Gingham Shirt

I made this shirt back in early spring. My wardrobe needed something fresh and I really just wanted to make a shirt. It's nice to end up with a lovely product, but when it comes to shirtmaking, I really just love the process. The original pattern is Burda 04/2010 #114, but I've used it multiple times and made several changes.

The gingham is not really the ideal weight for a classic shirt. It's more like quilting cotton - not real fine and a little spongy. It is nice quality and was pleasant to work with, but the bulk was a little frustrating at some parts of the process.

I added some bright yellow-green accents to the shirt. The color isn't accurate in any of these pictures. I had both yardage and bias tape in the exact same color. That was a surprise to me (I guess I really like that color…) but I made use of both of them.

I did consider binding the hem with the tape so that it showed on the outside of the shirt, but decided against it. The other details are more subtle and I thought the hem should be as well.

I used a two-piece sleeve placket because I wanted the overlap and underlap to be different. There was a lot of changing bobbin and needle threads in this project to make sure that the thread matched the fabric where it would show.

I made some alterations to this pattern from the last time I made it - adding some extra room and doing a full bust adjustment. I did not get the bust darts in the right place. I don't notice it as much when it's on, but it's clear in this picture that they are too low. The fabric didn't make it easy to get a nice smooth dart, either. A princess seamed shirt is probably the way to go, but I still prefer the more relaxed look of a seamless front.