Custom shirts - Page 3

Seriously learydenis, it's nice of you to play investigative reporter but you really have to be more tactful about it.

I know of Carl Goldberg to be a first-class gentleman and a most honorable businessman who does not gouge his customers. He provides a quality product at a very fair price---No smoke and mirrors, no hype, no BS. He should not be dragged into this ongoing debate involving Mr. Kabbazz. He's being protective of business resources like Sember probably more out of respect to his industry and friendly competitors. I'd enthusiastically recommend Carl for custom shirts. Thank you.

Cpal, How many shirts does Geneva impose as a minimum number when placing an order? Thank you.

Most of you are aware that the Kabbaz Shirts topic is broken, missing pages, and no longer accepting posts. I have started a new topic to continue the broken one and posted the promised essay on making custom shirts. Alex Kabbaz

has anyone one heard from steve? i think he's m.i.a. let's hope nothing happened to him.

J has updated us on the lost topics - you can read his post here.

THE ESSAY ON SHIRTMAKING IS PROBABLY TOO LONG TO FIT WITH OTHER POSTS. AS SUGGESTED BY OTHER MEMBERS, I HAVE NOW POSTED IT ON A PRIVATE PAGE OF MY WEBSITE FOR FORUM/ANDY'S MEMBERS ONLY. HERE IS THE LINK: http://www.customshirt1.com/StyleForum_AskAndy01.htm Shirtmaking Article for Members Only The second article (Elapsed Time and Steps Required to Make a Custom Shirt) has now also been put up on my web site. Members may access it at Elapsed Time & Steps Required to Make A Shirt

Since this is the only thread that seems to be still functional, I guess I'll add my questions/comments here. All subsequent quotes are from Mr. Kabbaz's tome. It seems like every shirt manufacturer who uses this feature makes the claim about strength, and I've never understood it. I've never seen a shirt side seam fail, with or without the gusset. I can't imagine that that would be anywhere close to the most vulnerable area of the shirt. If you're having trouble with the side seams failing, what are you doing? Wearing the shirt to play rugby? I have to say, though, that I like the way the gusset looks. It may cover up inferior construction, and it may be completely non-functional. But I do think that it looks good for all its worthlesness. Do you have a picture of this foot that you can post? I'm having difficulty visualizing it. What's your philosophy about the design of the tails of the shirts? Looking at the picture of the pattern, it seems like your tails (or at least the tails of this particular shirt) are the typical American swallow-tail design and not as deep as those that you find on some of the British and Italian shirts. What do you think of Charvet's square-tail design? They claim that it tucks more neatly. I don't know about that, but it certainly looks cool. About fabric's country of origin: I've seen a lot written here and elsewhere that the quality of textiles from China, Japan, and other countries is steadily improving, to the point that some Italian mills are having difficulty justifying their higher prices on the basis of quality differences. What would have to happen for you to consider using fabric from mills other than in Switzerland and Italy? Thanks again for the essay, Mr. Kabbaz. It was very interesting and informative.

i haven't had a chance to read the whole essay yet but after looking at it briefly i'd like to thank mr. kabbaz. also i'd like to remark on the comment he made previously concerning the english tailoring traditions and how they've relied on these as an excuse to stop innovation and creativity. i don't recall exactly where that post was. i just want to say that i whole-heartedly agree with this and that it also extends to the way some people choose clothes. remember that what is deemed by many to be the 'classic' style is really only about 70 years old or less and that in order for this style to come about there had to be men who were willing to be innovative and break with the traditions that were handed down to them. for example the way the neapolitans decided to construct their suits differently than in the 'classic' english style.

I think that the sewing machine foot to which Mr. Kabbaz was referring is also called the rolled hem foot.  The rolled hem foot is usually available in variations anywhere from 2mm(for shirts) up to 10mm(for denim).  The felling foot(usually 3-4mm for shirts) is used to sew single-needle flat-felled side seams. http://www.absolutesewing.com/hemmerfoot2mm.html I saw a picture of one of Mr. Kabbaz's shirts in a Playboy magazine from 1997.  This shirt did have a high curve at the side seams, and it was evident that the shirt was made to fit the person's physique(tapered from chest to waist) very well.  The shirt I saw was the same light/medium-blue shirt which Mr. Kabbaz has a picture of on his web site.  The full-size picture in the magazine provides better detail, so if you have a chance take a look.

Thankfully my shirtmaking is better than my drawing. The tails we usually make are just about the steepest anywhere. The upper curve has about a 2" diameter; the lower two curves about a 2.5" diameter. The tail extension (the height cut into the side seams) ranges from 4.5" to 7". I'll try to post a picture of a scroll foot. B.M. I don't know who is terming it a rolled hem foot ... but hemming is only one of its many purposes. The second article (Elapsed Time and Steps Required to Make a Custom Shirt) has now also been put up on my web site. Members may access it at Elapsed Time & Steps Required to Make A Shirt

Mr. Kabbaz, MP et al. Have been experiencing extreme difficulties wit the tech support of a certain lap top manufacturer. Name starts with a "D" and ends with an "ell". Worst customer service I've expereinced in my consumer life time. So this is being posted from the friendly neighborhood Kinko's. Figured you guys would be OK for a week or so and be civil with one another. Not so sure about that- no more posting of one another's e-mails, K? Gentlemen, can we play nice again and stop throwing sand at one another???

Mr. Kabbaz, is there any chance that pictures of the 3,126 fabrics will go up as part of the updated web site?

Banks: Yes. Carlo: I can comment on both the why ... and the why not: 1] When the person mounting the collar on the shirt does so, they are supposed to center it in the neckhole. Fabric stretches. If the sewer pulls a bit too hard on the first half of the hole, then the collar has become stretched off center. They can then, improperly, pull much less hard on the second half of the hole - in other words slightly shirring in the remaining half of the collar - to make it fit. If, on the other hand, there is a split yoke, the split marks the center for all to see and the operator needs be much more observant. Ah, you say. Why can't there just be a mark made at the center of the yoke for the seamstress to follow? Simple answer - there can. So quality argument #1 is out the window. 2] A proper ready made yoke curves outward slightly on the rear seam line. This curve allows the bit of extra room necessary for average shoulder blades. This is a bit difficult to explain with words rather than drawings, but the curve can be designed in such a way with a split yoke so as to disguise its existance by slightly changing the center joining seam angle off its expected 90 degrees. By doing so, the stripes can appear not to be following a curve that they are in fact following. This improves the shirt's appearance. The stripes could also be made to chevron in the center completely hiding the curve. Is this a quality improvement? Yes. Have I ever seen a ready-made shirt with a properly curved (or at all curved) rear yoke line? No. So whether or not this would truly be a quality consideration must be considered on its overriding, deeper question: are the RTW manufacturers willing to make it more difficult (read: more costly) to sew the shirt by curving the yoke? Given that the answer is a resounding NO ... In summation, I would have to opine as follows: No, Virginia, there is neither a Santa Claus nor does a split yoke offer improvement in a ready-made shirt. But it could. As regards your other comments: Thank you.