Looking for patterns (and fabric suggestion)

Does anyone know a good place to find free shirt patterns, or have some I can borrow?

I want to make slightly more fitted, puffy sleeved shirt with my own collar design, and while I'm capable of faking it as I have in the past, I'd planned on using some higher quality fabric this time around so I'd like to have something to refer to for the finer points.

On a related topic, I don't know fabric very well, so is there a particular one anyone would suggest for my needs? The shirt will be a dark color (likely black), and is intended for fall/winter wear, either alone or under a bodice/armor. I'd like it to have some stretchy qualities so i can cut it to be fitted and still move easily, instead of the loose fit required when working with something like muslin that has no give. Vince and a few other people have garments made out of a stretchy velvety material i rather like, but I'm afraid it will be too warm when the temperature is much above 40-50 - not to mention it looks pricy. If the cost of the materials is such that I could probably just buy a ready-made one... well then, i might as well buy a ready-made one .

Washability is probably pretty important too...

I may have a few patterns you can borrow i'll check. As for fabric suggestions, sense its for the winter id stay  a way from that  velvety material it is most likely 100% polyester and thats a no go sense you will be running around in it. Polyester, while it my be cheap and stretchy, isn't a breathable fabric so having it as the layer that touches your skin will create problems with hypothermia a some point.

I suggest going with a majority cotton or wool blend with nylon, elastic or Lycra to give you the stretch you want. A worsted or tropical wool would be the best choice sense it is a lighter weight fabric and it will wick away moisture from your skin keeping you warm and dry.

I hope that helps if you have any other fabric questions, I can try my best.

Cotton is a No-No in the winter, as it looses all insulation properties as soon as it gets wet - from snow, or from sweat.

Wool, or a wool blend, is the way to go.  You can wash it with Woolite.

Silk is best, if you can get it and it's affordable.

For movement - look at adding a Gusset (folding pocket) to the armpits, under the sleeve.  This is basically extra fabric that lets the sleeve move more, so you don't need to worry about stretching.

OTOH, while Geoff is correct, I find silk next to my skin with a layer of wool can be then covered with cotton.  The wool will keep one warm, while the silk wicks the moisture from the body.  Worked for me while reffing in miserable November weather.

I have to agree with Charlie - if you find a cotton you like is should be fine as the over layer as long as when its cold you've got something that wisks away moisture closest to the body underneath it - be it a silk, wool, or other such fabric.  I can't imagine many people don't layer with thermals when it gets into the coldest parts of winter, and since you want to make a nice shirt, picking a mid-weight or lighter fabric that will be good even in summer sounds like the most bang for your time and money. 

  Somehow a fitted shirt doesn't fit in with 1209 in my brain...but then my brain is known to be different, and I obviously don't quite understand what you mean by "fitted"    If you would, this humble Seamstress suggests you consider making a vest (I shy away from the period word "bodice" b/c of the boning it implies and the difficulty constructing one properly)  but a vest with grommets on the sides for adjustability could give you lots of flexibility as to fit, and layering options underneath to suit the weather, from a silk/microfiber tank for warm weather, to whatever additional, warmer layers you need for cold.  It also gives you a lot more options for fabric; you could even make it reversible for alternate characters.  And there are washable, 100% cotton velvets -- they tend to be on the heavy side however (think of floor-to-ceiling drapes in Buckingham Palace...).  A vest can even have detachable sleeves!
  I dig through the discontinued bins at fabric stores for patterns; there are also some great sites on-line that tell you what measurements you need, etc.
  Send me a PM, or come to the OOG event at my house Sept 5 and we can talk (PS--I am an active participant in the "whoever dies with the most fabric wins" contest so I can show you ideas, etc.)

-Wool and wool/blends: Wool looses most of thes properties when it is blened with polyester. Sadly that is the most common and inexpensive blend on the market. If you want a cheap wool this is what you will get. Fabric stores mostly due to there under educated works staff can't always tell you the blend and blend type used in the making f hte fabric.
-A wool/silk blend is wonderful b.c it will retaine most the the posative qualties, but they tend to be a bit pricy.

- Silk if you want a 100% silk sirt i suggest a 2 to 4 ply silk. A 1 ply will be to thin and can become sheer when wet and anyhting above a 4 ply will be to heavy and is quite extensive.

- Cotton, I'm not sure why everyoe here hates cotton. Cotton is an extremly veristal fabric that is aviable is many types. There is american cotton, egytian cotton, peruvian cotton and so on. Cottons quality and crocking resistance and moisture retainment very based on the condictions it was grown in. The thickness and wearabilty in the winter varies by the type of yearn the raw cotton is spun into. After this is starts to get very technical so i'll drop it.
Yes cotton can absorb moisture, but unlike wool and silk which if gotten wet can remain wet for hours cottons dry time is extremly quick. Also unlike wool and silk it will not croc on you. It is also more breathable then both of those fabrics. So cotton is a fine botton layer, in fact it works so well that its the only fabric that can legally be used in baby's winter clothing as a botton layer.

- Cotten blends: When cotton is blended with a fabric such as wool or silk it retains its ability to dry quickly and breathability. Avoid cotten blened with a polyester in general.

In closeing go with a fabric that you life the best and that you feel confortable in. The content of the fabric don't matter if you don't like the garment. But personally if you want the garment to work in winter and summer I suggest a cotton/silk or cotton/wool blend. I hope that helps.

Sorry i got a little preachy. I work in fabric development.

www.reddawn.net/costume/shirt.htm

I'm going to follow these instructions as a basic guide, but with smaller measurements. I may play with the collar a little bit too, so its not too stiff and would lay flattened out when I don't have it tied shut.

I assume that by "gather" in regards to the shoulder seam, they mean folding the cloth over itself in little waves along the seams, thereby creating a smaller measurement from a larger amount of cloth and a nice dimpled affect?

One issue I haven't been able to master yet is some odd folds in the armpit after I turn the shirt rightside out. No matter how i curve things, I always seem to end up with the cloth pulling in a little corner. Suggestions?

Incidentally, what are the traditional names for a collar with the extra folded down part + triangles (polo collar) and the more old fashioned type that is just a stiff upright piece of cloth (mandarin collar)?

Thanks everyone for the helpful info about the practicality of various fabrics (whisking moisture away from skin, etc). Tina, we haven't met yet in person, but I'll look forward to rifling through your fabrics next weekend .

The pulling of the cloth under the arm is a problem with that particular pattern, and I guess it was a problem folks lived with until someone figured out gussets (see Geoff's post) and curving the armhole and sleeve shape.

Jacqui -- what's "croc" mean?

And I've always experienced that silk dries much faster than cotton... but I agree, I like cotton for many uses too.

When it comes to wicking moisture away from the skin, I have to recommend linen over any other fabric. It breathes better than cotton or silk and is incredibly absorbent, not to mention durable. My two cents.

Major difference between absorbancy  and wicking.  Personal preference for me is wicking away from my body.  Let the layer above absorb.

just wondering, does that linen-like stuff you can get at jo-anns the trick or does it have to be real linen?  because real linen is just so expensive haha

gotta be real linen... linen and rayon blends can be half decent, but they just don't breathe nearly as well nor do they last as long. I wear light weight linen in the summer and heavy weight (and multiple layers) in the winter since I don't get along well with wool. I got a website from a friend lately that has good prices on linen, I'll have to find the sample card she handed me and post a link. They have nice heavy linen that would make for good winter pants or shirts.

And gussets are made of win, so much easier than messing with french curves and patterns. Its much more historically accurate too but thats a whole 'nother discussion.

You can get linen for incredibly cheap at www.fabrics-store.com

Also, gussets *are* awesome. And historically accurate. And made of win.

thanks for the great link!  Please, what's "win"?

Ask your seventh graders tomorrow, Dear. 

Tina,
  I'll show you what crocing is on saturday.

Oh, that'll be great!  Thanks!