Yes, it’s another Classic Shirt

Yes, it’s another Liesl & Co Classic Shirt.

You may have seen many of my previous versions, my latest one here.

For all those utterly bored by another iteration, please scroll on by! But there’s always stuff to learn from every make, and this was no exception.

So, this is just me, leaving a few notes, as I don’t note things down anywhere else, to remind me for the next time……….

Mind you I am very pleased to have finally used this fabric, purchased 4 or more years ago. Certainly pre-covid, from the remnant bins at Abakhan, Mostyn.

It’s surely inspired by Tommy Hilfiger, using the same logo. Whether it is Tommy Hilfiger fabric, I’ll never know but it is certainly of a lovely quality. A substantial crisp white cotton with stretch.

I made this one up in my usual size 4 cup A/B. Having made it up several times before I whizzed through to the end without trying it on.

Then I tried it on.

With hindsight this was probably not the best pattern to use with a fairly structured stretch cotton.

It felt very bulky. I should have gone for a more fitted silhouette, perhaps one without pleats in the back. Or at least gone down a size.

Looking at my previous versions the shoulders were always a little wide, but I hadn’t really noticed the top of the sleeve head falling from the top of my shoulder, especially more on one side than the other, when using a drapier fabric.

In this crisp cotton, it stood out a mile. I cheated. I didn’t take the sleeve out; I just went back a sewed a second line of stitches 6mm from the first across the top of the sleeve head and widened it to 10mm around the back armscye to also take away some bulk there, and then serged the excess away. Unfortunately, I’ve ended with some drag lines at my inner arm at top of my sleeve, so I haven’t completely got away with this cheat. Lesson learnt!

The other thing I did to reduce bulk was to sew down the pleats at the back, just to my waist. I’ll always wear this shirt tucked in. This unquestionably helped and I’ve still plenty of room to stretch and raise my arms, due to the remaining ease and stretch of the fabric.

Note for next time – lower the bust darts, or tighten up my bra straps!!

Did you notice the different coloured buttonholes? To carry on the theme of the fabric I used blue thread for all but 2 of the buttonholes, where I changed to red.

End result – I love it!

It’ll mostly be worn at work but will look good with my dark jeans in the winter, even under a navy jumper.

Love, Lucie xx