Shirt No. 1 With Lizzy House Lawn

Hey guys, don't you love Sonya Philip's patterns? They're so straightforward, you can make very simple garments or use them as starting points for all kinds of embellishments and variations. The creator herself often layers multiple bright colors and prints to create fun outfits. You can see some of her cheery, creative combinations on her website, 100actsofsewing.com or on Instagram.

I bought my Shirt No. 1 pattern a while ago through her Etsy site, here. If I were you, though, I'd join Creative Bug for the free trial and get the pattern and video instruction by Sonya! She even includes a couple of variations to try.

I didn't change or embellish this one at all. I'm just letting the fabric shine, along with the nice, boxy shape of the top. I used this lawn from the Lizzy House Printmaking line. There are so many good prints in this line!

This shirt is the standard length, and it feels a leetle bit cropped on me (I'm 5'10"). Sometimes I add an inch or two to the length of this pattern. 

An interesting and potentially intimidating aspect of this pattern is that she has you determine the neckline for yourself. You are instructed to put the shirt on and then decide how low, how wide, or how scooped to cut the neck. Instead of going purely on your own, you could compare to another shirt or pattern that you like. 

I like this little push to make a design decision for yourself. I think it builds confidence for those of us who always just follow the pattern instructions and don't make many modifications or personalizations. It can be really freeing to be reminded that you are allowed to customize! 

This semi-crisp, lightweight lawn doesn't cling or stick; it was perfect for the heat of the summer. As I'm typing, it's October and it's only 39 degrees Farenhiet tonight. Of course that means that this shirt just became a layering piece. It will look great under any cardigan or hoodie.

I love making tops that are as easy to wear as t-shirts, but that look a whole lot nicer. If I had a longer attention span, I'd churn out a dozen of these!

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Willamette Shirt in Cotton Voile

So... several months ago I said on Instagram that I would complete the Summer of Basics challenge: to sew or knit or make three self-defined "basic" garments during June, July, and August. I only made two of the pieces I had intended to make, and here's the first one:

This is my first Willamette shirt, designed by Hey June Patterns. I used kind of a wild print for something considered a "basic", but I think it could go with almost any neutral pants, shorts, or skirt. It could be super casual, with a Hawaiian shirt vibe, or even business casual, tucked into the right skirt or pants. It can cover a lot of bases, so I consider it a basic.

The fabric is an organic cotton voile from Cloud 9 fabrics. The design is called Yucca Paloverde. It's a little sheer, so I didn't wear this without a tank top underneath. In the summer, I don't like to have to layer multiple shirts, so I didn't wear this as much as I thought I would. But now that the temps have cooled off, I don't mind wearing layers. 

See how it bows out a bit in the lower back? What causes that, and what modification would I make to prevent that?

I made two mistakes when sewing this shirt, and I want to record them so I don't repeat them when I make the next one. 

1. I used interfacing that was too heavy. I debated between the lightweight and the slightly heavier, and I chose the sturdier one, thinking I wanted the collar to have a bit more structure. That would be fine for the collar, but the whole placket is interfaced and when I sit down, it wants to stay standing up. It isn't a huge problem, but it would be better if the placket were softer and more flexible. 

*Note to self: always match the interfacing weight to the fabric weight.*

2. I forgot to lengthen the placket pattern piece! I added 2 inches to the length of the shirt, but forgot to change the facing. I just sewed on extra fabric to the bottoms of the facing pieces, which no one can see since they're on the inside of the shirt. But there are two extra seams in there.

Even though my expression says, "Stop telling lame jokes," I really like this shirt. I'll show you my second completed basic item next time (and tell you what I failed to make for the third garment).