’s the most complex thing I’ve made, and partly because life has been getting in the way. I wanted to take it carefully and get things right, and I like to ‘get in the zone’ when I’m sewing – that means having a few hours to really sink into what I’m doing. Obviously if work or housework impinge on my weekend the sewing goes out of the window… but I do miss it. That process of focussing on one thing for several hours, just me, it and my music, is incredibly good for my anxiety. ANYWAY I found time, and it’s completely finished right down to the hem (which, even as I was basting, I was marvelling at the neatness of).

The only real adjustment I made was to the sleeve length after the practice model made out of an old duvet cover turned out to have sleeves that were too long. This time they’re about half an inch too short. Sod’s law, innit? But Mr Robot rolls his sleeves up anyhow.

I’m really pleased with this. He could easily wear it outside the house without people wondering why he was dressed so badly!

While it’s not one of my ‘Make Nine’, getting this off the machine does free me to begin work on those. My next project is going to be another sleeveless shirt for myself; I’ve got the pattern all tailored the way I like it and it’s quick to make. It’ll be a nice little refresher before I start on my shirtdress. And I picked three metres of good tweed up in a charity shop over the weekend. It was £30, but as you’d pay that for a metre new, I got a bit of a bargain. 2020’s Make Nine is going to be better than 2019’s for sure.