[paula]

Does anyone have any fabric suggestions for the shirt? I have a 7 year old boy and I am looking for more grown up stuff. I’d be grateful for any specific fabric suggestions or any sites/ stores you think I should try.

Thanks!

[Tamara]

Hi Paula

I have a 7 year old son also and with making his shirts, I love the stripes and checks. I think they are timeless and able to suit any age. I use quilting cotton mostly because the of the variety of choice there is. If you check out Parson Gray fabric lines I’m sure you will be able to find something there that would be grown up enough for your lad. The colours can be quite dark though depending on his complexion, choose carefully – there are light colour ways in the collections which I think would suit a 7 year old. I also for a bit of fun and because really they are still little kids, I have made shirts using prints from the Children at play range (Michael Miller) mostly the rocket and bike prints. They too are not too little boyish to be able to be used if you want a fun shirt. Sarah Janes Out to sea range also has some great boy prints that can be used for shirts, I especially like the anchors as a choice.

I like to draw inspiration from children’s clothing companies I would otherwise shop with if I didn’t sew. This would give you clues as to what is deemed as “trendy” for children in the way of colours and prints. Of course most times you wouldn’t e able to exactly get the same print but the best way to elevate that is to echo the theme and colour.

Because the quilting cottons are so widely available, I specifically tend to go online with Quilthome, Fabric.com and Hawthorne threads. I wouldn’t be able to get any of the above ranges mentioned at my local shop as they don’t stock them.

They are for good Sketchbook shirts, the ones to wear when going places. For the ones for home (and because we live on a farm) in winter I use flannels for the shorts so that he can eat around being warm and pop a t-shirt underneath if he needs it. I don’t do summer sketchbooks for “work clothes” as it is much more practical to just wear T-shirts due to the heat. Again they are mostly in check prints which is what is available at my local Spotlight.

I know mother of five’s (Nicole’s) teenage son wears Liberty print shirts, so if a teenage boy can wear them I am sure they too would be suitable for a seven year old. Just another suggestion.

Hopefully this has helped.

Good luck

Tamara

[Nicole]

I adore this pattern,and Tamara is quite correct,Liberty does sew up beautifully in a boys shirt.

I quite like stripes on a boy and by running the collar and yoke horizontally if gives a more sophisticated look.

Here are a ‘few’ I have made.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/sets/72157625212212623/

This is one of my most utilised patterns.

As for fabric,I buy a lot from Ebay. Ladies frequently clear out their(or their mothers)stashes and there are bargains to be had.

~Nicole~

[Lightning McStitch]

I’m currently sewing one for my four year old in a tiny blue on white check, lightweight cotton referred to in shops as “shirting” fabric. It’s looking very much “the business shirt”, as if he’s about to go off for work experience at a bank!

I wonder, for a size 7, if you couldn’t squeeze a new shirt out of one of dad’s or grandpa’s old ones… Especially if they were on the biggish side. 🙂

[Sarvi]

Upcycling dad’s shirt is a great idea, and I’ll second the suggestion for using shirting cotton. It’s (usually) nicer on the skin than (most) quilting cotton and just as easy to sew (if not almost easier, in some cases) and what I’ve bought has generally been 55-60 inches to the yard instead of 45. Mood (http://www.moodfabrics.com/ if you don’t live near one) has six pages of options $10/yard and under if you’d like to try one out, and Harts Fabric (http://www.hartsfabric.com/cotton-shirting-fabric.html) is having 20% off for Cyber Monday.

[rastis]

i love shirting and linen (make sure you choose the right weight linen for the job though, linen/rayon mixes are quite nice for shirts as they don’t crinkle so much)… always favourites of mine… shirting wears really well wash after wash… linen fades but i kinda like that 🙂 and well, liberty! that would be a beautiful luxury!

[paula]

Wow! Thank you so much for the detailed responses! I live in Baltimore and we seem to have a lack of decent fabric stores in the area. My husband actually saw a nice Amish lady with a beautifully made dress at work (he is a physician at a hospital) where she got her fabric. She mentioned G Street Fabrics in Rockville, MD (a suburb of DC. We may be going there today with my notes from your suggestions! Thanks!!!

[meleliza]

I would go for men’s shirting if I were making a shirt for my 7 year old son. I have heard of G street fabrics, but the thought of driving anywhere near DC gives me the hives. It may also be worth your while to come up to Philly once in a while. It’s not like New York or anything, but it’s a short trip and there are still some nice things to be found on Fabric Row. There is one store in particular that has a broad selection of men’s shirting and suiting as well as linens and other stuff. Online, I would try Gorgeous Fabrics, Hart’s Fabrics and Mood.

[Tamara]

I’m salivating at the thought of all those shops within driving distance! What bliss!

[Sarvi]

Justsewit, I used to live walking distance from Mood — before I sewed! Imagine how chagrined I felt to discover where it was, only after moving all the way across town. On the other hand, my wallet is probably much the better off for it.

[paula]

I was able to snag a few types of shirting at G Street. I let my son pick them out and he did a great job! The funny thing is, I am a novice sewer. I am working through the ‘Learn to Sew with Oliver + S’ post and somehow failed to see that the Sketchbook shorts were listed next NOT the shirt! Oh, well… I’ve got it all cut out, sewn the plackets, attached the pocket and yoke, and am working on the shirt front as we speak! I sure hope I haven’t gotten in over my head…

Nicole, I loved looking at your Flickr pictures and I am now wondering if I will have the same problem that you did. I have a very tall 7 year old boy who is wearing a size 10-12. I am making the size 12 and it seems like it may be too short. When lengthening the pattern, did you just add the needed length to the middle of the shirt?

p.s. I’ve been stalking the Mood website all day! Thanks for the tip!

[Nicole]

I added length where the side notches where on the shirt. I cut and spliced my pattern.

I think I added about 6 inches as I wanted it to tuck.

If you look at the illustration this style is untucked.

[Tamara]

My son is very tall too and what Nicole suggests is what I do to add a bit of extra length. I use a size 8 but a 12 length and the add a bit extra because he seems to very long in the body. You won’t go wrong using the method Nicole suggests. Think of it as an introduction to alterations.

[meleliza]

Tamara, you’d be surprised how hard it actually is to get up to New York. It’s only about 2 hours by train and a little longer by car, but it’s definatley a full day trip. Getting a whole day free and away from the little ones or from renovations or school obligations is really really hard. As for G Street, I’m curious to hear how it is, but you couldn’t pay me to go near DC by car. It’s the 5th circle of hell. Our Fabric Row isn’t what is used to be. The shops are so old fashioned and have absolutely no clue what’s going on in the sewing world. Most of them are upholstery fabric only and a few are full of nasty cheap horrid stuff. There are only 4 that I shop in, but the selection is limited. Two of those carry junk, but sometimes I find good stuff. Another has nice things, but specializes in fancy and he has much bolder taste in fabric than me. The other is primarily men’s suiting and shirting, but I can find linens, silks, etc there. So it’s really hit or miss and they don’t necessarily carry what I consider basics. Our modern quilt shop closed its doors after 3 years to do just classes. Here I am living in the center of the 5th largest city in the US and I have to buy most things online! Gives one a small business idea, doesn’t it….

[paula]

I’m not sure if I’d make a trip just to go to G Street, but it is worth a visit if you are ever in the area. The traffic wasn’t bad at all when we went on a Saturday afternoon. I know DC traffic can be a nightmare, but it is nothing compared to when we lived in Chicago! We were there only a year and the traffic alone was enough to age me 10!