Club Obi Wan

Hey gang,

I found these shirts online... $5.90 each




I was thinking of buying a few, using the extras for material & putting the pleats on myself, using dye remover and then re-dying to something like a light khaki or stone color.

At least it would do until I can get something a little more professional looking like Todd's or even a Wested.

Any thoughts?

Ya, go for it! What's the worst that can happen?

Interested to see the final result!

Tron

Where did you find those? I might be interested in getting some as well.

I don't know if the collar will work for an Indy shirt. It doesn't look like it's made like a dress shirt. Here's a bigger pic.

Wow, I've never seen a shirt so in need of a tailoring in. It looks like it was made for Grimace. Although I assume if you're going to be sewing on pleats and whatnot you'll be tailoring it as well.

Well, how do you know I'm not a Grimace?

Yes, assuming the final product after the pleats and dye job is worth it, I'll take it in a tad.

Risu wrote:Wow, I've never seen a shirt so in need of a tailoring in. It looks like it was made for Grimace. Although I assume if you're going to be sewing on pleats and whatnot you'll be tailoring it as well.

Okay, here is my take on this project. I'll start off with the things I learned if I were to attempt this again.
1) I'd start off with white shirts. Having spent the amount of time in as many art classes as I have I should of known better. But it is a lot easier to darken a light color than it is to lighten a dark color. Everyone knows this, I could have used a reminder. RIT color remover only does so much when you follow the directions on the box exactly. I (or someone) will have to do it again and leave it in the pot a Lot longer.
2) I really need to practice my 'Precision Sewing'. Re-sewing existing seams after you've ripped them up to put a panel or epaulette in isn't quite as easy as it sounds, if you're trying to make it look like it always been there. I had such rotten luck that after I broke my ankle in January and I had copious amounts of sitting around time, I wound up sewing them all by hand. When I washed it the first time after the RIT lightening process, I noticed a couple of seams still ripping out because I didn't go back far enough with my re-sew.
3) I think it would have been easier to find a shirt pattern and start from scratch honestly, ant least with the seam integrity issue. With a well written men's fitted shirt pattern I think it would be simple to add the extras that make a dress shirt an Indy shirt.

Down to it. I found two 100% cotton shirts made out of the same type of twill material. Heavier than a dress shirt material. They were just under $2.00 a piece and the 'base' shirt was a 'safari' style with the pleated pockets and strap sleeve holder-uppers (no idea what they're actually called) that once removed and moved up on the shoulders made great epaulettes. Sadly they were not exactly the same color, which I didn't think would be a problem once the RIT color remover sufficiently lightened both shirts. HA! I didn't think of the factors of different company's, different dyes, different dye lots etcetera. As soon as I dropped it in the pot on the stove the shirt turned purplely pink and the panels turned a army green, ultimately accentuating the 'two-tone' effect. Though to be fair; it might be kind of a fun offering from an official shirt maker, the two-tone Indy shirt. Of course one might wind up looking like a security guard.

Anyway ;0




In closing I'll say, I'm glad my Todd's shirt is on the way

I'll go ahead and say it...Dude you "kit bashed" your own indy style shirt.
VERY cool, if not perfect.
Ron

Thanks.
The glaring flaws I see after working on it for hours are somewhat masked by the blessing of poor photography. I don't know if I'm going to keep it for grubbing around in or see if another industrious spirit want's to take up the lance and try to take it to the next level.....decisions decisions.