Looking for patterns (and fabric suggestion)

-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