Shiny...The 1st item in the ACC done!

My shirt is now done.  100% handsewn and I have the pin pricks to prove it!  I started the shirt on Saturday August 6, 2011 with cutting it out.  It sat, due to my hesitance on flat felled seams until Tuesday August 16, 2011.  I am pretty happy once I got to sewing it only took me a few days to finish it.  And that was only working on it an hour or two each night. 

I have learned pre-pinning works great but for hemming I do much better rolling it as I go.  I also love love LOVE the beeswax that Mistress Bianca gave out at her collegium class.  That has saved me many times.  I just slip the little pouch into my cleavage to keep it warm and anytime the linen thread got rough I slid it out!  Works like a charm.  I will definitely be melting down my big blocks once I find out what type of mold she used.  It looks like a mini Reeses peanut butter cup.

Some of my beginning seams are a bit uneven but by the end of the shirt I pretty much had the spacing figured out and I am very happy with the outcome.  The opening at the neck may need to be altered a little bit but I am waiting until I wash the completed shirt before I change anything.  Fit was good although I could probably take it in a couple places.  I wasn't sure on the seam allowances for flat felling so I left a little extra in the cut. 

I will say gussets & flat felling are a PAIN IN THE ASS!!!  I almost went with the running stitch to forgoe the flat felling but it seemed (seamed...get it lol I crack myself up) to work out just fine.  But agan..P.I.T.A!!!

All in all, I am a proud girl.  I haven't ever made anything like this by hand and it was actually very therapeutic just to sit, watch Firefly & sew.  Although now I will need to find a different series for each part of the challenge lol!

I thought I was getting in over my head with this but right now, I think I will do ok!  Thank you to everyone who gave me input about the gussets & seams.  Here is a photo of the finished shirt.  I will save all the documentation photos I have for the finale =)

Rogue