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October has been the month of challenging my sewing skills with everything from mastering the automatic buttonhole option on my sewing machine and working with woven apparel fabrics, both things I have actively avoided in the past! But now that I am about to finish up two years of apparel sewing I thought it was finally time I break into some more advanced sewing projects and learn a little more about tailoring as well as fit. And boy did I learn.
I have never in my life had a button down shirt that fit me perfectly, if they fit in the bust they were too big every where else and if they were the right fit every where else they were way too tight in the bust. I had given up trying on anything button down in any store for years now. It was disappointing and frustrating to keep trying only to get the same results. I
Earlier this month I made my first ever button down shirt using the Grainline archer button up pattern. I documented the whole process on my Instagram stories, which is now saved on on my Instagram highlights, if you want an in depth look at how sewing the first shirt went. Long story short, the sewing process was not as hard as I thought it would be but very time consuming.
My first make was definitely wearable but there were some alternations needed to make it fit perfectly for me. I shorted the sleeves about three and a half inches and graded the armsyce and shoulders down two sizes on this version and the fit was much better for me! I still think the shoulder could come in another quarter of an inch.
One of the things that scared me most about this pattern was the collar/collar stand but turns out they really aren’t that complicated! Grain Line has a full pictorial sew along for the Archer that I utilized to help me through the collar steps and it came together in no time at all.
There are so many professional touches on this pattern but I especially love the fully enclosed back yoke! It is not uncommon for me to take a flannel off throughout the day and end up with it tied around my waist, exposing the inside of the garment, and I love that with this pattern the inside is just as pretty as the outside. Can we take a moment to marvel at that plaid matching?!
Looking back I now realize that there was nothing to be scared of when it came to making my own button up shirt and I am so very glad I took the plunge and just gave it a shot. Now I am constantly in search of the perfect plaid and am hoping to have a closet full of flannels by the time spring comes. This fabric came form my local sewing center and was only $5 a yard, making it both a steal and the perfect fabric to use as I am perfecting the fit of this pattern.
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