Summer Sewing: Nadine Shirt

I’ve recently become rather enamoured with Republique du Chiffon patterns, especially their lastest Winter collection. Unfortunately, my French is limited to school-girl “ou est le bibliotheque, s’il vous plait?”, so I thought I would have a go at one of their PDF patterns before I shelled out for a more complicated paper pattern. I liked the Nadine shirt, I thought it would be cute with jeans or skirts and I always like collared shirts for a bit more coverage when its sunny. And I’ve put a few two piece collars together now, so I thought I could probably muddle my way through even if I couldn’t manage a good translation!

  

It really wasn’t too hard to sort out the instructions, I ran most of it though Googe Translate. I did get some gems back, like this one…

  
…sure, I’ll just dig out my electroplater! The only word I had real trouble with though was Surfilez, I couldn’t find a translation for that via the internet. Happily instagram and the WSBN came to my rescue and informed me that it meant ‘to finish’, so overlocking my edges. 
  

Once I had the instructions sorted, it was a quick and easy project. Or it would have been quick, if I hadn’t fluffed around a bit with the binding on the arm holes, and then let the whole thing languish for over a week before I got my act together and put the press studs on! I’m feeling a bit uninspired now that I’m back at work, but hopefully finishing this will give me a bit more motivation. 

 
I used a navy cotton seersucker from my stash (I’m trying really hard to work from my stash first, as its getting a bit out of hand, but I’m so easily seduced by new shiny pretty fabric…), and its really nice and breezy to wear. Its pretty short though, even on my short torso! Luckily I have so many high waisted skirts and trousers to wear it with.

 My only regret is not using stiffer interfacing on the collar and stand, and not using any at all on the button bands. I did consider adding some along the button bands as far as the last press stud, but I didn’t in the end and I think the bands are a bit sad and floppy now (I don’t think there were instructions to interface the bands, but I might have lost them in my translation). The collar is also a bit sad and floppy, especially with the weight of the press studs pulling them down. Better interfacing selection is something I need to work on. When I started sewing I always chose horrible stiff stuff, but now I seem to have gone too far the other way and keep picking interfacing which is too soft. Its a fine line!
  
Not discouraged by my experience with Nadine, I decided to take the plunge and buy the Madeleine dress pattern in French. I’m really looking forward to making it, though I hope google translate will be more helpful this time!