The Pink Shirt - Burda 6908

 

I looked and looked for the smudgy mark after about the 3rd time through the laundry and couldn't find it, so I hauled it up to the ironing board and gave it the once over.  I flipped the sleeve 'round so you could see the placket I got from David Page Coffin's Shirtmaking, which I substituted for the continuous lap used in the pattern.  I also modified the collar so that it's one continuous piece instead of two pieces as recommended by Nancy Zieman and Louise Cutting.  I flat felled the seams...a first for me...but didn't even topstitch the armsceye seam.  That seems really fiddly and unnecessary and, since I only have a wee bit of thread left, it's probably a good thing I didn't spend the thread on that, lol.

When I put it on the ironing board, I promptly found that five out of the eleven buttonholes had unraveled to some degree in the repeated trips through the washer.  I don't know if I nicked the stitching when I  chiseled them open or if the stitches just didn't get secured well enough at the end of the buttonhole...every one came undone on the second side.

At that point...I pulled out a handsewing needle and buttonhole stitched those puppies.  I was DONE. 

It is a fairly hefty twill with no drape and lots of grab; a little warm for now but it will be good later. This is supposed to be an overshirt so I would have liked a little more ease over all.    If I make it again I might add a teeny bit more ease to the back hips, and I've already added back one of the inches I took out of the sleeves.  They're really not short but they feel a little short, if that makes sense. But, to be honest, if this were intended to be worn as just a plain ol' button up shirt instead of an overshirt I think it would do nicely.  I don't think it has as much ease as shown on the pattern envelope; I suspect the models were wearing a size or maybe even two up. But it's ok.  I do believe I will wear it and that's the main thing.  ETA:  I did some remembering and remembered that I picked my size based on the finished garment measurements...and I had a brain glitch and made the size I would have made for a regular ol' shirt...not a generous easy shirt.  So the fitted-ness of this is totally on me.  I forgot to consider the extra ease.

Here is the inspiration  pink denim shirt that resulted in the pink twill landing in my mailbox a couple of months ago.  I don't know how long the link will work; the website says it's low stock. I know the pink one was on sale a couple of weeks ago.  But I'm looking at that shirt...that retails for $268...and shaking my head that it is low stock.  Now, I realize the rumpled, distressed state of the shirt is part of the aesthetic but I just can't wrap my brain around spending that much on a chewed up shirt that looks to not even have any interfacing in the front band.  And...all but ONE of those color options shows the sleeves rolled up...the gray one has them pushed up.  Not one actually shows how the sleeves will fit. Which seems kinda...suspect....

My pink twill (which was dead on the exact shade of pink I want) was less than $20.  The buttons came in a bulk bag from Hobby Lobby and cost about $2.  Now, I will admit to more aggravation than I expected but most of that was my own bone headed mistakes.  I've just spent too much time sewing knits lately and was a bit rusty on the shirtmaking, lol.  But, hey, I 'earned' about $246 by making that shirt vs. buying the denim one...right? And the IRS don't even get any of that, lol.

The blue pants for the 'February Set' are ready to sew...we'll see if they will be a little more cooperative.