Gusset (gusset, mouche) is a small piece of fabric sewn between the shelf and the back of a man’s shirt. Its goal is to strengthen the joint and prevent possible side seam rupture.
As for size and shape, there is no absolute rule. Interestingly, shirts were equipped with gussets as far back as the Middle Ages, which we can see on engravings and canvases by artists of that time.
Gusset is considered one of the hallmarks of a quality men's shirt. Since its processing is labor-consuming, in mass production this operation is usually excluded.
In this master class, we will consider several options for processing gusset men's shirts, but dwell on the techniques of the designer and constructor Vincent Smith.
Vincent Smith (the brand Tailored by Mr. Smith) Photo: francoiscavelier.com
Vincent Smith, a graduate of the London College of Fashion, specialized in tailoring uniforms at Uniform Clothing Co. After that, for two decades, he managed to work with many fashion houses and designers and eventually organized his own independent design bureau. Now he is developing patterns for fashion houses and developing his own brand of haute couture clothing Tailored by Mr. Smith.
His excellent knowledge of construction is the result of meticulous study of military uniforms. He borrowed processing technologies from archival samples of officer clothes in museums, rethinking through the experience of haute couture masters.
An unusual design gusset, the processing of which we will analyze in this workshop, Vincent Smith found on an old military shirt and brought to perfection.
As a basis, you can take one of the patterns of fitted shirts from the Burda catalog fall-winter 2015/2016:
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Preparatory stage:
Step 1
At the stage of cutting the shelves and backs on the details, it is necessary to take the side seam away to the desired size. The exact values are arbitrary, in my case it is 5 cm on the shelves and 3 cm on the back. Connect these points with the side seams on the pattern at the waist line in a straight line. Leave allowances for processing the side seam: on the shelves - 0.7 cm and on the back - 1.5 cm.
Step 2
Mark the waist line at the side seams.
Mark with basting stitches along the side seams of the pattern on the gusset on the shelves and back. In the future, these two lines will need to be combined, forming an overlap.
Step 3
Next, you need to process the bar under the fastener, stitch the yoke to the shelves and back.
Master class: how to sew a men's shirt
Gusset Treatment:
Step 4
Notice the allowances on the bottom of the back and shelves of 0.4-0.5 cm,
then turn up again and sweep again. Ironing should be done after each step for a better weld. Grind stock.
Step 5
Combine the marks of the side seams on the back and shelves below the waist line, superimposing the details of the shelves on top of the back part.In this way, an overlap of the parts is formed, and the line of the side seam moves to the back.
Step 6
Bend and stab the side seam allowance 0.7 cm wide on the part of the shelf from the bottom up to the waist line mark.
Step 7
Unscrew the parts of the shelves on the back, fix the position of the side seam of the shelf with pins.
Remove the pins from the front of the shelf.
Chip or sweep the side seam:
• below the waistline - along the side cut of the shelf, fixed with pins;
• from the waistline up to the armhole - combining side sections of the shelves and the back, releasing a back allowance of 0.7 cm for the shelf allowance. In the future, this difference will be required to make the seam.
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Then grind the side seams from the side of the shelves.
Step 8
Iron the side seam allowances onto the shelves.
Step 9
From the wrong side below the waist mark, bend the side cut of the back by 0.7 cm, stab or sweep. Above the waistline mark, bend the allowance, skirting the allowance of the shelf, sweep.
With one line, sew a seam seam that passes into the seam of the gusset. Lay the cross stitch at the bottom of the gusset. Iron.
Step 10
Perform a manual finishing seam along the gusset (optional) and decorative manual stitching.
Next, continue processing the shirts in the traditional way. The sleeves should be completely processed and sewn into closed armholes.
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Other types of gussets used for sewing men's shirts
Lace-up or gingham patch gusset
Such a gusset can be made of rep ribbons, ribbons of a suitable or contrasting color or finishing fabric. It may be embroidered with the logo of the brand of the manufacturer. Its shape can be rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal or pentagonal.
Raw gusset sections are bent, ironed and then sewn by hand or on a machine.
The gusset should bend around the folded bottom cut of the shirt on the side seam section.
First, the inside of the gusset is sewn, then the outer, overlapping the stitches of the first line.
Set-in gusset
This gusset is a triangular piece of fabric embedded at the bottom of the side seam, folded in half.
Some manufacturers make such gussets from the main fabric so that they remain invisible, while maintaining their functionality. This approach is especially appropriate for strict classic shirts.
Other manufacturers make gussets from fabrics of contrasting colors. For example, on Isaia shirts, they are mostly dark red, and Thomas Pink has light pink. Such gussets can play not only a functional role and a finishing role, but also become a distinctive brand name of a manufacturing company.
The author of the master class and photo: Elena Lenkova
Lena has a higher and special education - a tailor of outerwear for men, women and children.
In clothes, he appreciates the individuality and thoughtfulness of the image, the originality of the cut. He likes to analyze modeling techniques and product processing technology. Leads his page on Instagram. Many people know Lena as a longtime user of the BurdaStyle.ru website.
"The quality of processing and the interior decoration of the product are integral aspects of sewing."
Material prepared by Julia Dekanova
