Getting in a flap: Vogue 1347 shirt

Back to sewing with a plan. This is the shirt from OOP Vogue 1347 made up in black linen. This is a Ralph Rucci design so it has tonnes of top-stitching and is beautifully finished on the inside. When I was getting ready to make it I threaded up the overlocker to finish the seams, and then realised I needn’t have bothered because there isn’t a single exposed seam allowance in this pattern. They’re all flat felled, bias bound, or hidden under folded and top-stitched bands. Needless to say it took a long time to make.

Here’s the technical drawing. The obviously interesting bit is of course the bands. But the sleeves are worth a look too; the top sleeve is cut in one with the front and back yoke. There’s a dart where a shoulder seam would normally be. The whole piece is on the bias so it curves nicely over the shoulder. This caused me a problem making my usual sleeve length additions: the lengthened bias piece only just squeezed into the width of my fabric. Incidentally I think there’s a problem with the body lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern: they were missing on one piece so things would have gone horribly wrong if they were followed blindly.

Vogue 1347 technical drawing, patternreview.com

I do like a pattern where the back view has some interest. Not 100% sure of the best way to wear those back bands though. The technical drawing shows them hanging loose but I’ve been wearing them knotted to hide the slight mismatch of levels where I sewed them down on each side. Oops.

The fabric is 100% linen. It was lovely to sew and press, but it had some little holes in it. I noticed one when cutting out and managed to cut around it, but to my horror I found two more in the shirt after I’d sewn most of it. I fixed them up by putting a small patch behind and doing triple zigzag over the top, and they’re practically invisible now. I’ve only seen with linen once before so not sure if this is common or if I just got unlucky?

I’m on the fence about the flappy bands. They look fantastic, but I find I need to be a bit careful not to sit on them as they crease horribly. The ones on the arms are not as annoying as I expected though. As they dangle from the elbow they mostly stay out of the way.

I’m wearing it with the trousers from the same pattern here. I haven’t been able to find any pictures of the exact original garment besides what is on the pattern envelope which is a shame – I like to see how the original was styled! The closest I found is this ensemble from Resort 2012 which looks like the same two patterns but made up in black satin rather than linen. More like very glamorous pjs than proper daywear.

Ralph Rucci Resort 2012 look 19, vogue.com

Although I haven’t worn it a lot yet I am liking this one. It looks really good with my black pleated culottes. Currently I’m putting a warm knit and several t shirts underneath but it should work worn on its own for a UK summer too. But this is definitely not a pattern to make more than once; it took about a month. Standards were definitely slipping by the end. I’ll enjoy wearing it but I need to make something a lot simpler next.

Thanks to my husband for pictures as ever!

27 thoughts on “Getting in a flap: Vogue 1347 shirt”

  1. Isn’t a garment with no exposed seams a thing of beauty! The ties certainly add interest. It looks great and thanks for pointing out that the upper sleeve is on the bias – not likely I would have caught that just based on the line art. Maybe one day I will have the courage to make the Issey Miyake V1647 shirt. I was thinking about it in the fall but put off by the huge sleeve. I had pulled out the pattern for a closer look and did more reading about it – much of the sleeve is on bias so it drapes.

  2. Oh, I am glad to see this made up. I have this pattern in my stash, too, and am hoping to make it for the fun of making it. I’m happy to hear the ties don’t seem to get in the way of tasks.

    Pity about the holes in your fabric. Isn’t that odd? A manufacturing defect or moths? Do moths even like linen?

  5. Very cool shirt – looks really nice on you. I think that a complex project such as this is well worth the effort – once in a while anyway. Enjoy!

  6. Fabulous shirt. I like it in the linen and also actually in the satin too. I think it looks great with both those fabrics. I bought some cotton lawn at a market once and discovered holes – both before I cut out and then, to my annoyance, afterwards. Try not to worry about the repair. My repair to that cotton lawn has held up for years (similar patching and zigzagging over) and it doesn’t show either (to the casual observer).

  7. I just bought this pattern on ebay! I was thinking linen, but seeing the drapey version I am thinking rayon challis, or a linen silk blend. I love what you did here!

  8. This has great lines Catherine- must look for this, though I don’t look forward to all the seam finishes!

  10. This shirt looks so awesome! The construction techniques sound time consuming, but like they were worth the effort. As always, your styling is so cool – I love the top with the silver pants. And because of the linen I bet it will be a great piece to wear year-round. Enjoy!

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