The Maker’s Atelier, The Atelier Shirt

It’s a long time since I’ve written here!

But finally I have something to share!

This is The Maker’s Atelier, The Atelier Shirt.

It’s a new to me pattern and one I very much enjoyed making up!

I saw this fabulous embroidered cotton voile (no longer available) back in April in a Guthrie and Ghani You Tube video of new fabrics. I thought it might inspire me to wake up my sewing machine.

I also bought the pattern, even printing it out and cutting out the pattern in a hotel room, whilst working away from home.

I bought, and there it sat, until now.

So why now?

Well, life has settled down after a turbulent year of my parent’s health leading, sadly, to my Father passing in March of this year.

I’ve also changed jobs. Changes at the company I was working for had led to a round of redundancies in autumn 2023, of which I was one. Fortunately I was offered another role within the same company which I gave a go for a while but it meant me working away from home for part of the week which was a real sap on my time. I’m much happier now my work/life balance has been installed but changing jobs is always a bit disconcerting!

Lastly, I think, it’s the changing season, right around the corner, and the garden needing less and less of my time together with Social Media showing me countless reels of new trends which I know I can sew up myself in the much part with fabric I already own!

Looking at my my made wardrobe, there’s many things I have retired, or I need to retire, or I’m just not wearing.

So addressing the gaps, first on the list is shirts!

After countless Liesl and Co Classic shirts I was looking for something slightly more relaxed, with slightly dropped shoulders.

The Atelier Shirt sewing pattern from The Maker’s Atelier is an updated classic shirt with an extended yoke for a dropped shoulder effect. It also has three distinct variations: a classic straight back, a pleated back, and a gathered back with gathered sleeves. The straight and gathered shirts are longer than the pleated back shirt, so they can be worn tucked in.

I made the classic straight back shirt.

I made a size 8 that corresponds with a bust of 34 inches. The finished garment bust measurement is 43 inches, so is an over sized shirt with a whopping 9 inches of ease. A more fitted shirt, for example the Liesl and Co Classic Shirt has 5 to 6 inches of ease.

There’s also no bust darts, which adds to the oversize feels. Something I need to get used to!

There is a choice of classic sleeve placket or simple bound placket. Due to the ‘holes’ in this embroidered voile, I chose the simple (and quicker) bound placket.

There are 4 pleats at the cuff, giving a slight blouson effect to the sleeve.

I used french seams throughout for longevity and because the fabric is slightly sheer.

I used my usual sew-in interfacing with a firm weight in the collar and collar stand, with a lighter weight in the cuff and button placket. I no longer use iron on interfacing in shirts. I find it bubbles after multiple washings.

For those interested I buy from the Tailor Mouse using this firm one and this light one

It went together without a hitch, remembering the 1cm seam allowance.

Would I size down next time. Yes, I think I would depending on fabric choice, but just one size. And I would shorten the sleeve length by half an inch.

So no doubt there’s more of these shirts to come, watch this space 🙂

Love, Lucie xx