I know it’s only January, but as far as my sewing goes, I’m already thinking spring.
Last week at Mood Fabrics in New York, I stumbled upon a gorgeous Liberty-inspired print in cotton lawn and I grabbed enough for a shirt. It may be freezing outside, but this vibrant floral shirting gives me hope that warmer weather is ahead. (You can see Mood Fabrics’ selection of cheerful Liberty-inspired fabrics here.)
My pattern is one I’ve only recently acquired on eBay, Butterick 6319, a mid-Fifties men’s dress shirt pattern that includes three collar variations. I opted to make the spread collar (Version B). The only alterations I made were to take two inches off the torso and sleeve length and to remove the gathers from the back for a slightly slimmer fit.
Men’s dress shirt patterns tend to be more similar to each other than different, but I find vintage ones usually have more interesting details like French cuffs, shaped hems, and a variety of collar options. (My version also has a left breast pocket, which is difficult to see amid all the flowers.)
This cotton shirting was a joy to work with — it has a crisp hand and a silky sheen when pressed. I added genuine mother of pearl buttons from my stash for an extra touch of elegance.
I often say the last garment I’ve sewn is my favorite, but this shirt truly is the loveliest one I’ve ever made, in my (highly subjective) opinion!
What do you think?
Now that my shirt wardrobe is full (well, nearly), I think it may be time to tackle pants once again.
Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
