There is a sub-set category of Spo-shirts called ‘The Yoke” Collection’. They are plain-colored garments (if you want to call bright primary colors ‘plain’) with quilted yokes and pockets. The yokes are made from scraps of previous projects; they are an encyclopedia of my industry. I can look at them and remember what shirt or quilt was made for whom.
Last March I started a purple one only to put it away in a drawer for six months to focus on making masks.
Yesterday I finally finished it:
It turned out well – but there are two problems:
#1 – All dressed up and nowhere to go! I debut a new shirt at ‘Happy Hour’ or while on holiday. I make an ingress while channeling my inner-Musetta only to make everyone turn their heads my way and be mad-jealous by my ensemble which of course never happens. I should put it away for the time it is safe to go somewhere.
#2 – Dammit it doesn’t fit well! My present physique is nothing like it was last March.Oh the embarrassment! Oh the shame! It needs a lot of work before I feel comfortable wearing it.
😦
For newer Spo-fans, here are photos of the previous Yoke shirts.
47 comments
September 13, 2020 at 5:13 AM
Todd Gunther
Fabulous! And I see one of my steam trains are on the back!
You’ll get to debut it one of these days. We can only hope that it will happen soon.
September 13, 2020 at 7:45 AM
Urspo
Yes sir indeed. The Purple has the ‘last batch’ of shirts made and yours was one of them. that way I get to think of you when I see it.
September 13, 2020 at 5:15 AM
Bob Slatten
Gaw-geous and fun, too!
September 13, 2020 at 7:49 AM
Urspo
It wasn’t too fun to make I confess. they are a lot of work and mistakes were made. They are fun to wear and collect when they hang together.
September 13, 2020 at 5:39 AM
anne marie in philly
I like the halloween shirt. and the new shirt – giraffes and parrots and hotdogs, oh my! great handwork, dear!
September 13, 2020 at 7:49 AM
Urspo
thank you my dear!
September 13, 2020 at 5:48 AM
Sam
Those are the most fantastic shirts I have seen. I love that the yokes are form things that evoke memories. You sir are a cool guy.
September 13, 2020 at 7:49 AM
Urspo
what a lovely compliment; it made my morning. Thank you.
September 13, 2020 at 6:06 AM
David Godfrey
Lots of artistry, and quality craftsmanship. Interesting ironing board.
September 13, 2020 at 7:53 AM
Urspo
The intrepid ironing board is nearly always up for ironing shirts, masks, and making projects.
September 13, 2020 at 6:08 AM
Sassybear
I spot a few very familiar patterns. I love, cherish, and wear all 3 of my Spo-Shirts. I may have to commission a GL Or DC Superhero shirt for my 50th next year. 🙂
September 13, 2020 at 7:53 AM
Urspo
I would be honored so!
September 13, 2020 at 7:16 AM
rjjs8878
Very festive!
September 13, 2020 at 7:53 AM
Urspo
thank you for attending my art gallery opening.
September 13, 2020 at 8:27 AM
rjjs8878
You’re welcome. I love a good pop-up art show.
September 13, 2020 at 7:45 AM
Friko
I like the way you went from a post about a patient throwing a tantrum to the hilarious view of home made shirts of the brightest hues. I think you are altogether quite sane. Is that as good thing for a shrink to be as I assume?
September 13, 2020 at 7:56 AM
Urspo
TBDHSR is divided on my hummingbird-brain inspired posts that flit from topic to topic rather than be consistently one thing or another. I write what pops into my pumpkin. A good shrink should be sane, have a sense of humor, and follow the Stoics. It also helps to have a Viking helmet.
September 13, 2020 at 8:10 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
Your yoke shirts ROCK! Love them! Can’t even pick a fave because they’re all so good.
September 13, 2020 at 8:26 AM
Urspo
Thank you. I need to make a green one now – when there are enough scraps to make a new yoke.
September 13, 2020 at 8:12 AM
Steven
I love these yoke shirts that are a “mix” of the plain and eye-catching! I love how the yokes make a great statement from behind…….especially for me who doesn’t have much of a behind.
September 13, 2020 at 8:27 AM
Urspo
Thank you too! I enjoy it when someone asks me about the contents of the yoke or the story behind a particular patch.
September 13, 2020 at 10:33 AM
Parnassus
That is the brightest purple I have ever seen–the shirt should be visible from outer space. No wonder (outer-space) aliens always end up in that part of the country. I guess that aliens and alienists attract.
–Jim
September 13, 2020 at 10:38 AM
Urspo
I will take this is a compliment.
September 13, 2020 at 10:35 AM
Brian Dean Powers
Wonderful shirts. I bet they’d sell for $100 in a store.
September 13, 2020 at 10:39 AM
Urspo
Back in the early 00s I bought a Spo-like shirt in a fancy store in Key West. It cost 50 dollars then.
September 13, 2020 at 12:23 PM
Linda Practical Parsimony
That shirt color is vivid, not for the faint of heart! By the way, the yoke is not quilted at all. That would imply that a sort of padding was in the yoke, held to a backing with lines of stitching. That is a pieced yoke. I don’t mean to be pedantic, but I figured you would like to know.
September 13, 2020 at 2:07 PM
Urspo
! thank you for this – I learned something! Pieced yoke – this sounds better than ‘scraps’
September 13, 2020 at 9:59 PM
Linda Practical Parsimony
The correct terminology would be “pieced yokes made from remnants”
September 13, 2020 at 1:02 PM
JanF
These are wonderful, thanks so much for showing them to us. I am in absolute awe of your talent. They must make you glow with joy when you wear them. It it were me, I know I couldn’t help making myself totally obnoxious with pride and tell all and sundry that I had created them.
September 13, 2020 at 2:08 PM
Urspo
Thank you . Even though I’ve made many they continue to always come out with a few hiccups and not as good there as I hoped it would be.
September 13, 2020 at 1:02 PM
claudiajustsaying
All that and you can sew . . . . just saying, amazing. Claudia
September 13, 2020 at 2:09 PM
Urspo
It’s been a long time fun hobby for me. Some day I should finish the quilt I started decades ago.
September 13, 2020 at 2:02 PM
Robzilla In CA
I love it! I’m glad you finally got back to it after all these months.
September 13, 2020 at 2:09 PM
Urspo
Now that it is done I need to pause to make the Halloween masks
September 13, 2020 at 3:42 PM
mcpersonalspace54
I always love seeing your shirt creations.
September 13, 2020 at 3:45 PM
Urspo
Thank you. I brings me joy to make one and post a picture as I get nice compliments like yours which gladdens my soul.
September 14, 2020 at 3:33 AM
Moving with Mitchell
I LOVE these yoke shirts.
September 14, 2020 at 6:12 AM
Urspo
Thank you very much !
September 15, 2020 at 7:12 AM
Alicia
New to your blog and I love these yoke shirts. I’d never heard of them. I’m so sorry your can’t go out and show off your latest creation but I can totally relate to things not fitting! I hate when clothing shrinks from disuse!
September 15, 2020 at 11:25 AM
Urspo
Hello there. Thank you for dropping by and thank you for making some time to write out a comment. I am honored so, as we say in my place
September 15, 2020 at 7:58 AM
Martha
Coming by from Sam, Coffee, Money & Thyme. Your shirts are amazing, I hope you will be able to debut the newest one soon!
September 15, 2020 at 11:25 AM
Urspo
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment ! I appreciate you doing both. Martha was my grandmother’s name – and it was to be mine as well, so it is a dear name to me.
September 15, 2020 at 3:24 PM
johnmichael42003
Pure talent. I love those shirts and would wear them all, especially the last one.
And what a creative way to organize memories.
September 15, 2020 at 3:31 PM
Urspo
Thank you.
I saw a shirt like this once where the seamstress used her scraps to make yokes similar to this. I am glad to have imitated it
September 17, 2020 at 3:27 PM
Ron
Wow! I LOVE them!
September 19, 2020 at 7:45 PM
Robert
I admire your creativity!
September 19, 2020 at 7:47 PM
Urspo
I am right now out for the first time in 6 months and wearing this shirt a debut