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“Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.” – Peter Benchley, ‘Jaws’.

David has graduated from college with a degree in Film. It’s needless to say he loves movies. He has been writing stories since he was in the third grade, and is still writing stories and scripts. He recently started his own production company, Two Sticks Productions. As for me, I’ll be his costume designer and have already pulled costumes and put them together for his set in the 1970’s, college final film.

Here it is, “Run For It”. I’ve posted it before, but feel free to enjoy it again! There are many familiar family faces in it! The clothes the main character are wearing belonged to Grandpa Bert.

Here’s Grandpa wearing the shirt that the main character wears in David’s movie. Grandpa is on the left, my dad is on the right, and I’m on the horse! The horse’s name was Chief.

My guess as to the year of this picture is 1979, the same year as the pattern I was about to sew.

With movies on the mind, and David picking up a second job at a drive in theater, I got to work on a movie themed shirt for him!

I had a few movie fabrics for him to choose from. He chose the “Jaws” fabric, since he had recently finished reading the book.

Like all of my vintage patterns I first had to make sure that all of the pieces were accounted for. Thankfully this classic from 1979 was complete. I laid the pieces out on the fabric. Now here’s where it got tricky.

Most vintage patterns are for smaller sized people. Vintage patterns usually came in only one size. So with many of these patterns I have to figure out how to upsize them to fit. Let me remind everyone that I am self taught, so my way might not be the technical way to do it. Or it might not be what the teach in design classes, but it works for me!

As you can see in the picture below, the bottom pattern piece is away from the fold of the fabric. I cut it a little bigger to make it the size I need.

I have to remember how much I added to any pieces, and adjust the pieces that get sewn to them accordingly. Is this the right way? Who knows but it works!

My second problem was that I wasn’t going to have enough fabric. I told David his options were to pick a different fabric, or let me piece together the scraps to make up the difference. He said to piece it together since it would go with the fabric’s “shark attack” theme.

I sewed two pieces together and it wasn’t quite big enough for the first sleeve piece. Don’t forget, I was going to have to add on a little to this sleeve because I had added on to the piece it attaches to.

I sewed more scrap until it was big enough.

For sleeve #2 I had to remember to turn the pattern upside down. When you have enough fabric you can pin it right side up and cut two pieces that are mirror images. I had to make sure that I was cutting a mirror image piece and not two sleeves that were the same.

Again, I had to piece together the scraps to make the sleeve.

I had one scrap piece big enough for the pocket piece.

I prepped the pocket by ironing under the sides, and stitching the top.

Got the pocket pinned into place and ready to be sewn.

Once the pocket was sewn on I pinned the front and back pieces together at the shoulders.

Sewing them together!

The shirt collar also had to be made of scrap sewn together. I also had to adjust the collar to accommodate for the adjustments I had made.

With right sides together, and fusible interfacing on one side, I sewed the collar together. Once it was sewed I clipped the corners and flipped it. You can hardly even tell it’s pieced! This fabrics’ design was perfect for a patch work job!

Sewing on the collar.

Putting the “gathering” stitch onto the top of the sleeves. This helps to “ease” them into place.

Hemming the bottom of the shirt.

Hemming up the sleeves.

The shirt was complete! Off David went for some shark watching at the beach!

“Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water.”

You can slightly see where the sleeve is pieced together. I don’t think it takes away from the shirt at all! I might piece more things together in the future!

I love the way this turned out and I think it looks great on David!

Clothes are truly an expression of oneself. This shirt is perfect for the filmmaker in the family!

David’s shirt was made by working with what you have at the time and making the most of it. David’s movie was made the same way, by using what he had; family, community support, his talent, and his determination.

I can’t wait for your next achievement, David! You know I’ll be ready with patterns, fabric, and sewing machine in hand!

As for me, onto the next!